Emilie Barta – Trade Show Presentation Specialist / Professional Trade Show Presenter – creating a clear, concise and consistent message to attract, engage, and interact with your audience

MW Savant:

Thank you so much, Ms. Barta, for a touching and informative post.

Having lost my Grandfather, and being in the event profession, it fell to me to design the event and details. It was a job I took gladly, as it allowed me to assure that his ‘home going’ would be up to his standards, and to mine.

Even while fulfilling the role of ‘event professional’, participant, comforter and family representative, I wouldn’t have done it any other way. It worked for me, and, frankly, gave me a job to do, which distracted me, somewhat, from my grieving process. There was ‘work’ to be done.

I am so thrilled, however, that you found an ‘angel’ to assure that you and your family were well cared for at such a terrible time of challenge.

I thank you again for your insight. You mentioned points of great importance which I have implemented during and since my Grandfather’s death. It is those keys which allow us to create and manage funereal events for our clients which provide them with similar comforts.

Best to you and to your family.

MW Savant

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Emilie Barta Reply:
March 30th, 2010 at 10:04 pm

Thank you so much for your touching portrayal of your grieving process at the time of your grandfather’s passing…it sounds like both of us used the work that we love to do to help us cope with our grief.

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Irma Adams, CMP:

You’re right, these 7 traits can carry over in ALL that we do. Great article for all who can relate.

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Emilie Barta Reply:
March 30th, 2010 at 8:53 pm

Thank you for your comment and compliment, Irma!

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Nicole Kamens:

Dear Emilie,
I’m sorry for your loss. I lost my “Pa” (father) 2 years ago in July…and I too had to plan his funeral with my brother and mother in tow. I’m sorry to say that I had the exact opposite experience with our funeral planner than you did with yours.

When my Dad died my aunt advised me that during this process to channel my “dark humor” – something my brother and I are fairly good at – Mom, not so much. So imagine when we were ushered into the “conference room” and the receptionist tilted a chair against the table as we were sitting down, announcing that this was where Don sits. We knew right then that we’d better muster that dark humor or we were sunk.

Don was more interested in driving the train than the feelings of myself, my brother and my mother. It was a traditional Jewish funeral which meant certain laws and traditions had to be abided by – we bury our dead within 24-48 hours of passing, never on a Friday evening or a Saturday. There is a ritual called “Tehara” that must be performed. Don was inflexible and argumentative, especially when it came down to the traditional Jewish laws and traditions that were so important to my mother. He was unfriendly and unkind in the most insidious way – with a sacharrine coating. Traditionally Jews are buried in a plain pine box – something he talked my mother out of using a “shock” method – showing her the most expensive caskets first and when my brother mentioned this particular tradition is flamboyantly flipped to the back page, showcasing not so pretty but traditional and plain pine boxes setting my mother off into an emotional tailspin.

Although this seems like I am angry I truly am not, I am laughing at the whole situation, even now. Brother and I have coined a term “pulling a Don” when we deal with certain difficult people. I know my Dad was doubled over in laughter – this kind of humor was just up his alley.

Thank you for sharing your experiences and how it applies in the event industry – in any service industry as a matter of fact. And thank you for letting me tell my Don story – every now and again I need a good chuckle.

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Emilie Barta Reply:
April 7th, 2010 at 10:38 am

I am so sorry to hear that you had such a horrible experience, Nicole. It makes me that much more appreciative of the positive experience that my family and I had. I sincerely hope that you and your brother do not run into many people who “pull a Don,” but know that when you do, Pa is laughing along with you!

Thank you for sharing your story…I am so happy that you had a good chuckle in doing so!!

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