Club Officers: The Host & The Historian

I mentioned in the last post that I would discuss each club officer position, one or two at a time, over the next few blog entries.  I'll start with two officer positions: The Master Host & Secretary.

Master Host:  This office is sometimes referred to as "Sgt at Arms".  As a matter of fact, some of Toastmaster International's material still refers to the office by this title.  No matter how you call it, this officer is very important to the club, since all guests see the results of his/her handiwork immediately.  The Master Host is responsible for setting up the meeting room before the meeting starts.  They make sure the club banner is displayed, the lecturn is set up, evaluation forms laid out in the meeting room, and the timing device is ready for the Timer.  In a community club such as ours, the Master Host works with the restaurant so they know when our upcoming meeting dates are.
      The Master Host also greets people as they come into the meeting room.  At the end of the meeting, they pack up all the club materials, making sure they leave the meeting room in the state in which they found it.  Thus the role is very improtant since they ensure the meeting room looks professionally set.  A guest should see the room setup and know a meeting is happening here, not some haphazard event.

Secretary:  I know - I wrote "Historian" above, but the Secretary keeps track of the club's correspondence both to other Toastmasters entities, and to non-toastmasters as well.  In many clubs the Secretary keeps track of the active members and creates an updated club roster from time to time.  In some clubs, the Secretary keeps minutes of each meeting, recording who was Toastmaster, who were the Speakers and Evaluators, and who served in the other roles for that meeting.  Thus, they keep a historical record.  The Secretary may also record minutes of the officer meetings.
        In one club I belong to, which is corporate-based, the Secretary assists the Treasurer in determining which members will have their dues paid for by the company, and which will have to pay out of their own pocket.

Both of these officer roles are ideal for the member who is deciding to begin their journey down the club officer path.  They are great way to get to know your fellow officers and club members.  You'll also get to know more about the Toastmasters organization.  If you decide to attend TLI (club officer training) then you'll meet members from other clubs who are serving in the same role as you.

Keep these offices in mind when officer elections are held in May.  By helping the club as an officer, you will also be helping yourself by picking up valuable leadership skills you can use outside of Toastmasters.  Happy campaigning!!