Published: April 28, 2009
Melody Kinser .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
After sharing what’s special about her town, Annette Paul played host early today to two Good Morning America personalities.
She and her husband Lee put out the welcome mat for Chris Cuomo and Sam Champion, who broadcast from Ashland, which was filled with county and town officials, the president and a contingent of the student body of Randolph-Macon College, and residents of all ages.
An avid viewer of GMA, Annette wanted to tell the program about her neighborhood, her home, her Ashland.
Her submission, appearing in a portion of the video on GMA’s Web site, http://abcnews.com/gma, read: “It is the people who live here who make it special. ‘To porch’ is a verb here . . . So come on down to Ashland for a glass of wine and some great company.”
The Pauls make their home in the 300 block of College Avenue, one of the three-lined streets, in a town known as “The Center of the Universe.”
There’s the feeling of a Norman Rockwell painting, with large Victorian-style houses, manicured lawns, and, of course, a big front porch.
Annette said Sunday evening is a particularly good time for neighbors to gather on the porch, simply to visit.
As crews were setting up and Cuomo and Champion were preparing to take to the air, Annette spoke briefly about the whirlwind of bringing a nationally known television program to her town.
She saw “a spot about two weeks” where the program was soliciting e-mails from viewers about “what’s special about your neighborhood.” Annette decided she wanted to participate, because of her neighbors.
A producer from Washington, D.C., came to visit, which was followed by another representative from New York City. “And yesterday,” Annette continued, “they all showed up.”
The buzz started around 3 p.m. Monday in Ashland, with phone calls, e-mails and word of mouth.
From the street to the Lees’ front porch, Cuomo and Champion also mingled with the crowd. Cuomo knelt down when he saw a little blonde girl dressed in a blue princess dress. Five-year-old Delaney Thompson was gracious in her meeting with the news celebrity.
On several occasions, Sue Forbes Watson led the crowd in singing “Ashland, Ashland.”
R-MC had a significant presence, with President Robert R. Lindgren, cheerleaders, members of the swim team, staff and rows of students.
The town, led by Mayor Faye O. Prichard, presented a resolution on behalf of Ashland. Other officials participating were G. Ed Via III, vice chairman of the Hanover County Board of Supervisors and Ashland District representative; Watson, who represents the Ashland District on the Hanover County School Board; Ashland Police Chief Doug Goodman; and Ashland Town Manager Charles W. Hartgrove.
Reader Comments
Living in another state now It was such a treat to get up on Tuesday and see the GMA show being broadcasted from Ashland, Va. I am from Mechanicsville, VA (same county - Hanover). It truly is a beautiful part of our country and even though I do not know the Paul’s I came from the same kind of people that did Sunday nights on my grandparents front porch. Hooray for them for being on national television.
Ann Jones of Bradenton, FL.
Apr. 29, 2009 at 01:43 PM
