Aaron Bennett for the past several weeks has shown he is as versatile a television broadcaster as there is. A member of the WCIA-3 sports department for nine years, the Pleasant Plains native moved over to fill in as a news anchor alongside Jennifer Roscoe upon the departure of Dave Benton and the show hasn’t missed a beat.
Aaron is a University of Missouri grad (we won’t hold that against him) who returned to his native state to join the WCIA team in 2006. He and wife of seven years, Stephanie, have two children: Brooklynn, 3, and Brayden, who was born in February. In his free time, Aaron enjoys spending time with his family, watching sports and relaxing.
See why we think Aaron Bennett is a Chambana dad to know.
Q: You’re now in the anchor chair next to one of our favorite Chambanamoms, Jennifer Roscoe. How does it feel?
A: It has been an honor to be chosen to fill in on the anchor desk during a difficult time of transition for our station. While I’m still not sure if the news anchor job will be my permanent destination (or if I’ll return to the sports desk), it has been a blast to serve our community in a new way. Jennifer has welcomed me with open arms, and she has been awesome to work with.
Q: What have the last few weeks been like at WCIA since the news of Dave Benton’s passing?
A: It’s been a tough time as you can imagine, but we’ve all been inspired by the way Dave lived his life — especially the final few months. It has been great to feel the overwhelming response from our viewers, and there’s no doubt that has helped us through this time.
Q: What will you miss most about Dave Benton?
A: I got to work with Dave for nearly nine years, and he taught me so much about this business. I’ll miss his positive attitude, professionalism, selflessness, and the way he remained strong while fighting cancer down to the final days.
Q: You were in sports for a long time. What’s been the difference so far?
A: The transition has been even smoother than I could have hoped for. The biggest difference is going from being on TV for 6 minutes a day to now being on TV for two hours a day. I also miss covering our area athletes and attending sporting events.
Q: What does it mean to you to be a father?
A: I never comprehended what it would be like to be a father until my oldest child Brooklynn was born. Our lives and priorities immediately changed. The opportunities to raise children and teach them about the world is a challenge and a responsibility that I look forward to every day.
Q: You’re at karaoke. What song do you pick to sing, and why?
A. “Can’t Fight this Feeling” by REO Speedwagon. I’ve always been an REO fan, and that’s one song I can’t help but sing anytime it’s on the radio.
Q: What C-U summer event are you most looking forward to?
A. I would have to say Taste of C-U is my favorite event. I love to go with my family, walk around the park and sample all the area restaurants.
Q: What does your ideal Father’s Day look like?
A. My ideal Father’s Day would be taking my family to lunch and then spending the day at a baseball game. We especially enjoy going to St. Louis Cardinals and Peoria Chiefs games.
Q. Tell us something most people don’t know about you.
A. I almost made it to the national spelling bee in fourth and fifth grades. I competed in the regional spelling bee, but fell short of my ultimate goal.
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