While many in TV news use their social media to post bad dance videos or selfie after selfie, there is one Anchor that has actually made her social media into something that impacts some viewers.

Like many, when the pandemic hit, WFTS (Tampa) Traffic Anchor Sarah Phinney could not go to the gym to workout. Sarah Phinney started walking some trails near her home and her idea gew from there.

The pandemic also cut down on traffic in the area and that meant that Phinney, the Traffic Anchor didn’t have much to talk about. So, she pitched a walking club series to her bosses and they went along with the idea.

Her first “walking club” segment aired in July of last year. Since then she has aired over 50 more segments and she started a Facebook page called Sarah’s Walking Club and it has nearly 14,000 members.

“At 100, I was like, ‘This is amazing,’” she said. “And then at 1,000 I was like, ‘This is incredible!’”

There’s also a weekly newsletter, a map that Phinney frequently updates, and official Sarah’s Walking Club merch, including T-shirts, water bottles and bags.

Members post about where they visit and ask questions about what to know before embarking on new trails. Phinney frequently posts challenges for members, from a step challenge to a fall scavenger hunt. She also spends hours chatting in the comments and passing along tips from experts featured on her segment.

“I try to be a concierge and a cheerleader within the group,” she said.

Members get more than just advice. There’s also a sense of community, explained member Brenda Pulido-Campau.

“In a society that no longer knows their neighbor, this group is supportive,” she wrote in the group. “We feel like we are long-term neighbors.”

It’s nice to see someone on TV use social media for something more than dance videos and selfies.

H/T Tampa Bay Times