Lake Forest residents filled the sidewalks and celebrated the city's 20th Independence Day parade, America’s birthday and listened to a team of talkers tell it all.

BergenMeister Club members Michael Varma, DTM, and David Osborn lead a team of local Toastmasters and Speakers Bureau members announced the City of Lake Forest's 20th annual Fourth of July parade providing information on more than 104 entries.

In the minor gaps that naturally occur in hometown parades, the announcers kept the crowd engaged with good family humor, Independence Day trivia, and Lake Forest fun facts.

Q: Why did the duck say “Bang!”
A: Because he was a fire-quacker.

Q: Which American President celebrated his birthday on July 4th?
A: The 30th president Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4, 1872, in Plymouth, Vermont.

Q: How many neighborhood and community parks are in Lake Forest, Calif.?
A: 27

Parade entries included El Toro High School’s Royal Blue Regiment, Civil Air Patrol, Pacific Coast Corvettes, Beauty and the Beast, Uncle Sam and Snoopy’s Bi-Plane, South Orange County Hot Rods, Spirit of New Orleans Mardi Gras band, Pirates for Hire and Red Dot Film Studios presented a tribute Indiana Jones "Raiders of the Lost Ark," which is celebrating its 30th anniversary.

An estimated 9,000 residents lined the 1.5-mile parade route that began at 10 a.m. near El Toro High School, traveled up Toledo Way, turned right on Lake Forest Drive and finished around 12 p.m. at the corner of Lake Forest Drive and Serrano Road.

Cox Communications – a major sponsor of the parade –will broadcast the parade locally on channel 3 and on demand from July 4 through August 10, 2011.

City leaders believe the annual Independence Day parade signifies the importance of embracing the city’s rich, historical past so that future generations may enjoy the same hometown spirit. The city's motto, "Remember the past, challenge the future," is the Lake Forest way of life.

Michael Varma, DTM, and David Osborn presented two The Laughter Factor workshops at Chapman University and two more sessions at Rio Hondo College. All classes were standing-room-only.

The Laughter Factor workshop taught attendees how and when to add humor to their presentation. Students were able to easily identify the three parts of a joke by using the Triangle of Timing, learned how to effectively tell a joke following the 3 Ps – purpose, pace and pause – and created their own joke with the Rule of Three. Participants also received a Humor File Starter Sheet for future presentations, which included several humor resources.

Yes, analyzing humor is like dissecting a frog: few people are interested, and the frog dies. But if you take the time to learn why jokes are funny, you can be funnier than you are today.

FREE Humor Lesson
If you think you’re NOT funny or have been told, “You’re NOT funny!” or have said, “I can’t remember jokes” or “I always forget the punch line?” then take advantage of this first lesson for free.

Transform your thought process. If you think you’re not funny, then congratulations, you’re not. Prophecy fulfilled. From this point you move forward. Your mind is a very powerful tool and it will do what you tell it to do.

Say the phrase, “I’m funnier than I was yesterday.” From now until the end of eternity, if someone says, “You’re bad at telling jokes,” shake their hand and say, “Thanks for the compliment. Yesterday I was worse.” Instant improvement.

For more information or to receive copies of the course handouts contact the instructors:

Michael Varma, DTM, is an award-winning instructor, professional magician with more than 30 years of experience, and whose cat excused him from jury duty.

David Osborn is consistently the top sales professional because he knows his material, makes his customers laugh, and sings like his distant twin brother Ozzy Osbourne.

JeriLynn King and Michael Beamon are officially inducted to the BergenMeisters by 2010 Club President Sheri Faulkner, CC.