Page 23 - july 2022

FIELD NOTES

A Celebration of Life

Kelly Garriott, CC

This past May, we all gathered in Eugene to say 2. Be the Toastmaster emotional. Here’s a trick that I used at the are just like Family.

goodbye to my dad. He died in March. My mom I feel some clubs don’t treat the role of Celebration of Life: I think you get the point. Tread lightly where
is 83, my kid brother is 49, 12 years my junior. Toastmaster as serious as they should. It’s a In my life, I have never referred to my dad you need to.
Somewhere along the way, amidst the chaos, we skill. If you are good enough to get requests by his name, Jerry. He’s Dad to me; however,

decided that it would be appropriate to hold a to be a keynote speaker, great, but it has been during the Celebration, I referred to him as My Big Mistake?
Celebration of Life. my experience that the role of Toastmaster Jerry. This was just enough of a barrior to I did not trust my Toastmasters training. The night
Do you remember the old comedy routine where or Master of Ceremonies is a much more keep me upright and free of tears. before, I let my mom, who is not a Toastmaster,
the soldiers are all lined up, and the commander common opportunity. Learn to: talk me out of trusting that training.
asks for a volunteer to complete the dangerous • Introduce guests. 5. Know your audience Dad was not religious, and I repeated a “cringe

mission? In unison, everyone but the unsuspecting • Introduce speakers. Dad was 87 when he died. His friends came worthy” joke he used to tell about religion. The
stooge steps back. Well, that was me—I was the one • Lead applause??? I learned this one the hard from three groups joke fell flat; I knew it instantly, and I couldn’t get
left standing in front when everyone else stepped way. We don’t clap at funerals. • Firefighters (Dad was a Eugene, OR it back. . . oh well. Be very careful when joking

backwards. It fell to me to lead the Celebration. I Firefighter for 39 years. He retired as about Religion and Politics.
did it gladly. 3. Be human a District Chief.) This was by far the I’m very proud of the way it all came together,
All I have to say is thank goodness for my The audience wants to relate to you. They largest and most important group to and now the Celebration is history. If there’s ever
Toastmasters training. I sat down to write a list crave “human qualities.” If you make a little consider. I’ll call it the “Firefighter’s Ego,” a doubt about the good a well-run Toastmasters
of the Toastmaster skills I enlisted to make the mistake, or you are nervous; the audience will and I knew it. Let’s just say Firefighters Club can provide, my last six months are great

Celebration a success. In five minutes, I listed 27. recognize you for being human and appreciate take their career very seriously and examples. Last November I spoke in front of
Here are five (plus one big fat mistake): you even more. Another part of being human consider it beyond reproach, so I only dozens giving a best man’s toast to my kid brother,
is to try and talk about your failures and flaws. spoke glowingly about their profession. and then hosting my dad’s Celebration of Life in
1. Start with a chuckle Nobody wants to hear about the day I saved I didn’t mention anything about labor front of another 150 people.

• It’s hard to keep the mood light, and laughter the world. Your audience will never think: negotiations, salacious scandals, or fires Some happy occasions, some sad, but each
helps. “Yes! That’s just like the day I saved the world.” that went wrong. Mostly, Firefighters want opportunity to speak gave me a lifelong memory
• A chuckle builds rapport. If I say something to hear stories about firefighting, so I made that I cherish.
that I think is funny, and you laugh; we’ve 4. Keep your emotions in check sure to give them the microphone and let Kelly Garriott originally joined Toastmasters in

had a meeting of the minds. Frequently, Toastmasters give speeches ‘em tell their stories. Smartest thing I did. 2015. He joined Wallmasters International in 2018.
• Most importantly, a chuckle lets everybody that are “personal narrative” stories. It’s • Shadow Hills Golf Club buddies He is a storyteller and an excellent evaluator. He has
know I’m OK. It puts the audience at ease. not uncommon for someone to get a little • Family plus really longtime friends who served as Club Secretary several times.

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