THE HISTORY OF EDI CLUB

Different doors.
The same welcome.

The places have changed. The reason for gathering has carried on. Explore the stories, photographs, and small pieces of paper that hold a little of EDI’s past.

Follow the story

An early EDI clubhouse with a large E.D.I. sign above the entrance — FROM THE CLUB ARCHIVEAn early EDI home · captioned 1975–August 1977

A history worth keeping, with room to learn more. This collection comes from EDI’s former website. Some dates differ between its written account and photo captions; some details were left unknown. Those differences are kept visible here.

HOW THE STORY UNFOLDED

A place to meet.
A community taking shape.

Adapted from the old site’s anonymous member account and building captions. Dates describe the archive’s account of events.

Read the original account

1974
Room for one more
The anonymous account begins with a growing Friday evening meeting at Grace Lutheran Church on Bartlett Road. Members wanted a setting small enough for everyone to have a chance to share.
1975
The idea becomes EDI
Jackie R. and Greg K. proposed a club that could be both a social place and a meeting place for AA. The account records a charter later that year and early meetings at Advent Lutheran Church in Streamwood.
1976
Coffee, a bakery, and a growing community
After an early space where water for coffee had to be carried from next door, the account describes a move into a bakery. AA, Al-Anon, and then Alateen became part of the club’s story.
1978
A house in Bartlett
The recollection places the club in a house at Western and Bartlett Roads in 1978. A photograph is captioned “May 1978–Sept 1979.”
1979 / 1980
The parsonage years
The written account dates the move to the church parsonage to 1979; the photo caption starts at 1980. The photograph identifies 106 N. Western Avenue in Bartlett. Both versions are preserved here.
2000 / 2001
A move to Hanover Park
The account says 2000; the photo caption says 2001. The caption identifies 1114 E. Lake Street, and the later move note calls the location Greenbrook Shopping Center.
November 2013
Back to Streamwood
The former website records the move to 18 W. Streamwood Boulevard in Hillbrook Square. Its photo caption gives November 1, 2013 as the start date.

IN A MEMBER’S WORDS

The story,
as it was remembered.

An anonymous recollection published on EDI’s former website. Original wording and spelling are retained; line breaks are joined for readability.

The old page’s footer reads “Updated 11/18/2023.” That is a page update, not a date for the recollection.

“When we made coffee we had to lug water from next door. But it was great!”
From the anonymous member account

Read the complete original account

In the later part of 1974, Grace Lutheran Church on Bartlett Road Friday evening meeting became too large. Several of the members voiced concern as comments could no longer go around the table.

In 1975 Jackie R. and Greg K. thought maybe starting a club called EDI would be a social place and also a meeting place for A.A.

Later that year the charter was drawn up. The charter members were Jackie R., Greg K., Henry (Hank) R., Jerry (The Beard) A., and Roger and Louise.

The first meeting was held at Advent Lutheran Church on Irving Park Road in Streamwood. It was there for several months and even held a few Saturday open Meetings.

Frank Sweeney, who had real estate building on the South West corner of Irving and Bartlett Road, had a smaller building to the North. He said we could use that. It had no running water or bathroom. if you wanted you could always go next door to the real estate place. When we made coffee we had to lug water from next door. But it was great! After the first winter we had almost 20 members and were bursting at the seams so we had to find another place.

Lo and behold the bakery was offered. But boy the renovations that had to be made were many. That was in 1976. At that time we not only had AA 3-4 times a week but now was able to have Alanon. Alateen came shortly after. We even had Saturday open wich had about 30-40 people in attendance.

The Village of Bartlett said we had to move as they were going to tear down the building. Code violations or something to that affect.

Then came a house on the corner of Western and Bartlett Road were we moved in in 1978.

In 1979 we moved to the Church Parsonage at the corner of Western and North Avenues in Bartlett. That was wonderful. AA, Alanon and Alateen all under one roof and a real to goodness kitchen and bathroom with running water. We were able to stay there until 2000 when the parsonage was going to be torn down.

In 2000 we moved to Hanover Park. EDI has been been around for 38 years and a welcome addition to all our lives.

Anonymous.

A later note on the old page

November 2013 EDI Club moved from Greenbrook Shoping Center in Hanover Park to our curent location of 18 W. Streamwood Blvd. in the Hillbrook Square shopping center near Bartlett Rd.

SIX ORIGINAL PHOTOGRAPHS