I guess I have reached that age where you can look back on your life and see key people who made a difference at a critical junction in your life. Today is the birthday of one of those at the top of the list. In 2002, after relocating my parents from Alaska to Maranatha Village in Springfield, I was having to drive up from Dallas nearly every weekend. I needed to get closer to them, but how does that happen? Norma Champion had just been elected to the Missouri Senate. I didnt know her, but through watching the local news and reading the paper, I realized that much of her campaign commentary included things I was familiar with through my work in the Texas legislature. I mailed her a letter from Waxahachie, TX on a Monday, she called me on a Wednesday, and on Friday, I was interviewing with her in Springfield. She had promised several others an interview, but after meeting with others, she soon hired me. Later, we would both acknowledge that we both knew this was a good match. It raised a few eyebrows though. I had never even been to Jefferson City. I didnt know at the time how critical her willingness to go with someone who didnt know a single soul in Missouri government would change the trajectory of my career and give me so many opportunities I could never have envisioned. Her trust allowed me to be with my mom two years later when she slipped into Heaven. It allowed me to be with Dad and assist him until he ran away and took his wheelchair to Colorado Springs to marry Ruth in 2009. Later today, I will attend an annual event in Jeff City; it was at this associations meeting over ten years ago where I met the key leadership of the organization where I now work. Norma Champion let Reggie do a lot of things and represent her in a manner that a lot of politicians would be leery to do. She trusted me. She gave me opportunities. We traveled thousands of miles on the road. We stopped at the same convenience store weekly in Lebanon, Missouri so she could get her discount cup of coffee. We heatedly discussed a lot of politically ideology and bantered in a way that would have raised some eyebrows if they had been in the vehicle. We had each others back. I held her purse many times when she was speaking. I could easily recognize the click of her heels coming and going on the marble corridors of the Capitol. When one senator was mad at her, but took it out on me, the next thing you heard was the fast paced clip of her heels going lickety split to have a spirited discussion with him. When a particular activist told her that Reggie hadnt been very nice to her, Senator Champion told the activist that at this point in the legislative session, being nice wasnt one of our priorities. We never know what the future holds, but I know that anything Ive done or accomplished in the last 12 years is because of Norma Champions faith in me and the opportunity she gave me. She may be petite, but dont underestimate her. Nearly 30 years in television, 23 years in politics, decades of teaching in the college classroom, and an earned Ph.D. from the University of Oklahoma; what can I say about this accomplished woman, but Happy Birthday and Many Thanks!
Posted on: Wed, 21 Jan 2015 07:04:11 +0000