Nearly two dozen IAM members were appointed to the Sergeant at Arms Committee at the 2024 Grand Lodge Convention. Their duty – maintain order and provide security for the delegates’ hall and backstage areas.
With nearly 1,200 delegates in attendance, and more than 50 guest speakers, including VIPs, their duties were crucial and demanding to keep the flow of the convention moving. Sometimes it was a lonely job, guarding a doorway to a packed convention hall, but sometimes excitement as Sergeants at Arms helped escort VIPs through the backstage areas to the proper place before their appearance on stage.
“I believe it’s important because we discuss certain things, certain laws, and you know it’s important for us to know that it is just our members,” said Merry St. Bernard, a Sergeant at Arms from Local 1231, Ontario, Canada, “and we are trying to bring an understanding of togetherness and unity to keep everybody on track.”
This Grand Lodge Convention was successful and the convention was gaveled to a close, just after noon on Friday, Sept. 5. Many propositions and committee reports were passed during the course of the convention. Some give great credit to the Sergeants at Arms for the successful flow of debate and voting. According to most delegates who attended, without these Sergeants at Arms, the convention would not have been as successful.
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