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Oakdale Foursome Earn KHOP Kudos
Vegas, Baby
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Representing the 95361 and Team Riley in a recent KHOP challenge, four Oakdale moms earned four round trip tickets to Las Vegas, hotel accommodations and tickets to see Britney Spears perform at Planet Hollywood. Photographed with morning talent Ian Riley and Madden Roberts, center, are from left: Erin Pearson, Shanna Oliveri, Tiffany Trunnell and Heather Murray. - photo by Teresa Hammond/The Leader

Heather Murray has found herself a bit busy the past few months. The past 10 days however, might best be described as a whirlwind of sorts for the Oakdale mom of four boys.

Earlier this year, Murray and husband Mike faced the tough decision of relocation, shortly after he found work in Missouri. The couple made the tough family decision, agreeing to let their two oldest boys finish out the school year, before the family would join him in the Midwest state.

Not one to waste moments, or let time pass without memories being made, Murray and her posse (aka besties) have been busy cramming in as much life as possible before she bids adieu to the 95361.

Just a handful of weeks away, most of her days have been spent packing and purging for the coming move. She’ll now be adding packing her bags for Vegas in the coming months to her list, as she and best friends Tiffany Trunnell, Erin Pearson and Shanna Oliveri were recently named winners of the KHOP contest of Team Riley vs. Team Madden.

The inaugural event solicited listeners to e-mail why their team of four should be chosen to represent either of the morning radio personalities. The prize, all the more enticing: four round trip tickets to Las Vegas, hotel accommodations and four tickets to see Britney Spears perform at Planet Hollywood. Winners were chosen by listener on-line popular vote.

“Teams sent over e-mails. We received hundreds in less than two weeks,” Madden shared of the first time event.

Trunnell was first to jump on the contest bandwagon, sending a text to the other three shortly after hearing it announced on the radio.

“This is normal for Tiffany,” Oliveri said of the contest interest.

“The whole Britney concert is Piece of Me and Everywhere You Go. She’s (Murray) taking a piece of us everywhere she goes,” she added of their tight friendship.

The women shared Murray’s relocation was a definite angle for their submission, as well as their length of friendship and family bonds with one another.

“I don’t know life without her,” Pearson said of Murray, adding that as far back as her memories stretch, they include Murray.

“It wasn’t a random draw,” Riley said of the submissions, which were each read and reviewed by himself and Madden. “We wanted someone who was going to represent. We wanted someone who was really going to get into it.”

And ‘represent’ the Oakdale foursome did.

Once learning they had been chosen to represent Team Riley, the four moms went immediately into action. The objective was simple: equipped with four Riley life-size cut outs, take photos of the radio personality in varying places and solicit votes. The more creative the better.

During their five-day stint as Team Riley the women shared photos with their radio ‘flat Stanley’ of sorts anywhere and everywhere. From putting him in an apron preparing dinner, outside of the Mustang Corral, SaveMart stops, bowling and a Disney trip, Team Riley was busy.

Of the several dozen stops the women carted their Riley cut out to, the host shared his top three favorites which include: a photo with Sylvester Stallone, a Taco Bell Mexican pizza (a personal favorite) and “taking a Jewish guy to church on Easter Sunday.”

“It’s important to note that from Team Madden, Dee works at Black Oak and she went around and highlighted the heck out of Sonora,” Riley said of the opposing team. “She did a phenomenal job.”

Reflecting back on the experience, Murray shared the memories made with her girls, as well as the radio talent were priceless.

“The Vegas memory is going to be great, but the memories that we have and all that we put into this is so much more,” she said.

As for KHOP and the Team challenge going forward, the on air talent shared they expect there will be more.

“We have a new boss lady, Angie, we adore her,” Madden said. “She’s so creative and this was her idea and we ran with it. These ladies ran with it.”

Amidst all the fun, Riley shared the sense of community as one of his favorite highlights from the five day experience.

“This is my home now,” Riley said of Modesto and the Central Valley. “I’m an Auburn boy, but this is my community now. People need to be proud of where they’re from.

 

“Oakdale is a really nice community anyway,” he continued, “but to see them come together like that and do that. That’s what it’s about.”