Your First AA Meeting Greeter Shift
A greeter can make the first few minutes of an unfamiliar meeting easier. The work may be as simple as pointing out the entrance and answering a question about where to sit. Ask the group what the role involves and make space for someone to arrive without explaining themselves.
Arrive with the practical answers
Check the door, room location, start time and the name of the person chairing. Ask where visitors can sit, where to find accessible facilities and which questions the chair would prefer to handle. If the meeting shares a venue with other groups, learn how to distinguish your room from the others.
Place signs where the venue and group allow them, then walk the route from outside. A sign visible from the meeting room may be invisible to somebody at the other entrance. If you find a barrier you cannot solve, tell the responsible volunteer and explain honestly what you know.
Offer a welcome someone can decline
A short greeting and a question about whether they need directions are often enough. Some people want to meet another member before the meeting; others want a place to sit and listen. Ask before making an introduction, especially if it would disclose that the person is new.
When someone asks what happens next, describe this meeting's format instead of claiming every group works the same way. If a person asks a question beyond the greeter's role, point them to the appropriate group contact. You can be welcoming without offering private advice or collecting details you do not need.
Treat chips as an optional conversation
If somebody notices a chip tray, explain the group's custom only if you know it. The guide to the meaning of AA chips introduces the purpose of these keepsakes. Do not assume a visitor wants a token, wants to state a date aloud or has come to mark a milestone.
If the group has a separate chip volunteer, ask whether the person would like to speak with them. Avoid announcing a private question to the room. An anniversary gift is a separate personal choice, and it should never be confused with the act of welcoming somebody to a meeting.
Hand over what the next greeter needs
At the end of the shift, tell the chair or next volunteer about practical issues, such as a sign that fell down or a door that locked early. Keep the handover about the room and role. Do not turn someone's presence or questions into a report about them.
Prepare one short sentence for the next shift that gives people room to choose: the meeting is in this room, and you are welcome to ask if you need anything. The point of preparation is to make that simple welcome possible even when the room is busy.
Medallions to consider
These optional retail medallions are for a confirmed AA sobriety anniversary. Ask whether the recipient would welcome a keepsake and verify the milestone before choosing a design.
Bicolor Pure White 7 Chakras Sparkle (1-40y)
The current selector lists 1 to 40 years, plus 18 Months. The photo shows one sample inscription. Use the selector to choose the confirmed milestone.
Tricolor Jade Green (24h, 1-65y)
The current selector lists 1 to 65 years, plus 24 Hours and 18 Months. The photo shows one sample inscription. Use the selector to choose the confirmed milestone.
Common questions
Should I ask each visitor why they are here?
No. Offer practical information and let people decide what to share.
Do I need to explain the chip system?
Only when asked and when you know the local practice.
Keep reading
Explore Elite Medallions and Deluxe Coins to compare the designs and available sobriety milestones.
