NORFOLK, Va. — Our latest Everyday Hero surprise at the Campostella Heights Resource Center in Norfolk took some planning... and hiding!
Our crew headed inside where we were greeted by Bilal Muhammad, a prominent Norfolk community activist who nominated Shana Hicks for her work promoting non-violence and countless hours working with and mentoring local teens.
Bilal says she's passionate about making a difference, saying, "She has that drive, that energy. She always wanted to get involved and she has so much love for the community."
Bilal arranged a fake board meeting just for our surprise. While we waited for our guest of honor to arrive, I hid in the kitchen of the resource center and waited for the sign that we could pop out and present her with her Everyday Hero award.
Shana understandably didn't quite know how to respond when I emerged from the kitchen with News 3 cameras rolling. To help explain the meaning behind the surprise, Bilal read a portion of a letter he received from Norfolk Councilman John Paige: "It is with great admiration and respect that I support the nomination for Miss Shana Hicks for the WTKR Everyday Hero Award. Miss Hicks has served the Norfolk community for many years by organizing toy drives, holidays, giveaways and Easter egg hunts, bringing joy and support to families in need."
For those reasons, we presented Shana with a News 3 Everyday Hero Award, along with a $300 Visa gift card from our community partner Southern Bank. She was very thankful, saying, "I'm just so grateful for the things that I can do for my community, truly, it's such an honor to be where I'm at. It's such an honor to show up and make a change for our community, for our people, and I won't stop, so I thank you."
