Truly Julie hoping to razzle dazzle at Inside Broadway’s Beacon Awards!

For the fourth consecutive year…I had the pleasure of hosting the Beacon Awards for Inside Broadway and the scholarship luncheon for Lighthouse International. Both charities are dear to my heart and by sheer coincidence they both fell on the same day this year! I had to somehow sandwich two newscasts between the events…but heck…I wouldn’t miss them for the world! A quick nugget on each organization and how you can get involved. Inside Broadway is an amazing not-for-profit that brings the magic of Broadway to dozens of inner city schools in the NYC area. It brings professional performers into the schools…or vice versa…it brings the kids to a show on the Great White Way. Inside Broadway is exactly what the name suggests. It gives kids access to Broadway…and it’s been doing so for the last 30 years! I was a theater kid and I can say with conviction that my participation in school musicals…and seeing Broadway shows with my family…definitely sparked my interest in one day “performing” in front of many. Furthermore…it shaped my confidence as a young woman. Learning to be comfortable under those hot lights gave me some of the swagga to make it in my cut throat biz of broadcasting. We honored Christie Brinkley (for her work in “Chicago”) and Nick Jonas (for his work in “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”) along with a few others contributing to the arts this year. But as always…my fav were the kids! Oh…I also loved that Nick Jonas spontaneously decided to sing a song for us! First time in the four years I’ve hosted that an award recipient treated us to a performance! As for Christie Brinkley and me…we’re just two Michigan girls living out our dreams in our Roland Mouret dresses:)

Lighthouse International is one of the oldest charities in the country! The kind folks over there have been helping the visually impaired since 1905. We gave away 8 scholarships this year…including one to a young woman who was once found outside an orphanage in China. She was left inside an apple box. Now she’s heading to Columbia University! I swear…every scholarship recipients’ story is better than any Hollywood movie. This event leaves me so inspired. Each and every recipient allows me to understand that: you don’t have to see to have a vision. I have volunteered at Lighthouse International’s Saturday School (so fun and rewarding!)…but there are dozens of ways for you to get involved.