Loudoun Club 12 3.27

Club 12 is not an AA group.

A discussion on clubs during the 1967 General Service Conference noted that, although there is no such thing as an A.A. club, many clubs have been identified with A.A. because they are often organized and directed by A.A. members and membership may be limited to A.A.s. Clubs where meetings are held and which are maintained for Twelfth Step as well as social purposes can avoid difficulties by abiding by A.A. Traditions. Conference members agreed that clubs should not use the A.A. name, should be organized apart from A.A., and should not accept money from outside sources, being supported by membership dues and individual contributions from A.A. members. The question of a paid membership in A.A. does not arise, since A.A. meetings held in clubs are open to all.

Further guidance was given by the 1972 General Service Conference, which advised that G.S.O. no longer accept contributions from clubs. This decision was based on returns from a questionnaire sent to all clubs. The answers indicated that the difference in club operating procedures was too great to enable G.S.O. to decide whether or not money received from a particular club was contributed by A.A. members only. (Of course, G.S.O. does accept contributions from A.A. groups that meet on club premises.)

In 1989, the General Service Conference recommended to discontinue listing clubs in A.A. Directories. However, groups that meet in clubs will continue to be listed in the Directories.

For more information about AA Guidelines for the relationship between AA and clubs, go to http://www.alcoholics-anonymous.org/en_pdfs/mg-03_clubs.pdf.