vMAKING MEMORIES continued from page 19 being a part of the Nebraska LEAD Program, which was an adventure certainly which the radio station encouraged her to be a part of. Through her LEAD experience she was able to travel to China and Korea to be part of an international study on agriculture abroad. While in China, Stratman’s group was invited to climb aboard a grain tanker which held one-hundred carloads of grain. The Chinese officials took the LEAD members to a large hole on the top deck so they could look down and see the unloading process in the hold of the ship. “There was nothing to hold us back from pushing each other over the edge,” Stratman said. “And looking down into the hold, the payloader was the size of a fly turd. You could never do that in the United States.” Needless to say, that trip was a real eyeopener for Stratman. When she came back from that overseas trip, she was ready for the next step in her career. She clearly understood the challenges facing agriculture and the regulations in place through OSHA. The group also studied poverty in the two countries and observed homes with dirt floors and young children jumping over the sewer water running down the street in front of their homes. “When we checked into customs in Chicago, I don’t think there was one of us who didn’t have tears in our eyes and wanted to kiss the good old American soil.” During Stratman’s time at WNAX as an announcer, she also wrote for seven publications and loved it. Today, Stratman works every week on WNAX as the announcer of ‘Judy’s Journal.” She journals all of her interviews at home on her computer and goes to the station to broadcast the stories she collects from small local towns and her favorite topic, conversations with veterans. “I love my work and short of a medical issue which would make me stop, I don’t see myself ever quitting,” Stratman said. Got tion? Inspira 22vHERVOICEvNOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2018 When Stratman considers the future and young people joining the work force, she finds the idea one can do what one wants, go where one wants to go, not always possible and she does not believe that. She sees that as a real struggle for young people and confusing as well. With all the ambition young people have, sometimes direction and guidance make them better. “I could have gone to a number of other radio jobs, not necessarily better but I had offers and chose not to go,” Stratman said. “My husband was part of it and there is a respect there. I learned doing what you want might be pushing someone in the background.” Stratman chose to be happy with what she was doing and found one can love what you’re doing. She believes it’s important for young people to have a mentor to guide them through tough times and maybe it will be someone at a job or maybe even a grandparent. Ed Nelson, also a farm broadcaster at WNAX, became Stratman’s mentor. “Nelson always said to me, ‘I don’t want you to follow exactly in my footsteps, I want you to be better than me,’” Stratman said. “He told me I was younger and I had more tools so I could be better.” One of the things Stratman has always disliked about being in the limelight so to speak with her job as a radio announcer and being on the air, is just that – the notoriety. “I’m just like everyone else, no different,” Stratman said. “I make the same mistakes and do the same stupid things.” n We would love to hear about who and what inspires you. Do you know someone that should be featured in hervoice? Submit to: hervoiceonline.com