An inside look at the annual Keystone Awards gala

The annual Keystone Awards gala is always big, energetic and fun. I’ve attended many of them, sometimes as a presenter, sometimes as a company rep, and have enjoyed them all.

I’ve always admired the way in which the emcees handled the stage — people like Peter  Olsen, Robbie Dunn and Mark Madryga have a natural presence in front of the microphone and in front of a crowd.

Last night I got to find out what it’s like spending three hours directing traffic on that stage, and it was quite the experience. This was the first time in awhile that the Keystones, in which the best examples of the work done by members of the Central Interior Branch of the Canadian Homebuilders Association are honoured, have been held at the Delta Sun Peaks.

It’s a great room for the event. I think I’m the first emcee from the print media to act as host, and while I’ve done a lot of emcee duty and moderated my share of debates and other public events, this was the most challenging.

Patsy Bourassa and her staff at the local CHBA office leave nothing to chance, timing it all to the minute, from the light-and-laser opening (courtesy Lee’s Music) to the last major award.

After a couple of practice sessions earlier in the week, and some tips from those who’d done it before, I was about as ready as I was going to get. I flubbed a little here and there, but avoided any disasters and found myself having a great time.

One of the challenges was to stay in synch with the slides of the finalists as they flashed up on the screen, and I went a little cross-eyed keeping one on my monitor at the foot of the stage, and one on the script I was supposed to be using.

It was outside my comfort zone, but I got an inside look at what it takes to put together the Keystones, and had a lot of fun doing it.