Tuesday, May 1
I enjoyed a trip down memory lane last night, when I had the pleasure of serving as emcee for William Byrd High School's Open House. I am a 1989 graduate of Byrd, and loved seeing the many improvements made to the school. As part of a larger Roanoke county-wide project, the school has added a new administrative office wing and auxiliary gym. There are also great improvements to the auditorium and new classroom space. I always feel at home whenever I visit there. So, it was truly an honor to be a part of last night's dedication. My station photo was even included in a time capsule! Very cool...
Hope you can tune into WDBJ 7 Mornin on Thursday for this week's "Early Years," when we tackle the topic of bullying. We'll chat with the self-proclaimed "Bully Expert" Tom Ramsey. He's a self- defense trainer and martial arts instructor who is offering a workshop this Saturday to help teach kids how to handle bullies. The key, he says, is to keep the bullying from happening in the first place by using verbal, non-violent methods. Tune in Thursday morning for details!
Tuesday, April 24
It's not every day that you meet a person who is truly extraordinary. But a couple of weeks ago, I did. Hopefully, you saw my piece last night on WDBJ 7 at 6, "Disability Ability." It was a "hometown hero" profile of 32- year- old Stephen Grammer, who was born with Cerebral Palsy. He might suffer from this disease, but I found that it doesn't define who he is. Stephen spends many hours a week volunteering at places like the Roanoke Rescue Mission, Ronald McDonald House and Goodwill Industries. Someone in his shoes might very well sit quietly in a facility, but Stephen makes the most of the abilities he does have. He took it upon himself to email these organizations, asking if he could be of service to them. What a shining example of determination and generosity for the rest of us! I so enjoyed meeting Stephen and his roommate, who kindly took Stephen into his home, and is helping him live as normal a life as possible. Getting to meet people like these is one of the best perks of my job!
Let me also say how proud I was to see all of the young runners (and their parents) taking part in the YMCA Kids Marathon Saturday morning, in conjunction with the Blue Ridge Marathon. I ran along with my seven-year-old son, and had a wonderful time! I work out regularly, but am not much of a runner, so I really had to work to keep up with him for that mile downtown! It's so special for families to get to play hard together...
Monday, March 26
I can't believe March is almost over. It has been a busy month for us. My son, Chris turned 7 years old on the 7th of this month. We did some home improvements around the middle of the month....love this time of year to sprucing up the house! And yesterday, my 3-year-old daughter, Caitlin had a little milestone of her own. She went with her little best friend to get their ears pierced. It may not sound like that big of a deal, but to a little girl, it is. I'm proud to say that Caitlin was a little trooper, and didn't cry at all. Just another sign that she is getting bigger...I'm sure you parents out there can relate.
Although it's going to cool off a bit this week, spring is here and spring break isn't far away. In this week's Early Years segment on WDBJ 7 Mornin' Thursday, we will talk about a spring break camp being offered at Green Ridge Recreational Center in Roanoke County. Tune in for more details about that. I will also link some information about other spring break camps in our area to our Web site, WDBJ7.com. Got to keep those kids busy!
Thursday, March 15
Spring has sprung. Wait, how about summer has arrived! I am definitely loving the temperatures this week. Yes, it is very early, but I will take a taste of summertime whenever I can get it. My hubby has been on vacation this week, and we've been getting a lot of work done around the house. There's just something about this time of year that makes me want to re-do everything...
March Madness is also happening. That means you won't see WDBJ7 at Noon either today or tomorrow due to NCAA basketball. But you can stay informed right here at WDBJ7.com, as well as on our later newscasts.
I am working on some future stories on local hometown heroes. If you know of someone who spends their time helping others, let me know. I am especially interested in folks who are perhaps older, or who have some challenges of their own. Send any suggestions my way to kmcbroom@wdbj7.com. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter.
And finally, St. Patrick's Day is almost here! I hope you will join many of us from WDBJ7 at the annual parade in downtown Roanoke this Saturday morning at 11:00. Leo says it's supposed to be warm. We'll just hope for the luck o' the Irish that the rain will hold off until later in the day. Happy St. Patty's Day weekend everyone!
Wednesday, February 22
Hi there! Hope you can tune in tomorrow (Thursday) evening at 6:00 for my special report, "Forever Family." I will profile a family who has adopted not one, but three foster children...with a fourth one on the way. They will share their journey of becoming a family, and we will also get some expert advice on what prospective adoptive parents should consider.
This is all against the backdrop of a pending new law in Virginia. Governor McDonnell is expected to sign legislation that would allow private adoption agencies to not allow people to adopt based on factors like age, political orientation or sexual orientation. We'll delve into the adoption issue Thursday night at 6 in "Forever Family."
And before that, tomorrow on WDBJ7 Mornin' I will have two live interviews with an adoption specialist from Commonwealth Catholic Charities. She'll share her perspective on the new adoption law.
Hope you will tune in!
