By DAVID TUMA
The Belton Journal
Meredith Bender has been hired as the Community Outreach Coordinator for the Belton Police Department.
Bender grew up in the Dallas area and graduated from Texas A&M University.
At first, working for a television station, she was a one-woman show, and she did the filming, editing, and interviews on her own.
“Right out of college, I got a job as a television reporter covering North Texas and Southern Oklahoma,” Bender said. “I anchored on the weekends for three years. I loved telling people stories. I would report and be the cameraperson. I did the editing of the film myself and it would air that night. One night, I was covering a domestic standoff for a long time and the batteries went dead. The neighbors in that area used their cell phone lights to help me.”
She eventually moved to the Tulsa market and helped start a lifestyle show.
“I was a reporter in the Tulsa area and I went around town reporting on events,” said Bender.
She met her future husband in Tulsa who was serving in the military. He was transferred to Fort Cavazos.
“We live in Belton and love it. It is just a tightknit, down-to-earth community. The way the people here interact with each other is special. They care about each other. It’s been a lot of fun exploring the shops, restaurants, and local coffee shops,” said Bender.
