Page 7 - October 2017 Voices

My Inspiration: Emilie Taylor

by James Wantz, DTM - Public Relations Manager

Do you have someone that inspires you? the early 2000’s. But then her world came
Someone that motivates you to go beyond crashing down. She lost her baby to Sudden
what you are comfortable doing? Someone Infant Death Syndrome. After that each and
that makes that next step, you’ve been afraid every day was difficult, if not downright
to take, look easy? Someone that encourages, impossible. She put one foot in front of the
motivates, and assists? Well, I do! other—not with dogged determinism, but
Her name is Emilie Taylor, our current because that was all she could do.
Club Growth Director. She was recently Only years later would I hear the details
recognized by District 7 as the 2016-2017 of this time in her life—of the struggle and
Toastmaster of the Year. And it is about time! the despair.
Her recognition was very deserving, but I’m After being in New Horizons Toastmasters
not going to talk about why she deserves an for about a year, Emilie shared that
award. Nope. I’m going to share with you why gloom with us—the members of her new
she inspires me. I believe that by sharing that Toastmasters family. Up until that speech
story you will come to understand why she I only knew her through the humorous
is this year’s Toastmaster of the Year. anecdotes she told about her husband,
I met Emilie some time ago—the exact their house, and all the hilarious things that
time is lost in the annals of Toastmaster
meetings of yore. She burst on the scene in
a flash of glitter, smoke, and strobe lights.
Loud arena rock music was playing as she
strode purposely into the club followed by
her numerous groupies – a flowing entou-
rage of capable impresarios. She took the
room by storm—an electric storm full of
reverberating thunder and flashes of bril-
liance. She left an indelible mark on that
meeting and all the meetings that came after
it. She was magnificent!
At least that is how my memory sees it.
Actually, the meeting was like any other
meeting—functional and fun. Emilie was L to R: Emilie Taylo & Leanna Lindquist pinning ceremony 2017 TLI
kind, courteous, and unassuming. It wasn’t
until several meetings had passed that I happened while repairing a hole in the roof.
realized how much of a joy it was to have Emile was working on her Humorously
Emilie attend our meetings. She exuded care Speaking manual, and we all heard about the
and concern—not as if it was something she lighter side of her life. But in every speech
was ‘supposed’ to do, but as if she actually there was an edge of something deeper—
cared and was concerned for those around some darkness that seemed to lie just below
her. She smiled, she hugged, and she hinted the surface. I was intrigued.
at deeper depths. . .and this intrigued me. “Toastmasters saved my life,” Emilie
Emilie had almost joined Toastmasters in said in a recent speech about her struggle.
L to R, John Rodke DTM & Emily Taylor, DTM

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