Everyone wins when we serve our community. Why not start with KC IABC?

By Leanne Breiby

I recently had the chance to serve as a guest speaker for a class of second graders who are learning how to punctuate their writing. I was billed as a “real-life writer,” so I went back to the basics to discuss punctuation and the writing process.

The highlight was answering all of their questions.

Have you ever used an apostrophe? Yes, daily.
Have you ever used an exclamation point?
I couldn’t help but jump on my exclamation point soapbox at this point. I cautioned them about overusing this particular punctuation mark and suggested, with a laugh, that they try to limit themselves to three per week.
Do you have any more videos to show?
This 2017 tv ad was the perfect a/v element. And no, I didn’t have any more videos to share. But next time, I’ll make sure I have at least two.
How long does it take you to write?
Some appeared shocked when I told them I might spend hours writing a blog post that might not even fill an entire page. I then shared one of my favorite quotes, which I first heard from longtime KC IABC friend Eric Morgenstern: “If I had more time, I would have written a shorter letter.” (And if I had even more time, I’d get to the bottom of who originally said it. Mark Twain? John Locke? Blaise Pascal? The second graders didn’t seem to care.)
How many punctuation marks are there?
Not going to lie. They stumped me on this one. If anyone knows the answer to this, feel free to let me know.

As Vice President of Communications at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and Greater Horizons, I have the opportunity to work with amazingly generous donors who give back in various ways. Personally, I enjoy giving my time and talents to KC IABC as a board member, and I encourage you to consider doing the same.

Currently, KC IABC has several open board roles, including a Director of Operations, a Director of the Business Communicators Summit and a Chair of Membership Retention and Recruitment. If you’re not ready to commit to a full board position, we always welcome volunteers to serve on committees. Contact us to let us know you’re interested or to learn more.

And if an elementary school teacher asks you to speak to students about your real-life job, say yes. It’s a hoot.

Leanne Breiby is Vice President of Communications at the Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and Greater Horizons. She is the Vice President of Finance for KC IABC.