Toastmasters - Sergeant At Arms (SAA)

The duties of the SAA during the club meeting are:

1. To start the meeting on time, and to make sure that the meeting schedule is
adhered to.

2. To introduce members & guests at the start of the meeting by providing an “icebreaking” question.

3. To assist the Toastmaster of the Evening (TME) by writing down the Table
Topics Speakers’ name, the Prepared Speech Speakers’ name and the Evaluators’
name on the white board after each segment respectively. This is to facilitate
members & guests to know who to vote for.

4. To count the votes for “Best Table Topic Speaker”, “Best Speaker” and “Best Evaluator”.

PRIOR TO THE MEETING

Think of an “ice-breaking” question to be asked during the introduction. Examples of such “ice-breaking” question can be “What’s your favorite fruit?”, “How you spend your weekend/celebrated a festive or holiday that just passed?” etc.
- Take note that the ice-breaking question should solicit a response that requires
no more than 1 minute to elaborate – we don’t want the introduction to take too
long & hence hinder the meeting schedule from moving swiftly & in accordance
to the meeting program.
UPON ARRIVAL AT THE MEETING

Arrive early to assist the TME in laying out of the meeting place. Sit near to the front of the room so that you can access the whiteboard easily.
AT THE START OF THE MEETING

Start the meeting on time (usually 7.30p.m.) However, always check with the TME and Vice President Education (VPE) before you start the meeting. This is so because the TME & VPE may want some time to make last minute changes to the meeting program due to unforeseen circumstances.
Go to the lectern and use the gavel to call for attention. Start by welcoming members and guests to the meeting. Remember to acknowledge any visiting Officials (such as Area Governor, Division Governor, Judges or guest Evaluators).
For the introduction, ask those present to state their name before the ice-breaking question. You may ask for additional information after stating their name, such as
- whether they are a member or guest of Money Mastery
- their occupation
- or any other material information you deemed fit. However, take note that it
should be a one-liner answer, and it’s not something too personal.
DURING THE MEETING

Table Topics Session
- After each participant who presented the table topics, write their names on the
whiteboard and the table topics title that they presented (optional).
- After the entire table topics session, and when the Table Topics Master (TTM)
ask for the Timer’s report, assist the TTM by writing down the timing of each
table topics participant besides their name.
- Assist the TTM by collecting the votes for “Best Table Topics Speaker”.
- Count the votes and present the winner (in private) to the TME immediately.
Prepared Speech & Evaluation Segment
- As these segments are already scheduled in the meeting program, you may write the names of the participants first on the white board. Be sure to take note any changes to the meeting program.
- Alternatively, you may write down the names of the participants only when they
finished their speech or evaluation.
- For prepared speeches, writing down the title of the speech besides the
participant is optional.
- After each segment, and when the TME ask for the Timer’s report, assist the
TME by writing down the timing of each participant besides their name.
- Assist the TME by collecting the votes for “Best Speaker” & “Best Evaluator”
respectively.
- Count the votes and present the winner (in private) to the TME immediately.

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