District 2
Each of the groups in the Santa Fe Area are part of District 2. It is important that each group’s voice is represented at the District level – both to carry the wishes of the group AND to carry news about the District back to the groups. The person who does this is the General Service Representatives or GSR. Groups elect GSRs in order to be represented at the District Level. District 2 is a part of a State Area.
New Mexico’s Area is 46 and it’s website can be found here. It also maintains a newsletter called “El Farolito”. The most recent issue can be found by clicking below:
A general FAQ for service can be found here.
What is General Service?
The following is an excerpt taken from the A.A. pamphlet, “Circles of Love & Service.”
“All parts of our Fellowship – group meetings, committees, offices, Conferences, and group jobs – share one common purpose: to help the alcoholic who still suffers. A.A. is made up of interconnected circles of people within the Fellowship, who work together to carry A.A.’s message of hope. But in order for A.A. to run itself without bosses or rules, in accordance with our Twelve Traditions, we need a system of communication for finding out how A.A. as a whole feels about its world affairs, and how it wants to operate. For A.A. to run its own affairs, each A.A. group needs to make its voice heard on overall A.A. policies.
This starts with a group’s general service representative (G.S.R.), who represents the voice of the group conscience and has the job of linking his or her group with A.A. as a whole. G.S.R.s make sure their groups receive services from the U.S. and Canada General Service Office (G.S.O) and help groups stay informed about worldwide A.A. For every district of about ten groups or so, the G.S.R.s elect a district committee member, or D.C.M., to communicate the districts’ conscience to the area assembly, which elects an area delegate to attend the annual A.A. General Service Conference for the U.S. and Canada (other countries have their own separate structure).”
IN ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS, WE ALL WORK TOGETHER
“To those now in its fold, Alcoholics Anonymous has made the difference between misery and sobriety, and often the difference between life and death. A.A. can, of course, mean just as much to uncounted alcoholics not yet reached. “Therefore, no society of men and women ever had a more urgent need for continuous effectiveness and permanent unity. We alcoholics see that we must work together and hang together, else most of us will finally die alone.”
– Alcoholics Anonymous, p. 561
Are you a New General Service Representative (GSR)?
Each and every AA group in the Santa Fe area is represented by a General Service Representative (GSR) at District 2. This is an important position as it is the way that your group “plugs into” the service structure of AA internationally. This vital position communicates the opinion of the group into AA as well as carries the AA decision-making to the group itself. More information about linking your group to AA can be found here.
You should have some period of sobriety in order to be a GSR and be elected by your group. Your group will need to fill out a form naming you as the GSR and you will be all set.
Once you are registered as a GSR, AA World Service will send you a GSR booklet including many resources to help you on your service journey.
District Officers
In addition to committee chairs, District also has an officer structure. Our leader, who is elected annually, is known as the District Committee Member (DCM). We also have an Alternate DCM. Our finances are maintained by a Treasurer and meeting agendas/minutes are circulated by the Secretary. Perhaps most important is our Registrar who ensures that all groups (and meetings) are properly listed within the Area.
Officer eMails:
District Committee Member (DCM) – dcm@santafeaa.org
Alternate District Committee Member (ADCM) – adcm@santafeaa.org
Treasurer – treasurer@santafeaa.org
Secretary – secretary@santafeaa.org
Registrar – registrar@santafeaa.org
District Information Pamphlet
District 2 has created a District Information Pamphlet which describes all of the activities of the District.
District Meeting Schedules
District 2 meets on the second Thursday of each month at the Friendship Club and online.
The Friendship Club address:
1316 Apache Ave
Santa Fe, N.M.
Potluck at 5:30 pm, Traditions/Concept Study at 6 pm, Business Meeting from 6:30 pm to 8 pm.
Service Committees at the District Level
In addition to serving as a group representative, you also are encouraged to serve on a Service Committee. Within District 2, we have the following service committees:
Accessibilities Committee
Helps make AA meetings accessible to those members who have difficulty participating in AA due to various circumstances including but not limited to those who are deaf or blind and those members confined to their home for health reasons or as caregivers of young children or other dependents.
For more information about how to get involved on the Accessibilities Committee, please email us. accessibilitiesandremotecommunities@santafeaa.org
Chairperson: Open
Archives
The Archives committee maintains our historical archives, copies of all meeting agendas and minutes. The Committee also coordinates archiving informational histories on each of our local groups.
For more on how to get involved with Archives Service, you can email us to learn more. archives@santafeaa.org
Chairperson: Sarah F.
Bilingual Committee
Our District has a significant number of Spanish speakers. Close to 33% of households in Santa Fe speak Spanish as the primary language in the home. As such, District 2 strives to ensure that there are a sufficient number of Spanish meetings in our area.
For more on how to get involved with Bilingual Service, you can email us to learn more. bilingualchair@santafeaa.org
Chairperson: Lillie
New Mexico maintains a separate service structure for Spanish meetings. Please click the button below to go to their website.
Bridge the Gap
This Committee assists in coordinating a nation-wide program called “Bridging the Gap” which connects those about to be released from treatment centers to local A.A. members for linkage to meetings and those available to sponsor.
Some volunteers often wonder why this is a national program, rather than run by local committee chairs – this is because alcoholics receiving residential treatment often opt to receive treatment away from their hometown for a variety of reasons – for insurance purposes, availability of beds, or to ensure they will not be “tempted” with “old connections” or “haunts.” For this reason, volunteers may sign up locally, but they often make initial contact with the soon-to-be released individual outside of their area (by email or phone) – this individual will then be released and travel back home, where the volunteer can make arrangements to introduce the newly released individual to meetings and other A.A. members available for sponsorship.
For more on how to get involved with Bridge the Gap work, you can email us to learn more. bridgethegapchair@santafeaa.org
Chairperson: Open
Public Information – Cooperation with the Professional Community
The Public Information Cooperation with the Professional Community Committee (PI-CPC) carries the message of Alcoholics Anonymous through use of the media to the public and to the fellowship. The PI-CPC committee works on Public Service Announcements, brings speakers and presentations into schools and other public agencies, communicates with local radio and t.v. stations, helps the public and fellowship better understand our tradition of anonymity, especially around social and digital media.
This committee also provides information about A.A. to those who have contact with alcoholics through their professions. This group includes physicians and other healthcare professionals, educators, members of the clergy, lawyers, law-enforcement personnel, and social workers. Such information includes what A.A. is and is not, and what it does and does not do.
If you would like to get involved with PI or CPC work, please email us. cpcpi@santafeaa.org
Chairperson: Open
Corrections
The Corrections Committee encourages A.A. members to assume responsibility for carrying the message to alcoholics behind the walls, reviews all aspects of service to A.A. groups in correctional facilities, and makes recommendations for changes and/or improvements. It is also concerned with clarifying what A.A. can and cannot do, within the Traditions, to help inmate alcoholics both inside and upon release.
Similar to, and sometimes confused with Hospitals & Institutions, Corrections works to ensure there are meetings behind the walls. Corrections works to bring meetings into institutions as well as advocate for members’ access to A.A. within facilities, as well as coordinates programs that serve alcoholics inside and being released – such as through the Pre-Release Contact program (partners soon-to-be-released members with a recovered alcoholic outside for assistance in linking to meetings and sponsorship upon release) and Corrections Correspondence (vital life-line for those inside to find recovery).
In Santa Fe, we are home to the State Penitentary as well as the Santa Fe County Adult Detention Facility. District 2 ensures that there are meeting in each facility. Special volunteers who are “off-paper” and can clear a background check are welcome to attend.
To get involved, you can attend an upcoming training. You will have to submit to a full background check for the safety of inmates inside.
If you would like to get involved with Corrections Service, please email us. correctionschair@santafeaa.org
Chairperson: Mark R.
Events and Entertainment
This Committee ensures that we have opportunities for fun and fellowship by organizing special events for the community at large. To reach this Committee, please email us. events.entertainment.d2@gmail.com
Chairperson: Carole S.
Grapevine and La Viña
The Grapevine and La Vina are a vital resource for alcoholics all over the world, including those who are unable to get out to meetings – members who are homebound, live or work in remote areas (such as oil rigs or armed services bases), or who are incarcerated. The Grapevine & La Vina committee informs groups and individuals of the benefits of using the A.A. Grapevine and La Vina magazines. They encourage groups and individuals to submit stories and letters to expand the diversity of experience, and to subscribe for personal use or to donate to meetings, libraries, or a newcomer in their meeting.
For more information about how to get involved on the Grapevine Committee, please email us. grapevinechair@santafeaa.org
To submit a story or letter to the Grapevine, go to: www.AAgrapevine.org and click on “Share.”
Chairperson: Open
Literature Committee
This committee works to ensure that all groups have access to AA Approved Literature. If you need AA Literature or would like to help in this important effort, please contact us. literaturedistrict2@gmail.com
Chairperson: Tom
Treatment Facilities
While A.A. is not affiliated with any form of alcoholism treatment, A.A. Treatment committees are essential in carrying the A.A. message into treatment settings where the suffering alcoholic may be introduced to A.A. for the first time. The Treatment Facilities committee makes presentations to administrators and alcoholic participants in treatment facilities to familiarize them with what A.A. has to offer members upon discharge.
For more on how to get involved with Treatment Facilities work, you can email us to learn more. treatmentchair@santafeaa.org
Chairperson: Open
Web Committee
This Committee is composed of members from District 2 as well as the Santa Fe Central Office. The Committee ensures that the district website is maintained and occasionally refreshed. We are always in need of people who have this expertise as it is the primary way to reach out to our recovery community.
For more on how to get involved with the Website Committee, you can email us to learn more. webchair@santafeaa.org
Chairperson: Bob F.
Young People in AA
We have a committee that is specifically focused on younger people. This Committee strives to meet people “where they are” and as such provides outreach specifically for younger people in AA (YPAA). Frequently there are regional meetings of New Mexico Conference of Young People in Alcoholics Anonymous or NMCYPAA.
For more on how to get involved with the Young People and NMCYPAA, you can email us to learn more. youngpeopleschair@santafea.org
Chairperson: Open
Thinking of starting a meeting?
We have all the resources that you would need in order to create a meeting.
Please click here for downloadable meeting resources, formats and other information. Once your meeting is up and running, you should do a few things:
- Get the Word Out! Submit a the details of your meeting (day of the week, time, location, meeting type) to the webmaster who will be sure to get your meeting listed on this website, the Area 46 Website and uploaded into the Meeting Guide application. Make sure you check the listing requirements for our website.
- Get Registered! Make sure that our Registrar is aware of your meeting and that you are properly set up with District 2, Area 46 and AA in New York City. The form that you will need to complete can be downloaded from this link.
- Participate! Make sure that your new group is “plugged in” to the local service structure and is represented at District 2 and Area 46.