“Celebrate the OrdinaryAn evening with Sue KirbyMonday, Sept. 17, 7 p.m., South Whidbey High School AuditoriumPresented by Soroptimist of South WhidbeyFree; donations will be acceptedCall 321-0880 for more informationTwenty years ago, when Sue Kirby was teaching a class on wreath-making, someone told her, You could do this on the stage. Joan Rivers ought to be real nervous!Kirby’s humor was infectious even then, and now, as she speaks to women in hospitals about breast cancer, or talks to other women who are struggling with life changes like divorce or homelessness, Sue Kirby can weave a circle of understanding and self-esteem with an authentic humor while she sits on stage weaving a wreath of flowers and leaves. It doesn’t really matter where you put a flower in the wreath, as long as it’s there, Kirby says. And this reflects her philosophy about the minor things in life: She tells her listeners, It really doesn’t matter.Kirby will be appearing on the island Monday, Sept. 17, at the South Whidbey High School auditorium, brought here by the Soroptimists of South Whidbey.According to Tonya Henny, Soroptimist president, Kirby was discovered, as she most often is, by someone who heard her and became an enthusiastic promoter.Kay Stanley’s daughter saw her at Junior League gathering, and raved about her, Henny said. Kay thought Sue sounded perfect for Soroptimist. And Yvonne Wertemmberger has seen wonderful reviews about her. I’d glad they did.Kirby has spoken at corporation gatherings, churches, and events of other organizations. But her talks and her stories have particular meaning for women, in all stages of life, and especially for those who need someone who can undo their stress, Kirby said.She does this with humor that has been called a cross between Auntie Mame and Erma Bombeck. She is the harried housewife, the muddled mom, the wacky friend who takes time out from life to celebrate the ordinary. Her presentation of the same name is also a joyous celebration of the American woman. I try to take the mundane and make it a celebration, Kirby said.A Portland native, Kirby was a foster mother, got remarried and at one point had five kids, three when I was unmarried, she said.I tell a lot of stories about kids and life, she said. These tales often revolve around the three things women want: a cure for cancer, keepingmen faithful, and keeping children sober.She can offer advice on only the last: Be crazy, then your kids have to watch you. She would do something odd, she said, and her kids would say, Who’s watching Mom!?I told my kids, ‘Pregnancy, drugs, murder — don’t do that.’ Anything else was OK. Where did you put your sneakers? It really doesn’t matter.Kirby has won accolades from groups as different as the Junior League of Portland (Many thanks for making our meeting such a ‘roaring’ success) and American Express (Sue will definitely put a spark in your life and a twinkle in your heart … The men were laughing even harder than the women!).We all have this wonderful humor, she said. She remembers as a child being on Art Linkletter’s show, Kids Say the Darndest Things.When Linkletter asked what her mother had said to her before the show, she replied that her mother had warned her: Put your legs together.The comments she especially treasures are those from women in her audiences who say, I really needed you tonight, and You’ve taught me to lighten up!And Kirby encourages: Don’t wait for all your value to come from someone else.Kirby has been through the sad times and she wants to take something away from the craziness we’re all in. She is a speaker who becomes the audience.They know that I know, she said.The Soroptimists have sent flyers and information about Kirby’s appearance to groups including Readiness to Learn, Citizens Against Domestic and Sexual Abuse (CADA), the crisis center and Helping Hand.We especially hope to draw in women who need the most inspiration, Henny said. Kirby said she’s honored to speak on Whidbey. It’s the first time those who give and those who receive will be in the same room, she said. I’m glad to honor those who struggle and those who help. When you hold a hand up for help, you know, you always have a free hand.Kirby is the author of a book, Men’s Secret Camp: Timeless Traditions and Tribulations of Family Life and Live. She has been featured in numerous publications, including Redbook, Brides West and the Los Angeles Times. She has a Web site at suekirby.com. “