Some Ann Arbor area residents - including several former guests - will be among the millions tuning in to watch Wednesday’s “Oprah Show,” the talk show star's last after 25 years of broadcasting.

The groundbreaking and award-winning talk show has made Oprah into a cultural icon; someone who has made a difference in the lives of so many viewers and so many guests.

One such guest is a local broadcaster and writer Mona Shand. Shand shared her experiences with AnnArbor.com She was a part of the “Harpo Hook-Up” series of Oprah shows.

“You hear people say that Oprah Winfrey's show changed their lives and that may sound like an exaggeration, but for me it really was the case,” Shand says of her time as a guest on the Oprah show.

“In 2003 I had a job with an educational consulting company that I liked but was not passionate about, and was feeling very 'stuck' career-wise. One day I was searching for a recipe on Oprah's website when I came across something that said "Tell us about your wildest dream." On a whim, I thought "why not?" and wrote in explaining my dream was to visit Sesame Street, as the show was my inspiration as a child.”

In that email, Shand went on to explain that as the child of immigrants, she often felt out of place “but on Sesame Street it didn't matter if you were red, green, blue or feathered.”

“A few months later, the Oprah crew showed up at my office and whisked me away to spend a glorious day on the set of Sesame Street.

"The experience taught me that dreams aren't meant to be kept inside- they should be lived out. Shortly after I quit my job and went back to school to pursue another dream: a career in broadcasting. A few years of hard work later and my career dream had come true. So I'll always be grateful to Oprah for showing me the place where reality and dreams coexist.”

Those who love the show have been tuning in all week for what the network is calling “Surprise, Oprah! A Farewell Spectacular.” Big name stars and musical legends have teamed up for a surprise tribute to recognize her two and a half decades in the talk show business.

Though she has been able to tune in this week, Kathy Martinez of Ann Arbor says she plans to DVR the final episode so that she will be able to watch it.

“I am really going to miss her. She is a beautiful person inside and out. I have been with her through the ups and downs of weight loss, the big hair…”

Martinez added that Oprah has been a great inspiration to herself and to other black women.

“When she first started I really wondered if she would last, because here was this black woman, with no children; What is she going to talk about?” But over the years she proved that she not only had her finger on the pulse of American culture, but she created the pulse.

“It’s very rare to see a black woman make those kinds of strides. What I really loved about her is she kept her base right there in Chicago; I kind of wish she was from Detroit, she did so much for that city.”

Even people who are not a fan of her show will often acknowledge the impact Oprah has had on America’s principles and values.

Lee Roosevelt of Ann Arbor says that bringing real books to real people has probably been her most important contribution.

“I don't normally watch Oprah. I will say that the thing I think is most incredible about her is her book club. I read most of (her book selections), even though I never watch her show, because I feel like they are going to be books I'll enjoy or at least appreciate.”

Roosevelt adds that she has already signed up for Oprah’s email list serve to continue to get recommendations once the show is over.

Another local Oprah fan, Colleen Hood, was a guest on the show twice.

“It was one of the most wonderful experiences I have ever had,” she says.

Hood says she was at the gym, watching a segment of the show about a pregnant mother who was driving to her last day of work when she was killed by another driver who had been on the cellphone while driving.

“The show hit me so deeply, that without thinking about it, I went home and emailed the show.” Hood explained how sincerely moved she was and declared that she would never drive while talking on her cellphone.

Oprah’s producer contacted her, about an upcoming taping about “Shows that have impacted your life.” Hood and her husband were sent tickets for an all-expenses paid trip to Chicago to be in the audience and to talk about the effect the show had on her.

“It was a fantastic experience! Oprah covered transportation, all the food; there was a limo, hair and make-up…I sat in the front row, but we never got to the segment, it was skipped”

When Hood returned home she typed up another email, thanking the show for the entire experience, and offering to come back again. Days later, she was invited back again, all expenses paid. This time she did make it on the show to talk about the influence the prior show had on her.

“I broke down all over again, cried during the taping, and apologized to Oprah after the show.” But Oprah told her ‘that is exactly why we called you - your letter was sincere.’

Though it was sincere, Hood admits that keeping her word has not been easy. In fact she shared her story while talking on a cellphone - and driving.

“I didn’t do it at all for a year or two,” but with her job as a Realtor, she finds it hard to avoid driving while talking. “Sometimes I think ‘what would Oprah say??’”

Hood says that she doesn’t feel like she will miss the Oprah show’s presence on daytime TV. “She is still doing is great things.” Hood says she already watches a handful of shows on Oprah’s OWN network regularly.

But there will be a gaping hole in daytime broadcast television.

“I don’t know who is going to replace her as a daytime presence,” says Martinez. I don’t like Gail, I don’t like Dr. Phil either, he is constantly just telling people what you and I could tell people.

"But Oprah has been an inspiration; maybe the next show could be The Kathy Martinez Show.”

Or The Mona Shand Show.

Because if it were up to Oprah, she would probably want us to know that it could be any one of us.

Angela Smith is a freelance contributor to AnnArbor.com.