Hope For the Pope

Hello!!

We officially survived Day 1 of Pope coverage.  Things sure were crazy. Over the course of the day we’ve been to the media center, Baltimore and CBS in D.C.

It all started with a morning Metro ride to Westin Hotel Washington City Center.  We had no problem getting our press credentials.  Perhaps the best part was that were surrounded by network producers from ABC and CBS picking up their dozens of media passes.  I couldn’t help but think about how here we were from little old Loras College in Dubuque, IA standing next to some big time producer, here to cover the same event!  Pretty sweet right? haha listen to me.  No but seriously it was great.  Despite the fact that all our pass gets us into is the Media Center.  

So after the excitement of receiving our fabulously good looking press credentials, we headed to Union Station to take a MARC Train to Baltimore.  45 mins later we were in Baltimore but had to take a LightRail to my great grandmother’s place.  We had lunch there and then received a phone call from John Walsh back in Dubuque.  Apparently we had received and e-mail from Mary Walsh, his cousin who is a producer at CBS in D.C.  So we had arrangements for us to come to the station in D.C. – tour it and see how things work. So after lunch, we headed back to D.C. 

At 6:00 we got to our stop and found CBS about ten minutes later.  Mary greeted us and showed us around.  She introduced us to everyone as “her friends from Loras COllege in town covering the Pope’s visit”  We sat down and talked for a bit and she started brainstorming ways for us to try to get press passes.  She e-mailed a sister she knew, who then referred us to someone else.  Maybe it will help getting an e-mail from a CBS producer on our side!  If you ask me, we were pretty lucky to meet up with her.  The other good news was that everyone at the station was suprised about our situation.  Being denied passes into the events.  They didn’t understand either.  So that made us feel better, like it’s not something that happens everyday.  So cross your fingers!  We’re hoping someone comes through with some sort of opportunity to cover an actual event that the Pope is at…as a member of the Media.  

WE MADE IT!

Hello there!

Lauren and Kate here…officially writing from WASHINGTON D.C.  After staying up all night friday, sleeping four hours, driving four hours, locking kates keys in her car as we arrived to Chicago and eating a late night dinner we headed to the airport this morning.

This is where the adventure continues.  Kate checked in just fine, i however didn’t. I had to wait in a long line, all the while waiting to see if I actually had a seat. No biggie i was fine.  Then we headed through security and found our gate.  At 10:20 am…the same time we were scheduled to board, i got a call from American Airlines saying our flight was cancelled.  So did everyone around me, but they were boarding…so we were confused.  Started working on changing our ticket, and 5 mins later i got a call saying our fight was reinstated.  FUNNY JOKE huh?!  haha turns out they were canceling the same flight for TOMORROW not today!!! lucky us!

well we’re here.  Staying with a Loras Alumni.  We’re headed into downtown to meet kate’s grandma and have dinner.  Then it’s off to mass at the Basillica  (where the Pope will be later this week). Maybe we’ll find something cool…storyworthy…

LOVE and PEACE from D.C.

Lauren and Kate

Here Today…D.C. Tomorrow

Hello there!

Just finished packing. We’re headed to Chicago for the evening, then if all goes well we’ll be taking our plane tomorrow to D.C….that is if all goes well. I’ll keep you posted on that.

But I wanted to comment briefly about how Kate and I spent the last 18 hours. Last night was Dance Marathon at Loras College. Its a 12 hour even where Loras students stay up all night to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network and the Iowa City Hospitals. So Kate and I were the official videographers last night. And I tell you it was a treat. First off, one of the families, Katie Metz, whom I did a story about last fall (before their daughter pass away) was there. That touched me like no other, to see the impact this has had on them. Then you add to that all the “miracle kids” that were there and smiles on their faces. As a journalist I think its such a gift when you get to tell these peoples stories. It inspires other and inspires me. And although we stayed up all night, spent several hours editing a video for the closing ceremonies, and didn’t sleep much for today…it was worth it!! It was for the kids! And I feel like it was an honor to be a part of something so great.

On that note: its time to head to Chicago. WISH US LUCK!!! prayers would be nice too!

Peace.

Preparations: Then there were complications… Now we have to be “real” Journalists

 

Hey there!

So we’re preparing for our D.C. trip to catch the Pope. At the moment its kind of going to be a game…to see if we get lucky enough to find him. Why? Well it’s because we were only pre-approved to cover the Pope, we just received word today from all three requests that we will NOT be given press credentials into these events, but instead we have access to the feeds in the media center. Now I don’t know about you but that’s not exactly what we were going for. NOT AT ALL.

But this brings forth a good challenge, in my eyes. The way I see it, we’re now forced to be “real” journalists and go out and find a story. Maybe something that you woudn’t expect from you average pope coverage story. We’ll be walking around D.C. looking everywhere for stories about everything to do with his visit. Talking with people preparing for the event, spending time around the events and trying to get and insiders view into it all.