The Newsletter also includes a calendar of events, which prominently features a categorized list of the dates and times of Area Service events, and other AA related events occurring throughout the Western Washington fellowship, i.e., campouts, luncheons, and picnics. Fliers related to the above events, registration, contribution, and subscription forms are consolidated in a separate section. Districts’ reports are encouraged.
The Newsletter Editor requests content each month from the WWA72 Committee, in particular elected & appointed officers, standing committees, special committees, Intergroups & Central Service Offices, and the DCMs for each of the 44 districts. All the above are encouraged to submit content that features a method of carrying the message in their sphere of duties.
The author’s first name, at minimum, will accompany all submissions. The Editor reserves the right to edit and/or refuse to publish content considered to be inconsistent with the three legacies: Recovery, Unity, and Service, with particular scrutiny given to content perceived to contain foul language and/or personal attacks.
The Newsletter is intended to be shared with all the members of the Western Washington fellowship and relies on the WWA72 Committee to generate content, overall awareness, and ensure distribution to the groups. It is distributed monthly, free of charge, to WWA72 elected and appointed officers, DCMs, and Alternate DCMs, GSRs of the registered WWA72 groups, past Delegates, GSO, Pacific Region Trustee, reciprocating Pacific Region Newsletter Editors, and the 15 Pacific Region Delegates. Homegroups or individuals may subscribe for $12 per year by sending send their name, address, and payment to the Western Washington Area Treasurer. The views and opinions expressed in the articles and reports are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Newsletter Editor, Western Washington Area 72, or Alcoholics Anonymous.
EDITORS NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in the articles and reports are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Western Washington Area 72 or Alcoholics Anonymous.
Greetings from the General Service Conference in New York.
First, I cannot say THANK YOU enough for the amazing feedback I received from our Area groups. There were some very interesting ideas and thoughtful comments. I really enjoyed reading every single one!
And now, it's conference week! Yesterday, Saturday, was an informal start to the conference with a Pacific Region Area AA history tour. A few of the Panel 74 delegates rented a bus for all the delegates, their guests, and some past trustees from our region. We visited several places in Brooklyn, such as 38 Livingstone Street, where Bill and Louis lived when he was "flying high" working on Wall Street. In Manhattan, for example, we visited the site where Towns Hospital used to be located.
We also had a meet-and-greet, where people exchanged delegate pins or similar items. It's a tradition, and attached is a collection I have so far! I have made a pin too! If you attend a conference report back you will get one. A picture of my pin, amongst a group of others, was posted on the Grapevine Instagram page.
Today, we opened the conference with roll call, and I had the honor and privilege of formally saying "present" while representing Area 72.
Part of the day was spent discussing the Conference Inventory. We were broken into groups and given four specific questions to discuss in detail during our two-hour session. I came prepared with summaries of themes, key quotes, and suggested solutions (where possible). During the discussion, notes were taken, and throughout the week, the different groups will report on their discussions. The four questions our group was assigned were also assigned to other groups. I look forward to hearing their feedback and discussion.
In the afternoon, we had the first report-outs from the inventory discussions. A summary of the information will be shared later this summer and will be included in the final conference report. I will talk more about this in detail during my conference report-backs.
In the evening, we had our opening dinner and AA meeting. There was assigned seating, and I ended up sitting with four other Panel 75 delegates, the Canada Trustee at Large, and one of the French interpreters. We had some interesting discussions!
I start bright and early tomorrow morning with the Grapevine Conference Committee, where we will begin discussing our specific agenda items.
Thank you for the well-wishes, thoughts, calls, and texts. I absolutely feel the love from our amazing Area!
You will hear from me soon!
Courtney S.
Area 72 Western Washington
Delegate Panel 75
I have been so impressed with all your group conscience feedback! The thoughtful discussions and great write-ups have been heartwarming. I feel the love and dedication for AA. Thank you for taking the time to have the important discussions.
This week I am spending the majority of my time getting ready for the conference! I am a bit nervous, excited, and feel prepared to represent the best Area in the conference, Area 72! I bet most delegate say that…but I think we are 😊
Your District Committee Members are doing a great job getting the Delegate Report backs scheduled!
Flyers will be posted on the Area website when final details are available. Here are rough dates!
Look forward to seeing you there! Courtney
I don’t have a lot to add about what I’ve been doing. My Quarterly report, in the Quarterly minutes sums up the activities I’ve been into since January. By the time this newsletter is published, I will have hosted the first two DCM schools of this rotation.
I look forward to attending some Delegate report backs and hearing how the Conference process and experience went this year. I’m also available for more GSR schools. What some Districts have found helpful is to have me come speak to their District (before or during their district meeting) to do an abridged version of a GSR workshop.
Stay tuned for more events, or reach out if you want to plan one! I’m also available for group or district inventories and anything else your group or District might need.
Thank you for letting me participate in the Third Legacy: Service.
Lupita YM
Area 72 Alternate Delegate | Panel 75
In the pamphlet Where Money and Spirituality Mix, in the section “we cannot skimp” it reads, “With the realization that A.A. must steer clear of outside contributions in order to maintain it’s autonomy and independence came the understanding that the money necessary for A.A.’s survival would have to come from individual A.A. members and groups.” As Bill W put it in 1957 “ Our Spiritual way of life is safe for future generations if, as a Society, we resist the temptation to receive money from the outside world. But this leaves us with a responsibility – one that every member ought to understand. We cannot skimp when the treasurer of our group passes the hat. Our groups, our Areas and A.A. as a whole, will not function unless our services are sufficient and their bills are paid. When we meet and defeat the temptation to take large gifts, we are only being prudent. But when we are generous with the hat, we give a token that we are grateful for our blessings and evidence that we are eager to share what we have found with all those who still suffer. (The Language of the Heart, p 221)
The blue sheet, titled Statement of Financial Activities Actuals VS Budget 1st Quarter 2025, it shows the Contributions for the 1st Quarter totaling $56,417.21.
As you can see on the screen and on the narrative report, over the first 3 months, we received a total of $56,417.21, with our larger deposit month being January which included a hefty amount from groups and districts for 2024 year-end contributions.
For Area 72 to achieve the proposed budget, which is needed to pay the expenses that were approved, we need $42,030 in contributions per quarter for the rest of the year. Historically, looking at 2024 & 2023 we had strong first quarters, just like this year, with the last three quarters going stagnant. It’s important that we keep the momentum we’ve had going, and it seems to be the Area’s Conscience, with the strong year-end contributions we received, that the groups want to support and they have confidence in what the Area 72 committee is doing.
At the pre-conferences our Delegate brought to us GSO’s concerns on finances and how $1 just doesn’t cut it anymore. Based on our ample first quarter contributions it seems Area 72 has gotten the message so let’s keep up the great work. With the $42,030 per quarter needed to hit our budget, if we don’t increase the contributions in the hat, it will leave nothing to contribute to the General Service Board.
GOOD NEWS: Today, Area 72 has enough cash to cover our bills. (yellow sheet)
We currently have $46,511.07 in the bank account, which is up from $31,273.00 at the end of 2024. Just a reminder in the $46,511.07 balance is the $10,000 we have set aside for the 2026 and 2027 Assemblies, leaving us $36,511.07 in the bank. Minus our working reserve of $21,400 we have available $15,111.07 to pay expenses and invest in future projects.
As Derek N. goes though the expenses in detail, you will see where our contributions are being spent and the categories we will be watching as the year progresses. To hear the Big Picture, the Appointed Committee Chair’s will be sharing where and how contributions are being used to carry the message to the still suffering alcoholic.
Awareness is key in all areas of our recovery and that is what I hope transpired today. If you would like to have me at a district meeting to explain these concepts or help get a better understanding of Area 72 finances, I am available. All the full reports will be on the Area 72 website.
2025 Big Picture:
The Spirituality and Money pamphlet ends with “ While the fellowship has always faced problems of money property and prestige in one form or another, through the wisdom of the seventh tradition we have never been diverted from or primary purpose of carry the message to the alcoholic who still suffers – wherever he or she may be. This is the fundamental work of Alcoholics Anonymous, and to ensure that the hand of AA will always remain outstretched, money and spirituality must continue to mix. And for that, we are all responsible.”
Accomplishments from the past month:
Problems or issues you are facing or have already dealt with:
Please share some goals you hope to achieve or begin work on in the next month.
What am I grateful for?
Your Service sib,
Bud W.
accessiblility@area72aa.org
It has been really fun serving you these past few months as your Archives Chair. I have been settling into this position and have been focusing on how I can be a part of supporting our Area's needs. The main component of fulfilling my responsibilities as Archives Chair is to maintain open communication at all levels. I have been chairing the Archives Steering Committee (ASC) meetings once a month where we have great discussions about how we can best serve you and receive feedback from each other on our current projects. I have been traveling out to Districts to present about archives and inform them that there is support available from our ASC for their archival needs. Our Archivist and the 6 members of our committee have been working on various projects that preserve how we have carried the message of recovery in Area 72. The work ranges from preserving historical documents to organizing our digital archives. The goal is to make the information available to others in various ways.
Two ways we make our archives available to the Area is through presentations and traveling displays at events. I am excited about our upcoming events and presentations. I will be traveling out to Districts 58, 21, and 34 to present on district archives. Our steering committee will be taking a traveling display to the Capital Jamboree out in Olympia on June 6th-7th. The ASC will also be taking the traveling display to Step Ashore in August. We also have more exciting events planned for the Fall. In September District 31 will be hosting a historical presentation that will be facilitated by our Archivist Maryland. We will also be hosting the Regional Archives Workshop in October. This is where Area 58, 72, and 92 come together to present on various topics relating to archives.
There is so much more I can write about however, I will save that for next time!
Yours in Service,
Jennifer R.
Hello everyone. Big things happening in Distric4 in the next few months. On May 18th at Inspire Church in Burlington we will be hosting an in person GSR school, from 1-4. On July 19th the Area 72 Treatment Quarterly will be held at Skagit PUD in Mount Vernon time TBD, look for upcoming flyer. We also have put in the bid for the July 26th Area 72 Young Persons Quarterly, will have more info on that as well. The Northern Districts will also be hosting our Delegate report back in June, also at Skagit PUD, again, date and time TBD.
We have also filled our vacant Archives Committee Chair position. Big shout out to Vinnie I, for standing for this position. Our area Archives Chair came up and went through the Archives in storage and was very impressed with some of the things that they found, and I believe she took some to be held and displayed at the Area Library.
So, with that, that's my report. Look forward to seeing everyone in July f0r the Quarterly and/or the International.
Edward S DCM 4
Annabelle Alt DCM 4
District 7 is going strong down here in Southwest Washington. The remaining committees that need to be filled are Accessibility & Grapevine and Literature.
Archives is active and creating a new agenda in collaboration with District 37, working together they have defined clear objectives including a new travel archives display and wrapping up the books for storage.
Our PI committee is donating essential AA literature, including "Alcoholics Anonymous" (The Big Book) in English, Spanish, and Large Print, "Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions," "Alcoholics Anonymous Plain Language," and "Our Stories Disclose, 2nd Edition" to public libraries in southern Vancouver and the Columbia Gorge. They are collaborating with District 54 to run an AA Public Information Booth at the King County State Fair in July 2025. Additionally, they are laminating AA materials for display and distributing pamphlets and meeting schedules in local libraries. Upcoming events include the Vancouver Community Resource Fair on May 7, 2025, and the Clark County Family and Educators Transition Resources Fair on May 17, 2025.
We are also excited to announce we are in the Skamania County jail, bringing the message to those who are incarcerated. Our Corrections chair has worked alongside our Alt DCM to finally get inside the correctional facility. Thank you for the opportunity to serve.
Rose B
Hi D 8 here. We are doing the work to be able present our budget at the May district meeting. That's our biggest task for now. Next month, we are going to have our new Hotline Chair teach all of us about the Hotline so we can pass that info along to everyone in our groups. So exciting to get smarter about how we can help the still suffering alcoholic. Summer is on the way and planning outdoor get together activities is another priority. Fun is always a great way to spend sunny days. Regarding the 3rd Legacy, that is a position we need to fill so we are working on finding someone who wants some service work!
Debbie DCM D 8
District 9 is trudging along with well attended business meetings and good attendance at the GSR school and pre-conference. We have two positions open, CPC liaison and CSO director, if you are in D9 and interested in one of these positions come see us on the third Tuesday, at 6:30 at the PSCSO.
We are talking about the 3rd legacy in our district meeting, PI is taking road shows to any group that requests one. We have also been talking about a possible 3rd legacy workshop! We have asked the groups and are looking forward to the feedback, more to be revealed!
Yours in service
Shannon H DCM9
Hello Area 72 Newsletter!
District 10 Meeting Halls are filled with enthusiastic AA members, eager to connect and attend to district business. Our district follows a rotating meeting schedule, moving through the cities of Poulsbo, Bremerton, Belfair, Kingston, and Bainbridge Island, WA. This rotation allows us to engage with each community and experience the unique spirit of every local hall. Each meeting begins with a 30-minute potluck, offering an opportunity for fellowship, connection, and a shared meal. The energy of the Fellowship is vibrant and active. This month, we completed updates to the District Handbook, explored and exchanged insights on Conference discussion topics, and began conversations around upcoming Area business matters.
Remembering back to when I was a General Service Representative (GSR), I believed my primary responsibility was simply to collect information and report back to my group. At the time, the task felt modest, but I committed to doing my best. In return, my home group offered support and heartfelt appreciation. By the end of my term, I realized I had not only fulfilled my role of connecting our group to the broader AA community but also helped open new avenues for service among our members. Most importantly, I came to understand the importance of our legacy: ensuring that AA’s message of recovery reaches the still-suffering alcoholic. What I learned as a GSR piqued the interest in my future opportunities for being of service, such as serving on district committees, and learning more about what we do as an organization. The opportunities for growth continue to keep presenting themselves.
Alcoholics Anonymous has built the foundation for me to become a capable person both inside and outside the fellowship, and I want to give back the skills and experience AA helped develop in me, by being of service to AA wherever I am needed. A favorite saying I heard in AA is... “you are welcome, wanted, and needed in the rooms of AA.” As I continue my recovery journey, I hope to impress upon fellow members how important they are and how much we need them inside the circle of AA.
In Love and Service,
Hollie McIntyre - Alt DCM 10
I Had a great start to April attending Committee Quarterlies we don't have Chairs for. I had my Homegroups Business Meeting Followed up bye Our District 12 Business meeting Thur then Straight to the Area72 Business Quarterly Fri and Sat. We Made it Past I5 construction and got back to Everett in time to attend Sat Night Live at 34 Oakes. Finished the weekend Sun attending the Service Manual Study at Seattle Intergroup with Our 3rd Legacy Chair Pete.
I've been trying to get Committee Chairs to get signed into their Gmail Accounts . So we're going to have a workshop for Gmail Basics. Our Webservant Shu has been super helpful getting these people signed into their accounts.
I arranged for our Area72 Corrections Chair Aimee to come to District12s next Business Meeting.
I'm Continuing to research Venues to host Quarterlies here in Everett. Also looked into some Venues for North Districts Pre Assembly.
We had our First District12 Hybrid Business Meeting. We also got someone to Volunteer to run Zoom for us. Since the GSR schools we have got a Conference Hybrid Sound and Zoom setup up and running. With Small PA Speakers microphones fully integrated into zoom. We ran the Sound and Microphones for my Homegroups Quarterly Potluck Speaker Meeting with a Skit to test it all out.
Will be attending DCM School with North Districts April 27th. Started planning for Delegate Report Back and Pre Assembly with North Districts.
That's about it Unity Love Tolerance
DCM12
Shane M
Greetings from District 14!
April was a rewarding month for our district. At our monthly meeting the team voted unanimously to support District 41’s Public Information table at this year’s Pride Fest at Seattle Center. We are really looking forward to partnering with our friends District 41 to carry the message at Pride Fest and hope that other districts will join us. In addition, District 14 elected a Young People’s Committee Chair, filling our last open committee chair position.
On Saturday, April 26, our Public Information Chair teamed up with members of our incredible Young People’s group, “No Matter What – Late Night,” to host a Public Information table at West Seattle’s annual “Be A Blessing Event.” This event is an inspirational resource fair put on by young people for young people. I’m grateful for the service hearts we have throughout District 14, incredible examples of our Third Legacy.
Our Third Legacy, Service, offers us an opportunity to share our experience, strength, and hope with other alcoholics so that we can find sobriety together. In sharing this legacy, we take action to make a difference in the lives of others. These actions can be as simple as opening the doors of a meeting, making coffee, cleaning up after a meeting. They can be fun and rewarding, like hosting a Public Information table at a public event or taking a meeting inside the walls of a treatment or correctional facility. Love of the Third Legacy can also lead our fellows to give so much of their lives to General Service. I am very proud to be part of an Area and District in Western Washington that places so much value and emphasis on service actions big and small.
Looking forward, on May 25 I will join the District 14 Third Legacy Chair and other trusted servants in Area 72 as we come together for a Third Legacy Roundtable. Many thanks to Patty, the District 25 Third Legacy Chair, for leading this effort! I look forward to writing about this new forum next month.
Thank you for this opportunity to be part of the team. Enjoy the day!
Your Friend in Service,
David J
DCM, District 14
Our staffing levels are on low side. We are missing an Alt. DCM and a Secretary. A member of the Broadway Group, who is interested in being secretary, will attend our next board meeting to throw their hat into the ring. The Sober Diversity group, in Rainier Beach, is likely to name a GSR at its next business meeting. They have never had one. I will attend several meeting in the coming days to announce our open positions.
John P
District15
District 18 had a devastating loss of our PI/CPC Chair. It was a stark reminder of how baffling and powerful this terrible disease can be. The District has rallied to fill the position moving forward. Let us never forget why we are doing what we do for AA.
We filled our Accessibility Chair position which gives our District a full slate.
Our new Web and Tech Chair is working on giving our website a facelift and we are wanting to make it more robust for those in the fellowship and those looking for help, both professionals and future members.
We have voted to have a Potluck Quarterly before the District meeting, we have a mini-GSR School scheduled with Lupita and a report back with Courtney in June.
Our District meetings are full and vibrant and we are so blessed to have so many people on fire for service!! And Young People!!!! I love the enthusiasm of the young people. They are our future and we are so excited to have them with us.
District 18 is starting a Tradition Study once a month at St Matthews Lutheran Church at 1700 Edmonds Ave NE Renton, WA 98056 @ 5:30pm-6:30pm starting on May 5th. We will be using Language of the Heart, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, AA Comes of Age, and a variety of pamphlets to study the traditions. Everyone Welcome.
Thank you to my super awesome service sponsor for carrying this message to me so that we can pass it along. That is the way it is intended.
We have two new meetings starting in District 18 too!
District 18
Submitted by Lara R.
You are a trusted servant.
“Trusted servant” was one of many terms I heard tossed around in my early days of service in sobriety. But much like “primary purpose”, I thought I had an idea of what it meant. But my understanding of it now is so much stronger. Not just from acting as one for several years now. But being shown through the words and actions of those who serve with me. As well as the elder statesmen that helped guide me when I always felt like a deer in the headlights. One such man took the time to sit down with me and explain what was asked of my new position. The first position of service I ever held in AA outside of a group level.
I was to be the district web servant. Maintaining our website which held district information and where to find your next meeting A job that was being done by our then DCM, who was pulling double duty. He and I sat down on day and went over the ins and outs of logging in, going through the settings, how to edit the words and pictures on the site, etc. I must have asked a dozen questions along the way. And right about the time I was going to ask the baker’s dozen question. He stopped me and essentially said “Joe, I will happily sit here with you as long as you need me too and answer any questions you can throw at me. But let me first tell you that you are a trusted servant of AA”.
Ok, so I’ve heard those two words before. Another way of saying it’s your job. You better not quit on us. Right? That’s it. He continued. “I, and everyone in the district, trust you to be a steward of our website. Any decision you feel is in the best interest of helping our website serve our primary purpose. You have all our support.” “You were elected not just because you have a basic understanding of computers. It sure helps. But because we see in you the desire to serve the recovering and still suffering alcoholics”.
It wasn't until then that I realized my desire to serve and be responsible. As those who were there when I needed the hand of AA. Whenever I think of “trusted servant”. I am almost always drawn back to that afternoon. When one alcoholic talked to another. With the help of that man, and countless other people, I now know that I am responsible.
Joe Thomas
District 19 DCM
The Circle and Triangle AA’s third legacy
To me the 3rd Legacy of Service is an expression of my gratitude for my sobriety and all of the people who have been there to help me. At my first meeting AA members reached out the hand of AA to me. From the guy who answered the hotline and told me there were no dues or fees, to the woman who handed me a newcomer’s packet of pamphlets and became my first sponsor, and to the person who made the coffee, each person and service they performed helped put the pieces of me back together. As I worked the steps and learned about the traditions I began to notice that these AA members who were doing these things had something special that I wanted and I realized that if I was going to stay sober I would have to start participating in service too.
On Page 29 of As Bill sees it Bill talks about service being a “repayment for the help given to you”. I did not know what I could do or how I could be of service so I asked my sponsor. Since that time, I have been active in just about every type of service in AA and one of the biggest lessons I have learned is that I will never be able to pay back what was and is being given to me. The more service I do the more I learn and the more gifts I receive and the more gratitude I feel. Then the cycle begins again. I stopped trying to “pay back” a while ago and today my gratitude can go forward with the newcomer and maybe they can experience the joy and gratitude I have been given and keep passing that forward.
Lisa B DCM 21
Hello again from District 22, the far West of the Olympic Peninsula. This month as we always do in the Spring, we held our District meeting in the West End of Forks. It’s quite a drive for all of those that come from Port Angeles, but support was awesome, as we had a great turnout. My motto of “If it’s convenient, it probably isn’t service” was answered by a strong lot of servants this month.
Heather C and I attended a treatment/Bridging the Gap workshop put on by Suzi L, the Area Treatment Chair. We are in the process of getting Heather set up in the Area database as a contact for BTG requests coming to our District and having a streamlined process for forwarding requests from our local treatment center. This is filling an important gap in our service structure.
Collaborative Events with other Districts include:
The annual Talent/No-Talent show, in conjunction with District 55, was April 5th, and well attended. Since our Alt, Monica W, and I were in Vancouver for the Quarterly, we can only report that rumor has it that a good time was had by all!
We have scheduled a Delegates Report back in conjunction with Districts 43, 55, & 56 for June 7th in Port Orchard.
We are working with Districts 10, 22, 55, & 56 to arrange a pre-Assembly meeting to discuss potential agenda items for the October Area Assembly; we have a tentative date of August 17.
The joint bid by our District, along with Districts 55 & 56, to host the January 2026 Area Quarterly was presented at the Area Quarterly this month and was approved by the voting body! We look forward to hosting you all January 2 & 3, 2026.
Pete DCM 22
Hello Area 72! I hope everyone’s enjoying the nice weather and looking forward to Summer.
We had some really good conversation at our April district meeting, and a lot of good feedback from GSRs on Conference items. I trust the GSRs were able to give Courtney some really good feedback to help prepare her for Conference Week.
Since the topic is AA’s 3rd Legacy, I’ll talk about what District 24 Third Legacy Chair is planning.
Terry R., who was the January Quarterly Host Committee Chair was also planning presentations/events for our 3rd Legacy time held right before our monthly business meetings the first Wednesday of each month. He’s done Google Docs/Sheets reviews, an overview of Area72AA.org, including Delegates corner, and has invited Greater Seattle Intergroup Alt Chair to May’s meeting to tell us what GSIG does (and doesn’t do). 😊
Terry has also planned a Founders Day presentation along with inviting members of Area 72 to talk with us about the service they provide.
I’m really looking forward to all he has planned!
Lisa J.
DCM District 24
As previously reported and relayed at the most recent Area 72 business quarterly District 25 finds itself still growing. Notably we have had several visits by representatives from groups outside the United States who very much want to be connected to the A.A. service structure but have no mechanism (as online groups in other A.A. “jurisdictions”) to so serve and have their voices heard. Many of the members (though not all) of these groups are U.S. citizens and want only to stay connected to the service structure they have been a part of before moving abroad. In polling the groups that are mostly situated inside U.S./Canada boundaries most District 25 Groups have at least one, if not more, individual members who physically live outside U.S./Canada boundaries if not all of the year at least part of it.
Herein lies the rub. Apparently the Area 72 website and tech committee chairs have in place firewalls to prevent “nefarious” foreign entities from infiltrating the system; and sadly this means that District 25 internationally located members and groups are not able to access the Area 72 website either. And unfortunately, and somewhat alarmingly, certain elected trusted servants at the area level have determined that they will not under any circumstances seek out a means to insure security while still making the website and its information available to those members. This deliberate obstinance is very concerning to our district and a committee is being formed and information and experience being gathered from all levels of the A.A. service structure to bring to the Area for discussion and resolution of this firewall. All members in the Area 72 structure (and that includes all online members identifying as being a part of District 25 - which by an overwhelmingly accepted and passed motion in 2022 insures that there are no geographical boundaries for District 25 to have to work around) must be guaranteed the same rights and privileges as all other members and that all trusted servants are in fact working toward this end and not governing the body based on their own fears, grievances, or opinions.
~Jo G Dist 25
The Circle and Triangle — A.A.’s Third Legacy
In Alcoholics Anonymous the symbols of a circle enclosing a triangle represents the organizations core values: unity, service and recovery. The circle symbolizes the wholeness and inclusivity of the A.A. fellowship while the triangle signifies A.A.’s three legacies. Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
Circle: Represents the entire A.A. world, the interconnectedness of members, and the idea of wholeness and unity (emphasis added).
Triangle: Symbolizes A.A.’s three legacies: Unity (the fellowship and sense of community among A.A. members), Service (the willingness to help others, both within and outside the A.A. program [again emphasis added]), and Recovery as in the process of achieving and maintaining sobriety, which encompasses physical, mental and spiritual aspects.
At present District 25 is witnessing the corrosive effects not practicing all principles this symbology represents as not all of our members are being provided the same opportunties and privileges that other members have available to them day in and day out. District 25 seeks to insure that the ideals that are embodied in this symbology are once again made sound and sure and that the upside down triangle of the service structure does not upend (and the membership find itself being governed and dictated to) as it was designed to prevent.
Yours in service,
Jo G., DCM25
“Service”
District 27 is growing in service! We have two new Co-Chairs for Corrections and Treatment. We have members taking meetings into the county jails both in Pacific and Cowlitz county and we just started having members take meetings into a rehab facility for the first time. There is a member working with the Southern Six (SW Washington Districts) with hosting and coordinating events together. Our PI/CPC committee is working hard at getting info out to the public. Being a witness to the growth of our fellowship is truly something I am grateful to being a part of.
Service + Unity + Recovery = A new life!
In service,
Dave K.
DCM District 27
For many of us, three in one is easy to understand. Most AA coins display the triangle clearly inscribed with the three Legacies of Recovery, Unity, and Service. Individually they're incomplete, always yearning for the other two. Usually, Recovery begins upon submitting one's will and life over to God. The cornerstone that adheres the legacies together. Unity, through fellowship with others in recovery who practice the steps and traditions, leads us to do what is right. They helped guide me as I found the Way, the Truth, and the Life resulting in happiness, completeness; everlasting. But, for service it was first necessary to, as our coin also says, " to thine own self be true". That involved change from within. That change, upon occurring, directed the Spirit within me to Service. Trifecta complete! Service, the Third Legacy, can best be summarized for me by something Dr. Bob said about passing what he had learned to others who need it badly. he gave four reasons.
1. Sense of duty
2. It is a pleasure
3. Because in so doing I am paying my debt to the man who took the time to pass it on to me
4. Because every time I do it I take out a little more insurance for myself against a possible slip
I suppose had I started with the summary I could have skipped everything prior. Oh well, better luck next time.
P.S. A lot of Service happening here in District 28!
Jim M.
DCM District 28
Greetings from District 29. We continue to have robust involvement from all of our Trusted Servant Chairs. We are getting Active discussion on the Area 72 discussion topics. The recent April quarterly in Vancouver was a success from my perspective and I really appreciate the work done by the Newsletter Ad Hoc Committee. Our district recently started a formal Third Legacy program last year. Generally we make a presentation at a birthday night meeting in lieu of a speaker. We have had great participation and the presentation has been well received by the groups. We have presented at roughly half of the groups in our district and look forward to being invited to present at the rest. This type of presentation certainly helps raise awareness for service beyond the group level.
In-service,
Fred J.
DCM District 29
AA's Third Legacy is a topic hard to narrow down to a couple of paragraphs. Personally, I believe it to be a lifelong goal to learn, experience, and grow through the never ending process of truly learning AA's Third Legacy. Simply put, the Third Legacy is the "sum total of all [AA's] services..." as written by Bill W. in the What Is The Third Legacy? article in the July, 1955 AA Grapevine. In this publication, he explains that "AA service is anything whatever that helps us to reach a fellow sufferer - ranging all the way from the Twelfth Step itself to a ten-cent phone call and a cup of coffee, and the AA's General Service Headquarters for national and international action." We perform these services as individuals, groups, intergroups/central offices, areas, nationally and internationally.
Our current version of "The A.A. Service Manual" has grown from Bill W.'s "Third Legacy Manual" that was initially drafted in 1951. (That alone is an amazing discussion topic.) This manual describes everything from general service to our trusted servants. It explains the Structure of the Conference (the upside down triangle), the Group and its GSR, the District and its DCM, the Area Assembly, Area Committee, the Delegate, the Annual General Service Conference, Conference Committees, and the General Service Board. There is also great detail about the Board, A.A. World Services, A.A. Grapevine, and the General Service Office. And that's just the first half of it!
Recovery is often related to the Steps as Unity is to the Traditions. The Concepts are associated with Service and are "described in th[e] Manual [as] an interpretation of A.A.'s world service structure." As we meet with our fellow alcoholics at our home groups and meetings to achieve and (by the grace of God) maintain sobriety, I find great peace in knowing that we aren't just thrown together to figure this out on our own. We have these carefully thought out structures that we can use to not only help ourselves in our own recovery, but that we can continue to help the still suffering. Because it is in service that many of us have been able to maintain our sobriety and fulfill our primary purpose.
With Gratitude, Nicole J. DCM 32
dcm32@area72aa.org
The AA Circle and Triangle: Embracing Our Third Legacy
The Circle and Triangle is a powerful symbol of Alcoholics Anonymous, representing the core principles of our fellowship: unity, recovery, and service. The circle signifies our collective strength and support, reminding us that we are never alone in our struggles. Meanwhile, the triangle, divided into three sections, highlights the essential aspects of our program: personal recovery through the Twelve Steps, the importance of fostering unity within our groups, and the commitment to service that reinforces our own sobriety while helping others. For this alcoholic, being of service is what keeps me happy and sane in my sobriety, and for that, I couldn’t be more grateful.
AA’s Third Legacy calls on all members to engage in service, emphasizing that our recovery is not just an individual journey but a collective effort. By taking on various service roles, from leading meetings to reaching out to the still-suffering alcoholic, we embody the spirit of the Circle and Triangle. Each act of service strengthens our community and contributes to the greater good of Alcoholics Anonymous. As we navigate our recovery, let us remember that through unity and service, we can face any challenge together and continue to support one another on this incredible journey.
With love and gratitude,
Christina M.
Alt DCM / District 33
DISTRICT 34 – MAY NEWLETTER ARTICLE
District 34 is operating well! The district continues to carry the message by conducting regularly scheduled hybrid meetings every 1st Tuesday of every month. District Officer’s, Chairperson’s, and GSR’s attend and participate in the meetings.
April –
Yours in Service,
Belinda P.
District 34 Alt DCM
April saw a flurry of activities across District 35…
Coming off the Eastside Districts Pre-Conference meeting in late March, our GSRs prepped for their groups and garnered their group’s conscience and then sent summaries on to Courtney. Hats off to the great pre-conference facilitators; our GSRs were well prepared.
Both our DCM and ALT DCM attended the Area Business Quarterly in Vancouver. The many reports were very interesting and informative, the Newsletter Ad Hoc Committee gave a fantastic presentation (actually two) that was both thorough and creative, and the Committee “Speed Dating” event was a wonderful way to meet and get to know the committee Chairs. All in all, the weekend was further proof of all the excellent work being done in Western Washington, and that we are definitely not a glum lot!
At the Quarterly, Eastside DCMS got together with our Area Chair, and cemented August 2nd for the Eastside Districts Pre-Assembly meeting. Each District is currently searching for venue possibilities, which we hope to select and announce in the next month.
April saw us start rolling on (3) committee projects, two of which will be joint collaborations with District 36:
Grateful for the opportunity to serve,
John K, DCM 35
Hello fellow trusted servants - it is a great month to be a sober member of Alcoholics Anonymous. I am happy with the work being done in our district by our committee chairs, GSR and district elected. We are trying our best to make meaningful contributions to AA in the Snoqualmie Valley, support our great groups, and have fun. We invited Derek N to our April District meeting and he gave a great presentation on the 7th tradition and how our group contributions are used by Area and GSO. He answered questions from the floor, and we all appreciate Derek taking the time to come to beautiful Fall City for the District meeting. We ended the meeting talking about our open Chair positions. We still would like to fill positions for Accessibility, CPC/PI, Treatment/BTG, 3rd Legacy, and Alternate DCM. I talked about the importance of the work the district does for these areas and my concern that we are could be missing out on opportunities. This kicked off a lively discussion about 3rd Legacy and how we can reach out to members about general service. Some ideas: make a fun presentation on general service, get a captive audience (picnic or gratitude dinner), go to groups with 3rd Legacy presentation, and figure out how to simplify our explanation on what we do for general service. I was amazed and impressed by the numerous people that had the same concern as me and how good the ideas were. Each time I believe that I am the only concerned about an issue facing our district I am quickly disabused of that by the many people who are willing and ready to help.
I attended a new to me District 36 meeting recently and was invited to sit on their business meeting. First off, the meeting was fantastic with meaningful solution-based AA sharing. I was impressed (as a I always am) with the quality and depth of shares at our meetings. I always hear just what I need and love the candid, honest, and heartful stories from members. There was a new person who said they only had a few days of sobriety. During a share, another person turned to them and told them they are the most important person in the room and my heart melted. I am so glad that there was a chair for that alcoholic just like there was a chair for me 18 years ago when I stumbled into my first AA meeting. Hurt, confused, and scared, I didn't know there were people who cared about me and would help me just because I told them I was an alcoholic. One of the topics of their business meeting was that they were currently low on Big Books (they gave one to the new person along with a schedule and list of phone numbers). They had to get more to keep in the sturdy plastic tub in the main room. I immediately thought "what a great problem to have - we are running out of Big Books because we keep giving them away." I left knowing I had another great treatment for my disease and that AA outside my regular meetings is alive and well. Thank you, Snoqualmie Friday Night!
Yours in Service,
Mike L.
The 3 Legacies That Saved My Life
Nearly seven years ago, I walked into Alcoholics Anonymous feeling broken and lost. I wasn’t just looking to stop drinking—I was searching for a way to live. What I found were three legacies that changed everything: Recovery, Unity, and Service.
Recovery gave me more than sobriety. It gave me a new life. Through the 12 Steps, I learned how to heal, grow, and connect with something greater than myself. I stopped running from my past and started becoming the person I was meant to be.
Unity showed me I was never alone. For the first time, I felt seen and understood. In the rooms, I found connection, belonging, and a fellowship of people who truly get it.
Service taught me to show up for others the way people showed up for me. Whether it's sharing at a meeting or simply listening, service keeps me grounded and grateful. It reminds me that healing multiplies when we give it away.
These legacies didn’t just save my life—they gave me one worth living. If you're struggling, know this: there is hope. And you don’t have to walk through this alone!
Kim H
D38 DCM
District 40 has been thriving. All of our committee chair positions are filled and it’s finally starting to feel like it did before the pandemic. We are still meeting on Zoom on the second Tuesday of the month but we have decided to have a hybrid quarterly every three months to help facilitate community. Our first one will be the first Tuesday of May at Intergroup. Fellowship at 6 PM and the meeting starts at seven. All are welcome.
With the help of the Intergroup hospital and treatment committee a panel is being brought into an acute care facility next-door to Swedish Cherry Hill every Friday afternoon. The feedback from the facility staff and patients has been phenomenal. The King County juvenile detention center in our district has a men’s and women’s meeting every week. The woman’s is Thursdays from 7 to 8 PM and the men’s is Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 PM. There is a pretty extensive background check process. The men’s in particular could use some new blood. If you know anybody interested in either meeting with at least two years sober and five years from criminal justice involvement or hard drug use please have them contact volunteercorrections@seattleaa.org for more information.
I am grateful for this opportunity to be of service
Morgan S alt DCM 40
We alcoholics don’t typically get here on a winning streak. First, we needed to get honest with ourselves and admit that we are powerless over alcohol; the first of many humbling experiences to come. Through trials and errors we may trudge or sprint into new lives, experiencing joys and sorrows with our new freedom from alcohol. One man, desperately seeking to stay sober, shares his message to another; finding relief just by talking about his malady. Hearing Other People’s Experiences are the roots in which our program grew. On March 1, 1941, The Saturday Evening Post published the article titled “Alcoholics Anonymous: Freed Slaves of Drink, Now They Free Others” by Jack Alexander. Thus, a major turning point in A.A. 's history, showing that “this thing works!” Whenever I see the circle and triangle logo, it reminds me of the trials and errors that created A.A.’s Twelve Traditions as well as the Spiritual Principles that guide us. The growing pains that WE, as a whole, are uniquely qualified to help others like no one else, and serve the still suffering.
District 42 is fabulous! Thank you all for your service, engagement and showing up each month! We have voted to stay with a traditional banking system for now, and are relieved to take this topic off our agenda! In April we had special visitors presenting; Jen R. Area Archives Chair, Stephen L. Monroe PI Booth Chair, DCM24 Lisa J. on Picnics, and… BOB F. was in the house! He’s promised us homemade cookies if/when we meet in person again!
Growing through Service,
Teri H. DCM42
The third legacy of AA is our triangle, Unity, Service, and Recovery. I use it as my Spiritual toolbox.
If I'm not in Unity with other members of the fellowship the bottom left corner starts to open, and it starts to leak out my Spiritual tools. When I am working with newcomers, and being a part of and helping others with the program then it closes. The service side is the same if I am not being of hellp where I can then the bottom right corner starts to open up and starts to leak out my spiritual tools. When I get into service whether it be making coffee, greeting new comers, giving rides or whatever that might be then it closes up and I can start to use my tools as needed. At the bottom of the triangle, Recovery is a little bit trickier. If I'm not making my recovery first, then the bottom starts to open on both sides, and it leaks out faster. I know that my recovery depends on how I share my experience, strength, and hope at a meeting so that I can be the best me there is to still give help to the newcomer. So, I can keep the bottom closed. Then I can open up the top of the triangle and reach in and grab my spiritual tools as needed.
District 43 DCM Jim B.
Hello all my favorite Area 72 Service Warriors!
District 45 has been busy, busy, busy! As the Sun warms the our hearts and spirits our body and mind follows.
One of the coolest happenings is that a meeting has been gaining traction at JBLM one of the largest military bases in the country, and is located in D45. Pierce county has always had a difficult time maintaining a consistent meeting on base even though with 35K service members we know it’s needed tremendously. We were able to facilitate their first business meeting and was apparent was confusion regarding military members donating, and before this awesome meeting of Army and Air Force personnel could elect a GSR was to make sure they could properly collect 7th tradition and fund one. More to come on this.
District 45 has been working hard to book multiple Area 72 events, including a really cool viewing party of one of the pre conferences. We have also put together hosting of DCM School on May 3rd, A Delegate Report Back, a Pre Assembly, Archives Quarterly, and CPC Quarterly.
We work with an ongoing budget that has worked for us and our body voted to continue to do so as opposed to put together a more formal proposed/Actual accounting budget.
Our Gratitude Banquet will be Nov1st and a Gratitude Picnic is held in July. We plan on working towards updating our District handbook.
John C. - D45 DCM
We held our District Orientation in March which we put together to help familiarize this rotation in the Inverted Service Triangle, WWA 72 Website, our new D54 roles, the District Handbook and the Gmail / Google Drive. For those that were not able to attend, we made the information available to the GSRs & Service Committee members at our April District meeting.
We are diligently working to fill the Alt DCM position along with a few others (CSO Director 1, Third Legacy, etc.). Our GSRs are working to get their Pre-Conference Group conscience together to support Courtney and her travels next month to the General Service Conference. We are planning a “Delegate
Report-back” watch party in June as our District is hosting a Workshop when she is scheduled to meet with South Sound 7 (which District 54 is part of).
We have had two Groups step up to plan/host our Summer Picnic which is scheduled at Mud Mountain Dam on August 16th. Come join us!
The Circle and Triangle AA’s Third Legacy
When Dr. Bob and Bill W. established the concept of the Three Legacies to assist A.A. in carrying on as they encountered health concerns, divine intervention is once again evident.
At D54, we incorporated a “Fun Fact” as part of our District Meetings to generate a little interest in the history and to have take a little break from the business being conducted. The following “Fun Fact” was from earlier this year.
When did Alcoholics Anonymous adopt the Three Legacies of Recovery, Unity and Service?
With gratitude,
David Hancock
District 54 DCM
Hello Area 72,
This month’s topic of service fits perfect with what’s been going on in Sequim. We have been working with the other peninsula districts putting on events like the Talent No Talent Show, and getting reading to host the January Quarterly.
At our last district meeting we discussed creating a young person chair to work with the other peninsula districts on a committee. We are very excited about this growth in our community. Our Accessibility Chair has also made great progress getting into the local facilities to reach alcoholics who can’t make it to meetings.
We are looking forward to our up coming events. Our Annual Auction on May 3rd, Olympic Round-up May 16-18th, Founders Day Picnic June 7th, and our Annual Salt Creek Picnic with District 22.
Grateful to be of service
Danielle E
District 55 DCM
It looks like we may have missed the track in January.
For the past 54 years, Area 72 has printed and mailed a newsletter to its membership. It is a well-established tradition with a rich history that has carried, and continues to carry, some special little bit of Area 72 A.A. into people’s homes, our homegroups, intergroups and central offices, institutional facilities, and far off places.
Our Area’s history is filled with the newsletter. The word appears in our Area Handbook 75 times. We’ve purchased equipment for the newsletter, then sold it because we thought we shouldn’t own anything. Then we bought equipment again. We’ve made decisions about what should or should not be printed in the newsletter, and changed our minds. We’ve printed outrageous articles and plenty of boring ones. We decided to translate a number of printings per year for our Spanish reading members.
Throughout these 54 years, the groups have continued to expect, pay for, and receive 12 printed newsletters per year. And we’ve done so intentionally. In 1983, and again in 2010, the Area Assembly heard motions to reduce the number of mailings down from 12. Both motions were rejected by the groups.
So why then did our Area Committee decide, at the January Area Business meeting of this year, to reduce the number of printed mailings from 12 to four? It is my belief that this decision unintentionally ran afoul with our groups, and that what our Area does or does not do with our newsletter is a decision only the groups can make. This was a significant change that I believe was made without full understanding of its implications or alignment with the expressed wishes of the groups.
It appeared to me that this decision stemmed from a combination of factors. The incoming 2025 Area budget contained a significantly reduced newsletter budget and multiple Area Leader Servants spoke against the newsletter. While some of the Committee agreed or disagreed, for many I suspect that it was natural to follow the lead that appeared to be forming in the moment. After all, it was their very first meeting as an Area Committee. This is an example of why our Area has moved toward decision making by way of discussion topics prior to motion forming. They give us the time necessary for an informed group conscience.
Certainly it’s true that there is a newsletter issue (no pun intended). It has become very large, and it is very costly. Having received the newsletter for 25 years, it seems that it has slowly grown into a phonebook. Maybe we need a conversation about the scope and intention of the newsletter. Maybe our incoming newsletter editor could exert some of her delegated authority to bring the newsletter back down to a manageable size. After all, her title is Newsletter Editor, not Newsletter Printer. I know her personally. She is a very smart and responsible person. I trust her.
In any case, while there is a conundrum to resolve with the size and cost of the newsletter, changes to the number of printed mailings should be decided only by the collected Group Conscience of our Area’s Groups. After all, it’s their newsletter and ultimately it is their decision.
Love all you weirdos.
Alan
Past Delegate 2019/2020
Hi Area 72!! Donna here, your trusted servant from OSD III Sales.
I had an enlightened moment during the last Area Business Quarterly when I realized that our book, “Our Stories Disclose, Third Edition” (OSD 3) was discussed through 2017 and approved to be published by the 2018 Area 72 Assembly. After 5 years and delays because of Covid, we now have edition 3 available. However, because it has taken so long to publish, many members may not be aware of this book or the importance of it to our Area and maybe even your home group!
Some may know the history of AA from reading the ‘Big Book’, Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, A.A. Comes Of Age or Dr. Bob & the Good Oldtimers… yet may not know how our Area 72 fits into that history. For instance; that the first Area Delegate, Dale A. (panel 1) attended the first ever General Service Conference in 1951
In 1966 Past Area Delegate, Everett K. (along with a small committee of A.A. members in our Area) produced our first history booklet titled "The History Of Washington State Alcoholics Anonymous 1941-1966”. New information, unavailable to Everett at the time, resulted in a more accurate recounting of the stories during the earliest years of A.A. in our state. So, in 1987 the Washington Area published the first edition of ‘Our Stories Disclose 1941-1986’, and a secondupdated edition was published in 2004. Now comes the updated third edition, that even more completely tells the story about our Area history and some of the groups & people that were active in our growth.
Here are just a few of the important facts about this new book:
The 2 volume sets are $25.00 (discounts are available for purchase by Districts, Intergroups, CSOs Clubs & Halls for re-sale) You can purchase sets in the following ways:
With Love, In Service;
Donna H.
Archives Steering Committee / OSD 3 Sales
Now that I have rotated out of general service, I find myself asking the question, “What is general service?”. From the A.A. Service Manual, I infer that general service is service work done within the general service structure. I personally like to say that “general service is service work done outside of the group level”. That description thus also includes intergroups, central offices, conferences, conventions, roundups, and all the other independent service entities that are not a part of the general service structure yet are an integral part of Alcoholics Anonymous. I have learned though that general service is so much more.
General service is a spell, a spell of protection. When you make yourself available for a general service position, that act of selflessness casts a spell that will (assuming you suit up, show up, and do your service position to the best of your ability) place you in the middle of the A.A. herd. It’s a long story that I won’t attempt to cover in its entirety here, but a little over a year into my first general service position as Webservant for the Puget Sound Central Service Office, tragedy struck when my wife unexpectedly passed away. Because of making myself available for that service position, I was, at that time of my greatest life challenge, immersed in Tacoma A.A. and able to let you all take care of me. We got through everything without needing to take a drink, one day at time.
General service is also a spell of connection. At the beginning, the magic of making yourself available for a general service position will connect you with people from all over your city/county. You will meet people that go to other meetings than you usually do, and thus people you might have never met without general service. If you keep going in general service, the spell will grant you friendships all over Western Washington, the United States, and the world. In my first fourteen years of sobriety, I never developed really close friendships like I had back in grade school and college. But making myself available for general service has granted me several friendships that are just as close as those of my childhood best friends.
Most of all, general service is a spiritual path. In yogic philosophy, it would be called Karma Yoga, the path of selfless service. The goal of Karma Yoga is to do service without any attachment to the results, turning all results, good and bad, over to God. But if you’re anything like me though, you will bring your ego and character defects along with you on your journey of general service. If you’re like me, you will have enormous trouble in letting go of the results of service work. But that’s OK. Someone once told me, that we come into A.A. as unpolished gems, and that the act of us all doing service together creates tremendous friction. And it is that very friction, while very uncomfortable, that eventually polishes us and makes us shiny, beautiful gemstones.
In my case, this last rotation I managed to create so much friction as to completely self-combust. But as an old Buddhist poem states, “Be happy. Your barn may have burned down, but now you can see the moon.” The ashes of my combustion have proved to be the most effective of fertilizer when processed through the twelve steps. Thank you so much to all of you that have supported me over the last decade on my service (and life) journey. God willing, I’ll be back in general service sooner or later, hopefully a little less attached to the results. And I’ll hopefully still have the moon firmly in sight, but we shall see, it’s so easy to get distracted :)
Jacob E
Home Group Member, Fellowship Group
Tacoma, WA