Raleigh Mayor Presents Award To WRAL Reporter

WRAL-TV Reporter Rick Armstrong

The Raleigh Mayor’s Committee for Persons with Disabilities presented WRAL-TV Reporter Rick Armstrong with its 2002 Media Award for his coverage of the Goodwill Industries’ “Groundhog Job Shadowing Day.” The group presented Armstrong with the award on Wednesday, October 16, 2002, at noon banquet at the Capital Sheraton.

Becky Lytle at Goodwill Industries nominated Armstrong, and Raleigh Mayor Charles Meeker made the presentation.

“I’ve done a couple of stories with the Goodwill folks,” said Armstrong. “It was one story in particular that brought the nomination. It was a Groundhog Day Job Shadowing story in February. Companies all over the place were letting students shadow employees. Goodwill Industries was doing their version of that… letting people with mental and physical disabilities shadow Goodwill professionals. While I was shooting the story, two students with disabilities shadowed me. It was a noon live shot where I showed my shadow how I write and edit the story in the live truck. I introduced my shadows on the air. In the later story that ran at 5pm, I included a portion of them interviewing me about my job.”

He continued, “I’m used to broadcasting awards you have to enter, pay an entry fee, fill out an application for. I’ve won for things I wasn’t real proud of… and lost with stories I thought were my best effort. I’ve soured on that process many years ago. This one was a total surprise and very gratifying. It goes at the front of my very sparse trophy and plaque shelf.”