Happy Wednesday, everybody. Hope it's off to a great start. I've been meaning to share a little something about an event I had the pleasure of attending last month in my hometown, and today is finally the day! Read on, if you please: Riverfront Trail Day has been a highlight in Washington, MO since it started 11 years ago. I actually happened to be there that day as well! Back then I was in high school, tasked with pushing wheelchairs and chatting with the seniors who were there to enjoy the beautiful trail along the Missouri River. I still remember it! My classmates and I had such a fun time talking to people about their lives and our shared community. It's been amazing (yet not surprising) to hear how the event has grown over the years, getting so popular that the organizers had to move it to the fairgrounds! Check out the crowd this year: So many people!! (That's the swine pavilion, to be specific. Gotta love small towns.) The whole point of the Trail Day is to enable the elderly and disabled to see the sights and sounds of Washington. There was free lunch to enjoy and tram rides to take people all over the park. Such a neat idea and the organizers care *so* much about the folks they serve. I was so excited to be there and say a few words. I've heard many people in Washington say they watch Ch. 4 and I couldn't miss an opportunity to say thanks for that. I also wanted to share what an impact this particular group has had on me and others in the community. They really laid the foundation for what is a great place to grow up and raise a family and I certainly benefited from that. Looking out at all those people also reminded me of my grandparents, who have since passed away but lived in Washington for many years. Lots of special people who worked very hard for a long time to make this area what it is today. It's hard to go anywhere in Washington without running into somebody! I saw a few familiar faces that day, one of them being the Mayor of Washington, Sandy Lucy. As a kid, I used to stop in with my mom/siblings to see Mrs. Lucy at her art gallery in Downtown Washington. Her husband is the painter, Gary Lucy, and I used to love going there to look at all the different pieces of artwork and pretty things in the shop. Who knew she would be the mayor someday! That's my mom snapping a picture on my cell phone. Her dog, Ruby, is sneaking in for some attention in the bottom left corner too. So glad I got to be there that day, and happy the weather turned out well. Notice all the jackets--it was even a bit cool outside. Overall a great success for a group of people who couldn't be more deserving. Thanks for having me!
-Emily P.S. Big thanks to Jeannie Miller Wood for these pictures! She's the photographer for the local paper and I have memories of her at every major event for pretty much my entire life! School stuff, sporting events, fair fun--there's a picture of an 8-year-old me at a turtle race that I'm pretty sure she took. Love it.
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Breaking news!! It's been six months since I started anchoring the morning show. What?! How does that happen? It's been a wild ride so far and this has definitely been my favorite role in my television news career. I know a big part of my smooth transition has been thanks to my coworkers. Both in front of the camera and behind the scenes, it takes a village to get a 2.5 hour show on the air every morning. Not to mention the fact that we all go to work when the rest of the world is sleeping. Huge thanks to all of them--especially Andre, who has been such an amazing teammate and friend since the beginning. When you're new to a job and learning the ropes, sitting next to someone you trust makes ALL the difference. { We took that picture a few weeks ago, on the day we found out we made KMOV history! For the first time ever, News 4 This Morning is the number one show in the market, from 4:30-6 a.m. Woohoo!! } That Kent guy isn't so bad either. This picture is from the Fourth of July VP Parade--definitely a highlight!! Another situation where I was pretty nervous but because I was sandwiched between two pros, I knew I could go with the flow and everything would work out. Kent really can do it all, and make great TV in the process. I have to say Kent makes us laugh every.single.day. No small feat at 4 in the morning, trust me. A lot has changed in six short months! A few weeks ago Alissa told us some VERY exciting news. She and her husband are having a baby!!! It is such a special thing to go to someone's wedding and meet their family, then get to share in the excitement of that couple starting their own little family. I couldn't be happier for Alissa and I've already volunteered to babysit. :-) Another highlight of the last few months-- giving someone a car. For FREE. You can't help but smile when someone is having the best day ever, thanks in part to your place of work. Plus we took this great group shot of the on-air #N4TM team. It's nearly impossible to get all of us in one place, so this was a special occasion. I hear from a lot of viewers that part of why they like our show is because of our team feel. That we are! Sort of like a family-- we put the fun in dysfunctional. :-) Another new addition in the last six months-- Kelly! She's a great reporter and has also really stepped up to fill-in on traffic when needed. SO glad she came to KMOV. I love to have coworkers who become fast friends! Here's the latest anchor desk selfie, taken just this morning. The time has flown by and I can't thank you enough for all the support! It's been an incredible learning experience and I love getting to help you start your day off on the right foot.
See you on TV! -em |