Below is an article that appeared in PRIORITY! magazine last month 12-22-14! It is a follow-up to a story first printed in 1999 regarding my volunteer work with The Salvation Army...I was also a weather anchor and reporter at the time for FOX 53 news. The photos below are also from 1999 (reprinted)...the suave anchor next to me is Jay Harris now at ESPN Priority! Where Are They Now? ________________________________________ December 22, 2014 Priority’s First Cover Subject: She’s Still Kicking… Life has been a whirlwind for Karen Eden ever since she was the first–ever cover story in Priority! in Spring 1999. She moved to Denver in 2000 to take a position as a weather anchor and reporter with FOX 31/KDVR–TV. “As soon as I got to Denver, I hooked up with The Salvation Army and offered my help in the inner city,” she says. Karen started a martial arts program with the Red Shield Salvation Army in Denver that same year. The “Blood and Fire Federation” would eventually go worldwide with affiliates in Africa and Europe as well as the United States. Karen got married in 2001—she’s now Karen Eden Herdman—and had a son the next year. When her five–year contract with FOX expired in 2005, she became a certified chaplain and ordained minister. That year, her “Red Shield Warriors” group went national and landed on the cover of Tae Kwon Do Times magazine. After The Salvation Army discontinued the program, she started another program in inner–city Denver. Her “Dojo Disciple Warriors” group now trains at another local community center, but her other founding karate programs are still up and running in various locations through “The blood and Fire Federation.” Karen has also found the time to author four books. The last three—two on martial arts and a self–help book on suicide prevention—appeared after her Priority cover. Helping others has been a major part of Karen’s life and she wants it to remain that way as she puts her spiritual training to work. “I’m not a ‘preacher;’ I’m more of a spiritual counselor. I just felt like I had an ability to help people and change their lives by helping them find a way of deliverance and to a road of peace.” “My goal, even back there in Pittsburgh, was ‘How can I help other people?’ I don’t ask myself, ‘How can I be a big TV star? How can I be a published book author?’ It’s just ‘How can I help other people?’ In handling it that way, I have really become a blessed person.” This year has also been a big one for Karen. She was recently promoted to sixth–degree black belt (25 years of training.) And her 12–year–old son, Cody, just earned his own black belt. She was also recently honored with her own day “Karen Herdman Day” from the mayor of Denver, Michael Hancock for her contributions to the city and county of Denver. Karen, who has appeared on CNN and Animal Planet, sees TV remaining part of her career. “I hope to combine my broadcasting experience in major market TV … with my other passion, ministering to others… to create a unique real-life TV show,” she says. by Robert Mitchell
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 04:11:06 +0000
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