After 30 years, ‘Aware!’ producer and host bid farewell

On a special edition of “Aware!” this weekend, longtime host Dee Dee Sharp and producer Gael Frazer say goodbye to viewers and colleagues after 30 years on WSRE. This two-part 30th anniversary special looks back at the show’s memorable moments and features encore appearances by many familiar guests. Part 1 airs on WSRE at 3 p.m. Saturday, and Part 2 airs at 1 p.m. Sunday.

“The show has been a labor of love, and I’ve enjoyed all 30 years,” said Frazer, who retired from Pensacola State College as Associate Vice President for Institutional Diversity in 2018. “We want to thank the viewers who have supported us through the years, and I thank Dee Dee for being such a great host.”

Frazer said the program was created in 1990 to be a community affairs program about various minority communities and those underrepresented or marginalized in our area. Programs have addressed issues impacting the elderly, disabled, veterans and economically challenged. “Aware!” has also been a showcase for the arts and literature. The series was awarded a Bronze Telly Award in 2019 for the “Town Hall Forum: HealthCare Connect” episode.

“As a journalist, you don’t often get the chance to have an hour to touch on issues. I think we were able to make people aware of things that matter most in the community, and I thank Gael Frazer for having that vision and hiring me,” said Sharp, the program’s original host.

At the end of the two-part program this weekend, Sharp will sign off with her closing remark for the last time: “Stay informed and stay aware!”