Ceremonial Speech Outline

It seems like a life time ago when I first met my best friend Sheri K, when in all reality it has only been 10 years. We have been through so much together over the course of that 10 years, raising kids, laughing and crying together, loses and gains in life, and so many celebrations. Through us our kids have even grown to be best friends and extended family to each other. Then two years ago the ultimate test of our friendship would come along, I moved to another state. Would our friendship be able to stand the test of distance? The night before we were to move we realized we needed another U-Haul truck to finish packing our house but we did not have a driver. Sheri volunteered to make the long journey with us. She took her vacation time and packed up her son too and on the road we went the following day.

It has been two years since that long journey. I have grown, matured more and made a few new friends here and there along the way. She has done the same. Somehow though we have managed to stay in touch, keep each other advised and shared all the challenges of life together even though we are over 1,700 miles apart. We both look forward to vacation time and short breaks in life to where we can talk on the phone to just be friends. Subject Sentence: It is with my great pleasure that I would like to introduce to you my best friend Sheri K, the person she was, the person she is and the person she has inspired me to become. Connective: The past life that Sheri has overcome to become the person she is today.

Body

1) The past hurdles that Sheri has had to overcome

A) Unstable childhood

a. Both parents suffer from substance abuse/mental health issues b. Sheri had to basically raise herself and her siblings, parentified at a very young age. c. Emotionally deprived childhood, not enough hugs and kisses and positive reinforces growing up.

B) Substance abuse

d. Marijuana
e. Cocaine
f. Prescription drugs

C) Removal of her children from the home by the State

g. State removed her children
h. She gave birth to a third child during CPS involvement i. Her choice to give up third child for adoption
j. Working her reunification plan to get custody of her children back

D) Almost losing her nursing license
k. Appearing in front of monthly review boards
l. Three year probationary period
m. Having to do random urinalysis
n. Not being able to even take simple cold medication when sick because it may produce a negative UA E) Being homeless, not having a vehicle, and broke o. Can only live in places agreeable to the State workers p. Had to take public transportation to and from work and all appointments and visitations and court hearings q. Barely making enough money to make ends meet and still had to pay for UA to keep her job, pay for her bus tickets, pay any legal fines and court costs. Connective: At last, Sheri overcame each and every one of the hurdles that were put in front of her to have success in her life. 2) Sheri’s triumph and successes

A) Sheri currently cares for her mentally ill mother and has no current relationship with her biological father. She has managed to reestablish a positive, healthy relationship with other members of her family. a. Sheri takes her mother shopping on a weekly basis for grocery no matter how busy her own schedule is. b. Sheri attends and participates in monthly meetings for her mother’s ongoing mental health needs. c. Sheri was a very important part of assisting in raising her nieces and nephews when their mother passed. d. Sheri was asked to give eulogy at her grandmother’s funeral. B) Sheri has been clean and sober for over 10 years now

e. She attended and completed any and all drug treatment programs that were offered to her. f. Sheri will be the first one to tell you that sobriety is a daily struggle g. Even after this many years of sobriety Sheri still regularly attends meetings to maintain her sobriety C) Sheri has regained custody and raised two out of her three children but does maintain a relationship with the child she gave up for adoption h. Sheri embraced and completed with total success her case plan i. Sheri attended every court hearing or program that was required and even ones that were not j. Sheri and her two children attend annual visits with her child that she gave up for adoption. D) Not only did Sheri keep her nursing license but she has went on to finish school and become a RN k.

Sheri managed to work full time, raise two kids and go to school full time l. Sheri passed all of her classes with a GPA of 3.5 or better. m. Sheri took all of her classes on campus, nothing on computer E) Sheri went from being homeless, without a vehicle and broke to owning her home, just purchased a new car and has a steady, stable income. n. She purchased a nice size 4 bedroom home a few years ago o. Just recently purchased her second new vehicle since her sobriety p. Has a full time job, daytime hours, at a local hospital as an RN q. Sits on the foster care review board at Juvenile court, in the same system that had removed her children. r. Volunteers her time at drug court, the same system that helped guide her to her sobriety. s. Volunteers her time to mentor anyone who is trying to get to sobriety. Although Sheri has made the choice that she will not become anyone’s sponsor because she is afraid she does not have enough time. Connective: In conclusion,

Conclusion

For those of you who are not aware, substance abuse is very difficult to overcome. Statistics show that “in 2010 there was an estimated 22.6 million Americans over the age of 12 there were current or former illicit drug users. This equates to about 8.9 percent of the population aged 12 or older.” To further complicate substance abuse is the intervention of the State, the justice system and any other outside agency that is connected to the substance abusers day to day life. Sheri has had a lot of agencies involved in her life and yet she has managed to conquer her hurdles and now helps those that are in the very same situation that she was in. Sheri has never forgot where she came from but looks forward and still always sees the positive in others. That is why she is my best friend; my hero and I one day hope that I can be half the person that she is.