When Sue Bailey was invited to a local TEDx event about a year ago, she was unaware of the concept of the events and “had no expectations.”

“It blew me away,” said Bailey, marketing and adult program coordinator at the Tinley Park Library. “After leaving that event, the following day I came back and said, ‘We have to do this. We can do this.' ”

Her efforts came to fruition nearly a year later with a TEDx event at her workplace.

TED is a nonprofit organization for “spreading ideas.” It began in 1984 as a conference to bring technology, entertainment and design together, according to the website www.ted.com.

“It was supposed to be a one-time conference but it really took off,” Bailey said. She said the “x” is added to the name of the organization to denote a local event.

Bailey and fellow organizers Anthony Andros and Karen Beran worked with half a dozen library support staff to get the job done.

Among their efforts in planning a certified TEDx event were building a stage and set, getting staff and equipment prepared to document the evening with professional grade recording materials and finding just the right speakers. The process took about eight months to complete, Bailey said, but it was worth the effort to become “one of the first libraries (in the area) to hold a TEDx event.”

“(It was) the work of the community, our staff in so many roles,” Bailey said. “It's amazing.”

Following a short reception with refreshments, four speakers took to the stage to share personal stories and their thoughts on a variety of topics. Each speaker's presentation lasted no more than 18 minutes to an audience of 100 people, both requirements of the TED organization for local events.

Nancy Depcik, a professional speaker and presentation skills coach from Madison, Wisconsin, encouraged the audience to replace the word “curiosity” for “fear” in her presentation of “A Curious Choice.”

Amber Holup, recent graduate of Tinley Park High School and first-year college student at Olivet Nazarene University, spoke about challenging life experiences that led her to “Find Purpose Through Service.”

Tinley Park resident Garrett Gray, engineer, actor and speaker, entertained and advised through stories of his deceased furry friend in “Life Lessons from My Cat, Mr. T.”

“The Mysterious Metamorphosis at the End of Life” was a discussion by inspirational speaker, writer and consultant Loretta Downs, of Chicago, about ways the dying and their families can come to the best possible end-of-life experiences.

The live presentations were interspersed with two videos of speakers featured on the TED website: “Life Lessons from a Volunteer Fireman” by Mark Bezos and “Cloudy With a Chance of Joy” by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, founder of the Cloud Appreciation Society.

The audience of 100 people reacted to each of the presentations with applause, laughter and other sounds of connection to the speaker and the topic.

Tinley Park resident Renee Weiss-Manser said she “knew nothing about TEDx” but found the title of the event interesting when she saw it on a library mailing to her home.

“For some reason, it intrigued me,” Weiss-Manser said. “I kind of had it in the back of my head that it was something good, but I didn't know quite what.” Weiss-Manser said the event “absolutely had an impact” on her because “you don't think about what you can have an impact on.”

A video of the event will be available for viewing at the Tinley Park Library and on the TEDx Talks YouTube channel. More information is with the Tinley Park Library at 708-532-0160.

Ginger Brashinger is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.