The geographical units known as districts link AA groups in local areas to each other and to AA groups across the country. The term “district” was mentioned during early AA General Service Conferences, and both “district” and “district committee member” were used informally since the 1950s.
District 72 is served by a member committee of G.S.R.s (General Service Representatives), elected by their respective home groups, volunteer AA members interested in enhancing the scope of their service work and the D.C.M. (District Committee Member), who is the essential link between G.S.R.s and the Area Delegate to the General Service Conference. As the leader of the district committee, made up of all G.S.R.s in the district, the D.C.M. is exposed to,
and in service of, the group conscience of that district.
District 72 covers an extremely large geographic area of approximately 1200 square miles, representing all of Jo Daviess and Stephenson and part of Carroll Counties. The services provided by the District Committee, while challenged by the size of the area of NW Illinois it covers, are no more or less valuable. The district committee is honor-bound by the 12 Traditions of AA, as are the individual groups.