I ate dinner with family earlier this week at a restaurant in downtown Chattanooga.  I'd been working that day and I had on a WTCI shirt that we in the production crew often wear on shoots.  A server at the restaurant saw the logo and asked me if I worked for WTCI.  I told him that I did and his face lit up. 

"I love PBS," he said.  "When we were kids we had cable, but we always ended up watching PBS."  He went on, clearly passionate about what public television means to him.  And then he said something I wasn't expecting..."It just wouldn't be America without PBS". 

Every once in a while, I'm reminded that what we do for a living affects people's lives deeply, and it's gratifying to know that.  It's easy to get lost in the details of production, but your support, whether it's a kind word at a restaurant, or a pledge of financial support, helps remind us why we're here.  There's a reason why PBS has been voted the most trusted organization in the country for six years straight (Roper Public Opinion Poll).  We work to earn your trust, and we appreciate it.