Missy's Blog

My Blog...

Hello!

My name is Missy and I am 20 years old. I am in my third year at the University of Michigan, studying Cellular and Molecular Biology as well as my Pre-Medicine requirements. Sounds complicated right? It is a little stressful but the only thing I’ve ever wanted to be is a doctor. All of the work will be worth it in the end. However, I am sad to say that the end will not be realized for another 6.5 years, and that is just the end of college classes.

In addition to my college life, I have a pageant life as well. This past July, I was crowned Miss River Raisin Festival 2007. We are a local scholarship pageant in the Miss America system; therefore I will be competing for the title of Miss Michigan in June. Since I’ve been crowned, I have had the most amazing experiences of my entire life and have met some of the greatest people. As a titleholder in the Miss America system, I work for a platform, which is a cause that is near and dear to my heart. Mine is “Fight for Life: Cancer Prevention Awareness.” It is a platform inspired by my very strong and courageous father who is a Melanoma Survivor (skin cancer).

Throughout the beginning of my year of service, I have been working very hard for my platform in many ways. The first event I attended was the Relay for Life in August. I took a team to walk for cancer awareness, which was mostly composed of family as well as friends. It was an incredibly inspiring experience. I had the opportunity of meeting some survivors and learning of their stories. There is one woman who sticks out in my mind. She was a breast cancer survivor and had the most upbeat attitude I had ever seen. She contributed it all to her friends and said that without them, she would not have won her battle. One of them used to call her every morning and make her stand in front of the mirror. She would then instruct her to say, “I am one hot mama!” and would not let her off the phone until she really believed herself. I thought that was a very cool story because one of the things cancer patients lose track of, especially when they lose their hair, is their self-confidence. It is hard to have hope and believe in yourself when you don’t have self-confidence and no one can defeat cancer without hope. We then talked about how important it is to have that kind of support system from either friends or family or both. If you know someone who is battling cancer, make sure you let them know that you are there for them and that they don’t have to go through that situation alone. Even though you can’t completely understand what they’re going through, it’s important for them to have someone to depend on for encouragement.

Another part of my platform work has been volunteering once a week at the University of Michigan Hospital’s Cancer Center every week. I have also met some very strong people in my time there. One of the things that strike me the most is how happy the kids are. Those patients are always the most upbeat. I think it is because they don’t grasp the gravity of their situation. Coming to the Cancer Center is just part of life and they don’t know that it can be any different. It is true that some come in not feeling well at all and when that happens, I do everything I can to cheer them up. I walked a family with three kids up to the patient’s appointment location last Tuesday. The patient was feeling horrible from having to have blood drawn and because she was upset, the other two were upset as well. I decided to stay with them and try to cheer all of them up as best I could. I showed them the fish tank and the play area; however they still were a little reserved. Janet, who works the front desk, gave me bubbles and this is what tipped the scale. I left them all with smiles on their faces and I’ve never felt a better feeling in my entire life. The one little boy told me that I was fun to blow bubbles with before I left. I know it doesn’t seem like much, but to me this was the nicest compliment I’ve received in years.

So far, my year has been amazing. Not only have I gotten to work for my platform, but also I’ve been in parades, made speeches, visited nursing homes, and attended fundraiser's for the Miss River Raisin Festival Scholarship fund. This program is going to make me a better person in more ways than one. I am working on interview skills, speaking skills, people skills, and helping to pay for college along the way. This crown was not something that I won. It was a gift, and I intend to use it to impact the lives of others as best I can. Please check back in with me once in a while to see what other awesome opportunities I will be given. My life is wonderfully busy, so I promise you will not get bored!

Sincerely,

Missy Brown

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August 2007

I had a great experience volunteering for MIS kids one weekend. It’s a program where local kids with disabilities can come in two days before a NASCAR race at the Michigan International Speedway. The take part in several activities throughout the day but their favorite is getting to meet the drivers. It was my job to escort them to the events, pass out food, orchestrating games and also to shield them from the jealous onlookers that were trying to climb over them to get to the drivers. It was really cool… the drivers would come in one by one, introduce themselves, and sign autographs for the kids.
Later that weekend I also had the opportunity to come back and volunteer in the infield medical center… NOW THAT WAS AN EXPERIENCE! Caring for the general populous at a NASCAR race is not like caring for the general population in the real world… they are a different culture. I had the opportunity of increased interaction with all of the patients that came in because one of the physician’s assistants taught me how to take vitals. It became my job to check people in and take an initial assessment. I thought it was incredible to be a part of the Medical Crew there. From doctors, to nurses, to medics, to physician’s assistants, everyone went out of their way to try to teach me as much as they could. Even the two NASCAR Medical Directors took time to show me what they do, and were interested in helping me in possible future career endeavors. This was a wonderful experience for building my understanding of the different types of medical care. Also in August I had my first experience judging a pageant at the Tiny, Little and Junior Miss Monroe Pageant. I definitely gained a new appreciation for my judges and the incredibly hard job they have.

September 2007

Every year the weekend after Labor Day, my hometown of Blissfield has a community yard sale at the park. Anyone can come and set up a table. I thought this would be a great opportunity to use a new tool in spreading the message of early detection of skin cancer. The rule of thumb when it comes to watching moles is that a mole which is bigger than a pencil eraser should be shown to your doctor and removed. Therefore, my mom came up with a great idea. She had pencils made which had engraved on the side, “Missy says Fight for Life” and they were in bright florescent colors. I took them around the garage sale and passed them out to the kids explaining the significance of the pencil eraser and why they should show those moles to their parents. It was a great way to interact with the kids and the fantastic thing was that the parents were listening too! One parent even interjected and said, “Wow, I did not know that.” It opened up a deeper conversation with her about Melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer, how it manifests itself many times in your moles, and finally the pencil rule. She was very interested, and I don’t think she forgot our conversation. That is what makes me feel so good about what I’m doing, because if I could help just one person catch a mole early, all this work would be worth it.

October 2007

I had the opportunity to attend Fall Forum this year. It is a full day of pageant fun which they plan every year as a learning tool for anyone who can come. This year we had a fantastic array of speakers including Miss Michigan Kirsten Haglund, Miss Michigan’s Outstanding Teen Maddy Wager, and even Miss America Lauren Nelson! After the conference was finished I took a picture with Lauren. She is truly a fantastic person. She is so real and personable and fun to listen to. At dinner we were entertained by all three and they were all incredible. Kirsten and Lauren are singers and Maddy plays the fiddle. I also got to spend a night in the hotel with three of my committee members Marcia, Debbie, and Joy. We had so much fun and stayed up way to late but who cares?

November 2007

November was a very busy month for me. It started with the Miss Washtenaw’s Outstanding Teen and Miss Washtenaw Pageant. I was invited by Washtenaw’s executive director Laura to judge the teen pageant. It was so much fun. I was very surprised by how put together those girls were. They all seemed to know who they were and what they wanted to do and who they wanted to be in the future. I don’t feel like I was like that as a teenager. I was so impressed during their interviews that I found myself giving everyone high scores. In the end, I think we chose the right girl for the job and I hope she does well at Miss Michigan’s Outstanding Teen Competition. Later that night was the Miss Washtenaw competition which two of my Miss River Raisin Festival friends were in. Lissy and Rachel both performed very well. As Miss RRF, I’ve attended many events including other pageants, but there’s nothing like being able to support and cheer on your friends.
The following Monday, I started my Dale Carnegie class! I was very excited about this opportunity to improve myself as a speaker. I would soon discover that the class teaches you much more than just speaking ability. They teach you human relations, stress reduction techniques, and just how to be a better human being. A few weeks down the road I actually won the human relations award for a speech on how I improved a personal relationship. I love the class and recommend it to anyone who has not taken it yet. It will help you in your job and at home, I promise.
The second weekend of November was even busier. Blissfield has an annual yuletide celebration to kick off the holiday shopping season. I rode into town on the vintage train with Santa. We met and took pictures with several kids on our way to the big Christmas tree in the middle of town. When we arrived, I led the group in the singing of some Christmas carols and then it was my job to “light” the tree. Usually, that is where the job stops. However, this year brought special circumstances. That night, the Blissfield football team was competing in Regionals. This may not seem significant; however Blissfield football had never made it that far in the playoffs. Therefore, Santa and I decided to make an appearance together at the game. We rode over to the field in a police car and took the stands by storm. I even did a cheer with the Blissfield cheerleaders and took my heels off to do a lift with them! It was so much fun. In the end, we won the game and went on to play in the state championship game.
That same weekend, another one of my Miss RRF friends was competing in the Miss Capitol City Pageant. Amanda did so well and again I loved cheering on one of my comrades.

December 2007

Finals! A big part of this program is learning priorities and education always comes before the crown. As a result, I did not have a very busy pageant month. I studied my little bum off and took a break for Blissfield’s Yuletide Christmas Parade of Lights and a trip to Kray Chic. I finally chose a gown for Miss Michigan. It is going to be amazing thanks to Larry, and I cannot wait to wear it.

January 2008

I can’t believe it’s been half a year already. Time is flying by and things are really starting to take off. I just discovered that the American Cancer Society has a new initiative called the Great American Health Challenge. It takes a 4 pronged approach to cancer prevention: eat right, exercise, health checks, and quit smoking. It perfectly mirrors what I’ve been advocating all along. Now I have a concrete base to work from within the American Cancer Society which is really exciting. They came out with a cookbook to go along with the new initiative which my parents bought for me for Christmas. It’s going to be so much fun trying all the recipes. They all look fantastic.
Cassidy, another one of our Miss River Raisin Festival girls, competed in the Miss Spirit of the State competition in Jenison, MI during the first weekend of this month. Me and Marcia were very proud of her. While I was there, I got to do something cool for Kirsten Haglund, Miss Michigan. She was about to head for Miss America so all the local titleholders gave her a rose and wished her good luck. It was part of the show, and they played "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" in the background which is her talent music. I have to say, I'm kind of proud of the fact that we made her cry. I usually wouldn't say that, but it means that what we did really meant a lot to her.

One of the fundraiser's we do for the Miss RRF scholarship fund is a scrap booking day where ladies can work on their pictures all day while we feed and entertain them. This time I decided to put the contestants to work. We made 14 fleece blankets to take to the Children’s Miracle Network hospital at Beaumont. Miss America has a partnership with CMN so that each contestant down to the local level raises money for their organization. Some of it comes back as scholarship money for us. I wanted to do something extra and actually visit one of our local hospitals. I thought it would be cool to walk in with all these nice, warm, fleece blankets for the kids. The girls were fantastic. Some of them even brought their own material and some of them weren’t even Miss RRF contestants. Lissi, Janae, Rachel, Cassidy, Mekeisha, committee, and kids, thank you so much. We still have material left to finish at our Miss America party.

The Miss America Organization signed with a new network this year, TLC. In addition, they decided to film a reality show called "Miss America Reality Check". The goal was to update Miss America into someone who is relevant, current, stylish, etc. They wanted to get rid of the big hair and heavy make-up and show the country that Miss America hadn't lost her prevalence. After watching the whole series, I think this was a positive step for the organization. It is a fact that not everyone in the pageant system needs a makeover. I think most of us have kept up on the times pretty well. However, the American public had lost faith in our system and I think we showed them that we can still talk the talk and walk the walk. I was worried at first that the judges were pushing the girls too far in a model direction. However, I think everyone came back to a happy medium in the end. As Kirsten, Miss Michigan now Miss America said, she is in a business suit much more than she is ever in a swim suit.

Let's talk about that for a second. Can you believe Kirsten is Miss America! I have to tell you that I screamed when I watched the end of that competition. We have not had a Miss Michigan become Miss America since Kay Lani Ray Rafko-Wilson in 1988! Kirsten is an absolutely amazing person though so I knew she would do well. She has a way of making you feel like you've been best friends forever when you talk to her. I'm just so proud of her and I can't wait to see her again!

February 2008

The first weekend I had an appearance at the Lions Club Reverse Raffle. It was so much fun. They raise all their money for the year at this event. I was assigned to the Vanna White role and had to pull numbers off the board. I also helped with the drawing of the regular raffle and did a short impromptu speech on my platform. This was my first real test of my Dale Carnegie training and I was pretty happy with how it went. I was able to keep it short and to the point.

The last week of February was the busiest of my year. It was my spring break and I scheduled every minute of it. The kick-off was a trip to Beaumont Hospital, which is a Children’s Miracle Network hospital. It was the most amazing thing I’ve done all year. Two of our local girls went with me: Mekeisha and Cassidy as well as my Executive Director, Marcia. Our visit was to the respiratory floor, which meant we were not aloud to enter all of the rooms, however we were still able to meet about 15 kids. They were so grateful, first of all, for the fleece blankets we brought for them. Some of the kids were waiting down the hallway with their blankets picked out. They also were just so happy to have someone to visit with. Their parents appreciated that as well. I think they were in need of some outside contact.
Not only was visiting with the patients a rewarding experience, but also being able to see all the great things that Children’s Miracle Network sponsored in that hospital was so eye-opening. They helped to finance the building of the entire south tower, which contains the children’s hospital. It was beautiful. All the equipment was state of the art and built with the comfort of the patient and their family in mind. It included this indoor garden, which looked just like a dream. The floors were like walking on clouds as they were made of recycled tires. The ceiling was like the sky as it was all made of glass. There were toys, books, computers, and televisions. The entire room was hypoallergenic and “poke-free.” That means that no procedures can take place in there, so it is a refuge for the kids. Sharon, the Children’s Miracle Network representative who was showing us around, said that the garden helps with rehabilitation because the kids want to get up and moving so they can go down to the garden. I didn’t want to leave.
CMN also sponsors all kinds of programs there. They have a bead program where the kids get a bravery bead to add to a chain for every procedure they have done. It gives them a sense of pride for what they’ve been through and conquered. They keep books in the patient’s rooms as well as computers, which are completely funded by CMN. There are also age-appropriate activity rooms for the kids to come in and play and do projects. In addition, for kids who are bed-ridden, they have bagged projects that are easy to do in bed. Coming up is Bike Day where the kids get fitted for custom-made bikes. The bikes are worth thousands of dollars, but they’re all donated. There’s a bedside music program, a bereavement program, an accident car seat replacement program, massage therapy, autistic parent’s education, incubators, health education, and special transporters; all funded by Children’s Miracle Network.
To be able to see what we’re raising money for was absolutely amazing. It was incredible to see all the great things Children’s Miracle Network is doing for those kids. I came home so charged and ready to raise more money for CMN. I think every Miss America contestant, down to every local contestant, should visit a CMN hospital. You will not regret it, and you will realize what it means to raise this money. Don’t just write a check. Take this cause to your community. They will support you, I promise. Let’s make this partnership into what it really should be about, and that’s the kids.

That coming Thursday I made a trip to Lansing to meet with Dudley Spade who is my county representative. The goal of the meeting was to find a way to get involved with legislation pertaining to my platform, “Fight for Life: Cancer Prevention Awareness.” Originally, I had wanted to work on the public smoking ban, but that legislation is pretty much dead right now as it is stuck in a committee. I did write emails to the committee members about the need to vote on that issue, however it is said the bill will not make it out of this committee. Nonetheless, Dudley did make a deal with me. If I write him a proposal on an issue I would like to be made into legislation, he is going to help me make it into a bill. That was pretty exciting for me. It still amazes me sometimes that I can make a difference on that large of a scale.
The meeting wasn’t the only exciting event of the day. Dudley gave Marcia and I a personal tour of the Capitol Building. It was amazing. I had never been there before, and… wow. The architecture and the history were so powerful. I think every high school should make Lansing a mandatory field trip in Government class or something like that. In addition, we were introduced on the House floor.
After leaving Dudley to get some work done, Marcia and I met Lisa McGraw, the lobbyist for the Michigan Press Association, for lunch. I got advice from her on issues I could make into legislation that would actually have a good chance of being heard on the floor and maybe getting passed. She was amazing. We probably talked for 3 hours. My trip to Lansing was, all in all, incredible.

It seems like as soon as I got back from Lansing, I had to leave for Muskegon. Marcia, Joy, who is a Miss River Raisin Festival committee member, and I left for Kirsten’s homecoming on Friday morning. I was bursting with excitement. Not very many people get the opportunity to attend a Miss America homecoming. The kick-off event was a show on Friday night. Kirsten performed along with several of her family members. I didn’t know her whole family was so talented. I think her brother probably loved the stage more than Kirsten! Some of last year’s Miss Michigan contestants performed and some of the Miss America contestants as well. Miss Utah Jill Stevens did a speech and I was pretty impressed with her. She’s the military girl. There were other dancers and singers who helped to make an incredible show. In addition, Gina was crowned as Miss Michigan.
Saturday afternoon was autograph signing. I had Kirsten sign a picture that had been taken at my pageant when I won. Kaye Lani, Kirsten, and I were all in it. At this point, I also gave her one of the fleece blankets we had made and a card from the River Raisin Festival girls and I. I meant for her to give the blanket to one of the kids she visited in a CMN hospital. She thought it was very cool and thanked me profusely. She’s such a sweetheart.
Saturday night was the gala dinner. Many people spoke about Kirsten and presented her with plaques, awards, and gifts. One thing I thought was cool was the presentation the local executive directors made. They are going to sponsor the preliminary swimsuit awards for this years Miss Michigan pageant in Kirsten’s name. She was a swimsuit winner at Miss Michigan and Miss America. She was touched. She especially appreciated being recognized for having a healthy body when she had struggled with anorexia in high school. Awareness of eating disorders is Kirsten’s platform. Gina and Kirsten both gave very moving speeches. I am so excited for both of them. Now, the next time we’ll all be together will be at Miss Michigan!
I met so many new people at the homecoming. Many of them were Miss Michigan contestants. Everyone seemed so nice. I also got to hang out with Brooke Hinkley who is Miss Jackson County. I had met her at my show in July but I got to know her a little more and she’s so nice. I’ve decided that Miss Michigan is going to be so much fun just because the girls are all such great people. You don’t ever feel that competitive, I want to pummel you, attitude from anyone. I think people have the wrong impression of pageant girls, at least Miss America girls. We’re not catty at all! I like everyone I’ve met so far and I’m sure every other girl will be awesome as well. I also met Jim and Joy who I will work with on interview skills in April. They seemed like incredible people and I can’t wait to work with them.

March 2008

            I’m on my way to orientation! I’m sitting in the car right now and I’m so excited! I’ll get to meet everyone I haven’t met yet, and I’ll find out who my roommate will be for Miss Michigan. The last pageant of the season is tonight, which is Miss Lighthouse Coast. It’s the sweeps pageant so our first runner up, Amanda McKinney, is competing in it. In addition, I’ll find out all about how Miss Michigan will go, and I can’t wait! I have spent a lot of time the past two months trying to sell ads for the Miss Michigan program book, and I am proud to say that I am coming to orientation with 5 pages sold. That was my goal in the beginning and I’ve reached it. The top ad sellers will get to pick their contestant placement first. We’ll see how everything goes!
            I’m back from the Lighthouse pageant. Amanda was fourth runner up. I am so proud of her. I can’t think of one thing I would’ve had her change. Although I’m happy for the winner, Amanda is Miss Lighthouse Coast in my heart. I know she’s done competing, but I hope she sticks around. Amanda is such a sweetheart, and it would be a great loss to the River Raisin Festival crew if she doesn’t.
            We just got back from the lottery. I am contestant number 12, which means I will compete in preliminary swimsuit and onstage question on Wednesday, talent on Thursday, and evening gown on Friday. I also found out that my roommate is going to be Alicia Jarose who is Miss Washtenaw County. She’s very nice. I had met her at the Washtenaw pageant this last year. I’m so excited! We also had a couple of guest speakers who were incredible. David Harnicher heads up the Children’s Miracle Network/ Miss America partnership. He really spoke to the feeling behind CMN. Rick Brinkley is the Miss America National Judging Consultant. He gave a very moving speech on what it really means to be a titleholder, and that is to work for and inspire the community. It was a great afternoon.
            I just got back from one heck of a party. After dinner they turned on the music and we danced and sang karaoke until our feet and lungs couldn’t take any more. This is the best group of girls, and we are going to have so much fun at Miss Michigan!

March 16

In celebration of Reading Month, my local elementary school held a reading night on Monday. I was invited to read to the kids as Miss River Raising Festival. I chose a book called “Do Princesses Wear Hiking Boots” by Carmela LaVigna Coyle. It talked about being active and eating vegetables. The moral of the book is that everyone is special. I think the kids really liked it, and we had a lot of fun doing activities together.

On Friday I took a trip to my local Blissfield Elementary School. I absolutely loved it! I taught two classrooms about cancer prevention such as eating healthily, staying active, keeping away from drugs, and going to visit the doctor. I also taught them about the food pyramid using a teaching tool called the healthy taco. Each layer of the taco represents a level of the food pyramid. The kids though it was a lot of fun, and I have to admit, so did I! One of the classrooms I went into is actually taught by my Aunt Karen. She was so sweet and helped me out so much putting together the visit. My family is so supportive of me. I wouldn’t trade them for the world.

March 19

I haven’t worked this hard for a single night in my entire life, but it was totally worth it. The night of March 19th was the night of the Cancer Awareness Week Fashion Show and one of the highlights of my year. I was part of a four-person committee that planned the event, which is one of the largest of the week. The entire week is put together by the University Students Against Cancer, of which I am a member, in order to raise money for three cancer program groups: Coach Carr Fund, PanCan, and Special Days Camps. It was incredible. I found two stores to donate clothes: Bivouac and Moda Blue. We also had Save Our Women clothing in the show. These clothes were sold outside the ballroom to raise money for breast cancer research. We had several different categories including casual wear, game day, going out wear, and formal wear. Here is where we came to the most incredible part of the night. One of my pet projects for the show was to have a Survivor Walk at the end of the night. It was awesome. We had a couple of Special Days kids come and model for us so they were in it along with some other cancer survivors including Nick, one of our co-chairs. Everyone in the audience gave them a standing ovation as they walked the catwalk to “Eye of the Tiger.” We raised over $1000 for the three cancer organizations. I hope I can do it again next year.

April 13

Today I got to meet this year’s Miss River Raisin Festival contestants at orientation. It was very exciting and different to be on the flip side of things. All of the girls are beautiful and have great personalities. I honestly have no idea how this competition will turn out. Toward the end of the meeting I was given the opportunity to tell the girls what it was like to be Miss River Raisin Festival and what they could expect. I tried my hardest to make them realize that we RRF girls really do have fun together. I told them that they would make so many friends this summer, and if they do win, it’s the most incredible job they’ll ever have. I loved being able to see my girlfriends from past years but also to meet our new girls, who I’m certain, will become great friends as well.

April 20

Today we had a Princess Par-Tea for another fundraiser for the Miss River Raisin Festival Scholarship Fund. We had all kinds of activities for the girls, including craft projects, “Stick the Lips on the Frog” (our version of Pin the Tail on the Donkey), and manners lessons. At the end of the afternoon we crowned our first River Raisin Festival Princess by drawing. Seanna was adorable. What I liked about it was that there was no competition to it. Seanna won by the luck of the draw. That way the girls couldn’t think to themselves that they weren’t pretty enough or talented enough to win. They were all very happy for our Princess.

April 27

Wednesday was the last day of school! It was also the deadline to turn in my Miss Michigan ads and my Children’s Miracle Network money. Instead of selling traditional ad pages, I turned my pages into a newsletter about the work I’ve done this past year. All five pages look phenomenal, thanks to the help of many sponsors and my executive director Marcia. I can’t wait to see what they look like in the program book.

On Friday I headed to Dearborn for my second visit to an elementary school. Haigh Elementary was having a mini Relay for Life in honor of their student with brain cancer. I taught all grades about the cancer prevention tips. I didn’t have time to do the healthy taco, but the kids enjoyed my lesson anyway. It may seem weird that I traveled so far away from home to do this. I was volunteering in the UM Cancer Center one day and they called the front desk looking for someone to come speak on cancer prevention. Janet, my friend who works the front desk, was calling all over to find a nurse or doctor to do it. When I found out what she was looking for, I started laughing. I said, “Janet, I do that!” I just had to get permission from the pageant director in that county, and I was on my way. I guess I was in the right place at the right time!

This past week has been pretty busy. I took a trip to Indiana with Marcia yesterday. Jim and Joy Robbins are interview coaches from Indiana. They coached Kirsten and Lissi last year so we took a trip down to their house to get some advice on interview. They were incredible, just as Lissi said they would be. They gave me some great advice. I hope I get the opportunity to work with them again some day. They are truly great people.

April 29

This morning I had an appearance at the Relay for Life kick off breakfast. It was very exciting. They announced that the Relay would have a new component this year called the Fight Back Ceremony. It will involve inviting people to “fight back” against cancer through eating healthy, quitting smoking, etc. How cool is that? It perfectly mirrors my platform! I was so excited; I signed up to work on the committee that’s planning the ceremony. I can’t wait to get started.

May 4

This past weekend I had my first Jackson Rose Pageant experience. It was quite a show. The theme was Pirates and the girls came out fighting pirate actors. It was cool. Brooke Hinkley was giving up her crown, and she was beautiful of course. I will be competing with her at Miss Michigan. Jackson gives up the crown before they compete at state level. It would be to close to properly prepare a girl for Miss Michigan. I’m happy though because I love Brooke. She’s a sweetheart and I can’t wait to spend the week with her.

We also had our first Miss River Raisin Festival practice this weekend. It was a little weird coming to practice and not being a contestant. I had mixed feelings while I was there. It was a little sad because I’m going to miss this program so much, but I’m also just so excited for this show. It’s going to be a lot of fun.

May 18

Last Saturday was our Miss River Raisin Festival Mother’s Day Flower Sale. It’s another fundraiser we do to raise money for the scholarship fund. I had a lot of fun just hanging out with the girls and getting to know them all a little better.

Monday I had an appointment with the Sound Doctor. I had to record my farewell speech for the Miss River Raisin Festival pageant. Let me tell you, that was a weird experience. How do you find the words to say goodbye to something that has been your entire life the past year? It’s going to be tough but at least I know that I can come back and visit whenever I want.

Tuesday was Lobby Day! Cynthia Pepple, the representative for the American Cancer Society in Lenawee County, invited me to go to Lansing with her for the American Cancer Society Celebration at the Capitol. It’s something they do every year. Hundreds of people come together from all over the state to lobby for cancer legislation. This year the smoking ban was the major issue. The Senate had just passed a bill to ban smoking in public venues and sent it to the House. We thanked our Senator Brown for voting for the ban and encouraged several representatives, including our Representative Dudley Spade, to vote for the bill. I loved being back in the capitol to lobby again. I also gave my first TV interview. It was a pretty incredible experience, and I felt honored just to be asked. Also, Cynthia introduced me to many incredible people, one of them being Nancy Yaw. She’s the president of the Great Lakes division of the American Cancer Society. I talked to her about working for the ACS as a spokesperson if I were to become Miss Michigan and she seemed to like the idea. She gave me her contact information and we’re going to start setting up the potential partnership. I wanted to jump out of my skin! I’ve been trying to figure out who to talk to about my idea and now it feels like things are falling into place. I have to send a big thank you out to the ACS crew from the Michigan Center office that took me to Lansing and showed me one of the most incredible days of my year!

On Thursday I had my first Relay for Life captain’s meeting. I am so excited for the Relay this year. Not only will I be taking my Fight for Life team, but I will also be on the committee as an organizer of the Fight Back Ceremony. Because I’m on the committee now, Cynthia Pepple had a seat for me right up front, and I was able to help out throughout the meeting.

May 31

Last week I took a trip over to Tecumseh place for a visit. I spent the entire afternoon over there. It was so nice just getting to talk to the folks and get to know them. They all had such interesting stories. One man was a veteran and I talked to him a little about how my brother and brother-in-law are Marines. One woman was from Monroe and knew all about Kaye Lani of course, so I told her how Kaye Lani is my mom’s cousin. At one point during the afternoon, I played my Ray Charles piece on the piano for them twice. They requested the second performance. I also played and sang Vanessa Carlton’s A Thousand Miles. It was a piece from my first Miss River Raisin Festival competition. They liked that one as well. We had snacks and took pictures. Also, an old high school and work friend of mine, Maria, was working. It was nice getting to catch up with her. It was a fantastic afternoon thanks to Maria, Jill Kiesow, the organizer of the event, and the rest of the wonderful staff. I will have to go back and visit them again.

I picked up my gown last Saturday! It’s so beautiful. If you’re ever looking for a gown genius, visit Larry at Kray Chic in Troy. If you’re coming to Miss Michigan, you will understand. Many of the girls will be wearing gowns from Larry’s and they’re all gorgeous. With every outfit that we finish and every mock interview we have, I get more and more excited for Miss Michigan. It’s just a few weeks away!

Monday I was in a parade for Memorial Day in my hometown of Blissfield. It was an honor for me to be a part of the procession to the cemetery. Both my brother and brother-in-law are Marines and they both served in Iraq. My family was blessed in the safe return of my brothers but many are not as lucky. Memorial Day is a time to honor those who fought and those who gave their lives for our freedom. I think it’s one of the most honorable things you can do.

            On Wednesday I had my send off party. It was amazing to say the least. The food was fantastic and the number of people there to support me was so moving. The crowd consisted of everyone from my family and friends to my Miss River Raisin Festival girls and community members. Sister Theresea, my 10-year piano instructor and church choir leader came, which meant a lot to me. I also had a surprise guest that was so exciting. Kaye Lani showed up! I never thought she would be able to make it. She said she loved the clothes, and when Marcia asked her to say a few words at the end, she got me a little choked up. She’s so sweet. That’s why I love her. I did receive a few presents, and some of them were given to me during the event. The festival committee gave me personalized flip-flops. This was so cool for me because before Miss River Raisin Festival, I didn’t know how to walk in heels! In addition, the pageant girls got me an official Miss America sash that says Miss River Raisin Festival for me to take to Miss Michigan. Isn’t that incredible? The girls are so sweet. It’s just more proof that we’re really not catty and we really do all become such good friends. I love them all to death. By the end of the night, the microphone was passed to me, and I was so overwhelmed by how incredible it was to have so many great, supportive people in my life that it brought me to tears. I was a little embarrassed at first, but they were tears of shear happiness. How blessed am I to have all those people in my life? It doesn’t matter what happens at Miss Michigan. They will all love and support me anyway. That’s an incredible feeling, and I can only hope that you feel that way about the people in your life as well.

            Today I took another trip to Lansing, this time to Sparrow Children’s Hospital. I am proud to say that I drove myself there and back without getting lost even once. Don’t laugh. It’s a pretty complicated drive from Blissfield to Lansing if you’ve never done it before. I was heading there for the Children’s Miracle Network telethon to raise money for the hospital. I worked the phones with Tiffany Griffin, Miss Capital City and Carleigh Rowley, Miss Oakland County’s Outstanding Teen. We had a lot of fun together. Tiffany and I were even interviewed a little on the TV show. When we left, the telethon had risen over $550,000 and they still had a few more hours to go! What’s great about CMN is that all that money will stay at Sparrow. It doesn’t get distributed nationally. Therefore, if you donate to CMN, your money will stay in your community and help your local children. Isn’t that great! In addition to raising money, we met some great people while we were there. All of the volunteers were incredible. I met some very nice ladies working the sales table, and they said that they have been working that event for years. We also met some radio celebrities. I was excited to meet Mojo from “Mojo in the Morning.” They were working the phones with us, and we had the opportunity to get to know them after we were done. They were such nice guys. After we were done on the phones, we went over to the patient floors to visit with the kids. We saw three beautiful girls. Just like my other visit, it was incredible to bring smiles to their faces. The entire day was awesome!

March 16

I need to start this entry by apologizing for becoming MIA for a while. A lot has happened in my life this year, and needless to say, this is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to write. One month ago, my dad lost his battle with cancer. I call it a battle because that’s exactly what it was like every day. We found out that his Melanoma had returned right around Thanksgiving time. I had just competed in a local Miss Michigan pageant called Miss Capital City, and Dad was my escort in the evening gown competition. Little did I know, that would be our last normal weekend, and pictures of us together on stage would provide me with great comfort after he passed.
          When the cancer returned, it was pretty much everywhere. The weird part about his diagnosis is that his blood work continued to show that he was completely healthy. The cancer markers never showed, which makes the doctors think that the cancerous cells had been growing since his last battle almost four years ago. The only part of his body that remained clear was his brain. I thank God every day for that, because even though my dad was in extreme pain every day, his mind remained intact. The Lord gave us the gift of time: time to laugh with Dad, time to just hang out, and time to show him how much we cared for and loved him.
          In all honesty, even though I am thankful for the few months we had, it was horrible to see my dad in so much pain. Every minute was a constant fight for control. The amount of narcotics he was on would kill any normal person, and his pain scale never dropped below a 5. A lot of times it could spike to a 9 or 10. Now my dad was a pretty tough guy and never showed when he was hurt, so I knew he was hurting bad to give those ratings. Every time I visited him in the hospital, I left physically and emotionally drained. I called it the “trudge to the car.” At UM Hospital, there is a long hall you have to walk down to get to the parking structure. I can’t walk it anymore without feeling tired and sad.
          Dad passed on February 12. He had spent only a few days at home, but I’m glad he had that moment of peace. I think that’s what he needed to finally let go. We had almost an entire day of warning when he returned to the hospital in order to say goodbye. Even though he was pretty out of it, he probably said, “I love you,” a million times.
          The showing and funeral were amazing. You might think that’s a strange word to use but we really did celebrate. Dad wasn’t in pain anymore and we know he’s in heaven having a blast. On top of that, I’ve never seen so many people at a funeral. It was awesome to have so many family members and friends there to support us. My pageant family poured out their love like I never could have anticipated. Not only were there visitors at the showing and funeral, but also I’m still getting cards in the mail. We really are a family. I never knew how loving people could be. I can’t even describe my appreciation for what everyone has done for me.
          I do have good news to share as well. A week ago, I competed in the last local pageant of the season, Miss Lighthouse Coast. It’s a sweeps pageant so only 1st and 2nd runners up from the other locals can compete. I had been 1st runner up at three pageants before Dad got sick so I think I qualified. I have to admit that competing was very hard for me. My platform is Fight for Life: Cancer Prevention Awareness. It was inspired by my dad. He had been a two-time survivor before his last battle. I know he was there with me though because I was so much calmer than I usually am. I may have broke down a few times but he helped me through it. I just continued to pray for strength all weekend and God answered my prayers. On Friday night, I was crowned Miss Lighthouse Coast. My mom and I both cried for the first time at a pageant. I think everyone in the room came up to give me a hug, and I enjoyed it thoroughly.
          Now more than ever, I am a believer in the fact that things happen for a reason and God has a plan for each of us. I was given this title as a gift to spread my message. There is a story to be told and a battle to fight. This is what my dad wants me to do: use my experience to save people from the heartache my family has experienced. My daddy is my inspiration and my hero. I will work as hard as I can for this cause. I will make it my goal to make him proud of me and to make my pageant family proud of me. All you have to do is just keep breathing; keep living. I want to leave you with my newly found favorite Bible verse. It has become a kind of theme verse; something I try to live every day by.
          “For I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).

With much love,
Missy