“Up Close and Personal With Cheryl McHenry” at the Dayton Women’s Fair
When: The fair will be from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept 17, and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18. Cheryl McHenry will speak at 2:45 p.m. on Saturday.
Where: Airport Expo Center, 3900 McCauley Drive, Vandalia
Tickets: $7 at the door. Tickets for $5 are available in advance at all Kroger stores. Parking is free.
More info: Go to www.daytonwomensfair.com.
Event sponsor: Cox Media Group Ohio
Fans of WHIO-TV’s news anchor Cheryl McHenry will have the opportunity to get to know the Miami Valley celebrity off-camera when she appears “Up Close and Personal” as a featured Saturday speaker at the upcoming Dayton Women’s Fair.
The first-time event — featuring fashion shows, cooking demonstrations, speakers, shopping, health screenings, and more — will take place Saturday and Sunday at the Airport Expo Center in Vandalia.
A Channel 7 reporter since 1981, McHenry has been honored as Best Anchor by the Associated Press, inducted into the Radio/TV Broadcasters Hall of Fame of Ohio and was named to Carroll High School’s Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. In 2010, the Society of Professional Journalists awarded her a Best Anchor honor, and she also has received a regional Edward R. Murrow award for her documentary “Domestic Violence: Breaking the Cycle.” WHIO-TV Channel 7 is owned by Dayton Daily News parent company Cox Media Group Ohio.
Q Who were the people who inspired you over the years?
A First and foremost were my parents. I lost my mom when I was 12. She died of breast cancer at the age of 40. But she had worked as a secretary for the federal government in Washington D.C. in her twenties and she always talked very positively about work and she looked forward to going back to work when her youngest child started school.
My dad is one of those guys who went to work every day. In my house, unless you were on your deathbed, you went to work or school or wherever you were supposed to be. My husband is that way too ... he runs rings around people half his age!
I’m a big fan of my co-anchors, Jim Baldridge (who retired two years ago) and now James Brown. They are two very smart, very hardworking and family-oriented men.
Q What’s a typical day for you?
A A typical workday starts before 6 a.m. I have breakfast and read the paper, make sure my 16-year-old daughter is up for school, walk the dog, try to get in a workout — usually running, swimming or doing a weight workout at the gym. I'm forever doing laundry and running to the grocery store. I throw something together for dinner, maybe do some housework.
I anchor our 90 minutes of news, 5-6:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and I must start preparing for that by 2 or 3 p.m. Before that, I might write the “Miami Valley’s Most Wanted,” work on a special report, put together a story for the newscast, make phone calls to get information or even work on upcoming speeches or events that I emcee.
I go home and have dinner with my family, walk the dog and get ready for the next day. I’m usually asleep by 10.
Q How do you juggle career, family, hobbies?
A I prioritize things at home — the most pressing matters usually get done. Everything else can wait. Work is always a priority. I do try to exercise every day and I love to read. And, if my husband or either of our daughters needs anything, that usually rises to the top of my priority list.
Q What are you planning to talk about at the Dayton Women’s Fair?
A My main message is that we all have the same worries, fears, hopes and dreams. Though my job puts me in the public eye, my life is probably not much different from theirs. I'll talk a bit about my job and share a few humorous stories about life in local TV.
Q What advice do you have for young women who are just starting out in life?
A I'd say follow your dreams, stay positive and work hard. Always look for ways to improve your work and be open to constructive criticism. Remember where you came from, and stay close to your family and your good friends. And, be ethical. Doing the right thing and staying true to yourself will take you further in life than anything else.
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