District 3810 Sergeant at Arms Training Seminar

Last Saturday, August 27th, more than 100 Rotarians from throughout District 3810 assembled at the Philippine Trade training Center in Pasay City for our first-ever District-wide Sergeant at Arms Training Center. District Trainer PDG Karen Tamayo had worked with District SAA Chief Edgar “Popoy” Eusebio, and Region 10 Coordinator PDG Ernesto “Ernie” Choa, to develop our surprisingly detailed and comprehensive training curriculum.

DG Ernesto “Ernest” Yuyek called us to order and following traditional invocation and National Anthem, host club RC Pasay Harrison ASP Bernard Mabilot welcomed us. Our own SDG Albert Alday, Assistant Chief of Staff, had the honor of introducing all of the district leaders, trainers and participants.

In our first instructional session, PDG Ernie explained the duties and roles of Sergeants at Arms in Rotary. Many of the All Star and even Past Presidents participating did not know just how extensive the responsibilities are. They are not only to maintain order, but to prepare for the meeting, including all details of room set up, seating arrangements, greeting all members, visiting Rotarians and guests as they arrive, assuring that honored guests are escorted to their seats; lead, introduce and present new members for induction. SAAs are supposed to organize and manage a fining session, and many other details that, in our club, we assign to others. Rest assured that I would seek the permission of the club BOD to resume our former custom of a regular fining session, which shall be in good taste and include opportunities for members to volunteer to “brag” about accomplishments of family members and so forth for nominal but real “fines.” For example, if your granddaughter just graduated from medical school, you may have an opportunity to share that news with our assembly for a nominal sum, perhaps ± 100 or more, as you wish, which shall be collected on the spot and designated by the BOD for a club service project.

Immediate Past District Chief SAA Chair Philip Yee gave us a session on “Guidelines and Experiences.” My goodness, he gave so much evidence of the validity of Murphy's Law that anything that can go wrong, will go wrong!

Following morning meriendas, PDG Francisco “Paco” Atayde, the district's first Chief SAA, gave a detailed training on protocol, that is, the SAA's role of assuring courtesy, consideration, diplomatic etiquette, ceremonials, matters of procedures, and placing of seating. He taught us RI's Order of Precedence for introductions at the District and Club levels, and recommended norms during Rotary functions, including district official functions. He reviewed flag, National Anthem and Invocation practices and protocols. It was amazingly detailed! We all took many notes from his comprehensive PPT slides.

WCP Russell Yee (RC Raha Suliman) and PRC representative Raymond Bantigue gave the longest presentation of the day on the subject of First Aid Procedures, with demonstrations and very graphically explicit videos of common emergencies, including choking, heart attack and childbirth. We learned about the expectations and limitations for non-medically qualified first responders, which includes knowing exactly what to do and who to see or contact in any foreseeable emergency. We were all dressed in club shirts to be comfortable in participating in demonstrations.

We were scheduled to have a problem-solving “hands-on” workshop. Both Albert and I are regular members of the district training team, so we were prepared to be facilitators of these breakout sessions. Unfortunately, due to a late start and some sessions running over allotted time, the district trainer instead assigned homework (!), which has to be satisfactorily completed and turned in before program completion certificates are awarded.

It was a true learning event for all of us, trainees and trainers alike. I am sure that all of our clubs will see some changes because of this training, and that more detailed trainings in various areas of club operations will be forthcoming.