Fundraising Ideas

I can't sleep, as usual, so I decided to look up some fundraising ideas so that I can raise money for the Gift of Life and the Children's Miracle Network Hospital.

Here are my few ideas

S'mores bar
Kissing Booth
Flowers made of suckers
Selling Hot chocolate
Possible Raffle
Silver Statue
Rent a puppy

The list keeps growing

What a "Sweet" Day

Today I really got to see how small the world really is. I was visiting my friend in Grand Rapids today and I decided since I was up there, I would make a visit to Stiletto Sweets in down town. Stiletto Sweets is owned by none other than Miss Noddea Moore Skidmore, aka Momma Spirit, the executive director of Miss Spirit of the State.

She had mentioned it a few times during the pageant weekend and now that she hasn't had do plan a bunch of stuff for the pageant, she has been posting away on Facebook. I looked at all of the different flavors that she had.... There were seriously like 40 (well maybe not 40) different kinds of cupcakes that all sounded so wonderful. I decided on the Warm Fuzzy (a chai flavored cupcake with butter cream frosting), and my friend wanted to try the red velvet (a red velvet cupcake with cream cheese butter cream frosting filled with what I could assume was chocolate). We had to trade bites just to get a taste of both. They were both extremely delicious. I would definitely get them again!

This was my Warm Fuzzy! Yumm-Oh!

Anyways, back to the small world. I was expecting to see Noddea when I came in there, but there was another employee instead. Her name was Morgan. We made small talk as she was putting our cupcakes into boxes. Turns out, she is a former Spirit title holder and was at Miss Spirit of the State when I competed. She asked me my talent, and she said that she remembered me. I was really shocked that she did. She also shared that she is the current Miss Hartland and she was giving up her title this year.

As my friend stared at his cupcake (probably drooling), Morgan and I talked a little bit and she shared her advice and referred me to a website where I could look for different dresses and swimsuits. We also talked a little more about how addicting pageants could be!

After I had paid for our cupcakes and we were starting to walk out, a man I recognized walked in. We didn't say, "Hi," but I did figure out how I knew him. He was also involved with Miss Spirit of the State.

This whole experience made me realize how close knit the pageant community is. Morgan was on a first name basis with nearly all of the executive directors and was even working for one!

This is why I am so lucky to be a part of the MAO pageantry community.

Hmmm

Well, I'm trying to choreograph my tap routine... without tap shoes. Hmmm We'll see how this goes.

Also, I've been scouring the internet to find myself a costume to go with this 30's style dance.

Houston 2014 it is

I just received an email that said the Transplant Games of America will be held in Huston, Texas. Better start saving money for a plane ticket and some new cowboy boots.

Needs to be Post-dated

I finally got all of my paperwork done and CDs burned to send into Miss Stateline. I never thought I would be so close to the deadline... Just kidding, I usually am. Oh well, I make it work. In other big news... I got to try on my new gown today... Oh my lord, it is beautiful. I wanted to cry when I put it on. I think my family might cry when I surprise them in it. My mom wouldn't let me take pictures because she knows that I will show everyone (and maybe because I didn't have my hair done or any makeup on. Oops)

Finals Week

I have so much stuff to do with school and final exams, but I also have a ton of stuff to do for pageants. I have to choreograph a new dance, fill out all of my paper work for Miss Stateline, and get a new gown. Ughh how am I supposed to find time for everything.

Dress of My Dreams

I can't believe that I actually get to have the dress of my dreams. My grandparents are dead set on making my dream a reality. I really don't want them to spend money on one single dress, but I honestly couldn't convince them otherwise. They told my whole family that they were going to get me that dress before they told me the other night. I think half of my family was in shock that they were going to spend so much money on something for my pageant competitions. I want them to know that even if I don't win, wearing this dress will make me feel like a queen.

Where's My Money Tree?

I'm looking at getting a new gown for Miss Stateline just because I think the one I have now looks too much like a prom dress (which it is). So I went to look at Jovani dresses, Sherri Hill, Faviana, Terrani... and Holy Cow! These dresses were averaging $700. I am a broke (well not completely broke) college student, how am I supposed to afford one of these magnificent gowns?

I know that the judges are not supposed to look at the gown and how expensive it is, but don't you think a girl shines a lot more when her dress does?

I guess I'll be saving up! But I did a few calculations, and if everyone on my friends list on Facebook would donate $2, I could have any of those dresses in no time.

But if somehow I could convince every person on my friends list to donate, I think I would rather donate it to the Children's Miracle Network Hospital, than spend that money on a dress.

A Common Myth

A lot of people think that girls who compete in pageants starve themselves. While that may be true for other pageants and other girls, I would never do it. Mostly I couldn't do it... food is just too much of a temptation. But what I'm starting to find out is that working out really does make you feel good about yourself physically and mentally. I feel good because I am gaining muscle and losing weight, but I also feel good because I am sticking to a routine that not many people do. I hope that by the time February 2nd rolls around, the judges notice what hard work I've put in. If not, I have until prelims of Rose to really get back into shape.

This winter I may get pale, but I will not get chubby!

Volunteering More

As my first semester at the University of Michigan comes close to an end, I've started to realize that I have more time to focus on volunteering with the gift of life. It's crazy that the home base is right in Ann Arbor.

Also, to anyone reading this, please comment some ideas for fundraisers and things I can do to raise awareness to the need for organ donors. I am at a loss of ideas for what to do.

Maybe over winter break I can think of some ideas and start making them happen... hopefully

My Inspiration for the Moment

Seeing Erin Jenkinson win Miss Sanilac County really inspires me. It seems puzzling that I would choose this one person from who won a county no one really knows how to pronounce, but this one person really showed me what being involved in pageants was about.

Erin attends GVSU and has done her rounds in Miss Outstanding Teen and is now on to the Miss competitions. When I met her at Miss Spirit of the State, she told me that she has been competing for two years in Miss programs and has never placed. I was really shocked because she was so poised and seemed to fit what they wanted for a title holder. But later on that night she placed 4th runner up. I honestly think that all of the girls were more excited for Erin placing than Lauren actually winning (I think that the same goes for Lauren, she was more excited for Erin than for herself).

That evening I was on Facebook and I saw one wall post that stood out to me. I don't know who this person is, or how they know Erin, but they said that they expected great things from her this year and they could foresee her winning a title in 2012/2013.

No more than 3 weeks later did this person's prophecy come true... Erin won Miss Sanilac County. When I saw her pictures on Facebook I literally squealed with joy for her. I had only known her for a few weeks, but I could tell how much this really meant to her. Every girl that I had met in a pageant that knew Erin was bombing her wall with congratulatory messages. We all could not be more excited for her.

She is a great inspiration to me because being dedicated to a program for two years that you haven't placed in is very hard. During those years leading up to her win she has done so much for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals around her, and she has shown her bright personality to the pageantry community.

She really does inspire me and I hope that I can inspire others the way she does.