A New Partnership!

I am excited to announce that my platform as Miss Florida will be The Miracle League!

This is an organization I've worked with a great deal for the last two years during my time as a broadcaster for Tampa Bay Rays baseball.  The Miracle League in St. Petersburg is one of their partners and I got involved through MLB.

So, what is The Miracle League?

It's an incredible organization that gives people with disabilities an opportunity to play baseball and feel a sense of normalcy in their lives.  Miracle League fields are made out of a rubberized surface that is compatible with mobility equipment of all kinds.  Children and adults alike can hit a baseball and make their way around the bases alone or with the help of a buddy.  Buddies are parents, volunteers, children and anyone who wants to help.  The buddies are often referred to as "angels in the outfield."

Currently, there are about 250 Miracle Leagues around the country but I want to help make more.  I don't think any person with disabilities should be deprived of the opportunity to play a game so many love.  Also, it's not just about the game of baseball.  This game is the foundation the organization is built on but the main focus is promoting a sense of normalcy for these children and adults and allowing them to interact with others who do not have disabilities.  Baseball provides a common ground that creates a beautiful bond and bridges generation gaps easily.

The Miracle League headquarters are in Conyers, Georgia so my trip to Atlanta had an exciting purpose.  I was able to officially partner with The Miracle League and meet with the Executive Director, Diane Alford and the Program Director Stephanie Davis.  I learned so much from them about what they do on a daily basis to reach out to people with disabilities and how I can help.  I am ready to devote as much time as possible to promoting their cause this year and all my years after as I strongly believe in what they're doing.

Here's the website for more information:  www.miracleleague.com

A trip to Atlanta!

My parents moved to Atlanta shortly after I won Miss Florida.  No, they weren't trying to escape me (I think).  This move was planned long before I competed as my dad's business is in Atlanta and he had been commuting back and forth to Florida for 10 years.  So, I finally got a chance to visit them and see their new condo!  It was so wonderful to see them as I have missed them so much but being Miss Florida doesn't give you much time to see your family or friends at all.  This is part of the sacrifice you know you'll be making during your year of service to your state but it makes it that much better when you do finally get to see your beloved family.  My brother Dave came too!

Saturday Morning Market

August 25th was a gorgeous morning for downtown St. Petersburg's Saturday Morning Market.  Mary and I went down there for my scheduled appearance and had a blast.  We checked out some very interesting offerings: a cheese stand, waffle stand, bacon sauce?, spices and much more.  We even found a lion puppet for her grandson who is named Lion!  Oh, and we were able to find some delicious vegetable chips.  Man, those things are good!  There's just something really special and relaxing about outdoor markets.  I love them!

Miss America People's Choice Video Filming...

I started the filming for my Miss America's People's choice video on August 23rd.  What an adventure. I don't want to give too much away but I will tell you this:

-A body of water is involved

-A burger is eaten

-New friends are made

-Old friends get involved

And, the rest is a secret!  That is, until these videos are published.  I'm really excited to see what every contestant comes up with this year!

If you're ever in St. Petersburg, Florida and you're looking for something fulfilling to do, head over to All Children's Hospital.  The facility is gorgeous, the doctors and nurses are so passionate about what they do and the children are incredible.  I met so many brave youngsters who kept smiling even though they are battling hardship you never want to think about children facing.  It almost brings you to tears meeting a 16-year-old girl who just got a pacemaker put in and all she wants to do is go back to school and be normal like the rest of her friends or a 3-month-old baby who has to have a feeding tube to eat.  I admire the work of doctors and nurses more than I can say.  I will be making many more visits to All Children's Hospital and other Children's Miracle Network Hospitals during my time as Miss Florida and after.  Yes, a crown and sash do a great deal to instantly brighten a child's day but a smiling face and a hug can have the same lasting effects.

You know that feeling when you're so sore you can't walk and you're feeling muscles you've never felt before?  Well, yeah, that's me this week.  

I love spending so much time in the gym, however, and I'm so excited about all I'm learning from Matt O'Brien.  I could not have asked for a better personal trainer and I can't stop recommending him to everyone I meet.  Matt's philosophy and specific approach to each one of his clients is exceptional.  He really devotes his whole life to making other peoples' lives better and he is giving so much time and effort to me as I prepare for Miss America.  I am forever grateful to Matt and his beautiful wife Hollie for all their generosity.  

PS- nothing like some hard core gloves in the gym to really make you feel intense...

MAOTeen Week!

This week (August 14th-18th) was invigorating on so many levels.  I have truly enjoyed getting to know Elizabeth Fechtel and watching her give up her crown and represent America so well all week was refreshing.  She is an incredible young woman and I admire who she is and what she represents.  Elizabeth has made Florida so proud and I am honored to know her.  I can't wait to see what the future holds for this classy lady!

Cheering Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen Jennifer Stehlin on was a blast too!  I got to sit with the other Miss America 2013 contestants each night of competition and we had a wonderful time getting to know each other while rooting for our teens.  It was inspiring to watch women so young and yet so poised, intelligent and talented.  I left Orlando feeling much better about what's in store for the generation of girls coming after my age group.  There were future business women, television stars, singers, dancers, teachers, great mothers and doctors in this group of America's teenagers.  Their talents were astounding.

Speaking of selfless generosity, Chris Martin at Copperhead Salon is another example of a wonderfully giving heart.  I popped in on Chris last minute before and during Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant in Orlando and he worked his magic to get me in his schedule both times.  I can never thank him enough for all he does for Miss Florida.  Also, so fun to see one of my friends and fellow Miss Florida contestant Lauren Chase who is working at Copperhead!

A trip to the dentist...

Miss Florida is so fortunate to have amazing sponsors.  One of them, Dr. Falco at Smile Design Studio in Orlando, has truly impressed me as a representative of a genuinely giving heart.  I came to see Dr. Falco on August 14th and I left with a new perspective on my smile...and a filling for an unwelcome cavity.

I knew Dr. Falco was a cool dude when I walked in his office and saw this guy...

Trying not to laugh, I inquired about the purpose of this drum player.  I was instantly at ease with Dr. Falco when he told me simply, "I don't really know what he is but I just like it."  Well, me too, Doc!

I had to admit to Dr. Falco and his assistants that I hadn't been to the dentist in over 2 years (jeepers!) so I figured things were going to get a bit rough...literally.  But, this group never stopped smiling despite a scraping/brushing/flossing situation that must have been anything but pleasant.  Much to my surprise, I only had one cavity so they patched that baby up and sent me on my way...with a numb mouth, of course.  I was going to see Mary Sullivan later so I was thrilled when my mouth decided to regain feeling again as I could only imagine her averse reaction to me not being able to speak.  Thank you, again, Dr. Falco for all of your generosity!

My business card!

Special thanks to Deanna Meredith for this photo and Tiffany Johnson for hair and makeup.

I still can't believe I'm Miss Florida.  Such a surreal feeling.

TRENDZ CLOTHING SHOW:

Mary, Ann Marie Griffin and I made the trek to West Palm Beach for the Trendz Clothing show on Sunday, August 5th.  I'm still getting used to receiving clothes sponsored by Ann Marie as I've always been accustomed to having to pay for everything.  I can't say this enough: Ann Marie is such a kind, generous person and Miss Florida is extremely fortunate to have a clothing sponsor.  I will never take this generosity for granted.

Trendz is heaven for anyone who loves clothes.  We immediately headed over to the Joseph Ribkoff booth and got to see some of the newest designs they will debut in the fall.  I ordered some amazing pieces that I'm so excited about wearing.  A special thanks to Joseph Ribkoff for all of the help and fun times on Sunday!  I was practically pinching myself the whole time trying to make sure it wasn't all a dream.  I'm still pretty sure it all happened and I couldn't be more thankful for everything.

I filmed a commercial in one of the Joseph Ribkoff dresses Ann Marie sponsored for me.  Here it is:

I am thrilled to announce that I'll be training with Matt O'Brien to prepare for Miss America!  Matt is an expert in physical fitness and a published author.  I would highly recommend checking out his book The Magic Pill!  This is an opportunity to transform your body, transform your life and live longer doing it.  I'm already so impressed with Matt's philosophy on fitness and how to educate a nutrition ignorant America.  Here's his website:

http://www.readthemagicpill.com/

August 3rd: A special afternoon with Bob Clark.

Miss Tampa Director Bob Clark is an incredible human being.  He invited me to one of his famous Friday luncheons at the Columbia Restaurant and it was such a rewarding experience.  This man has figured out a way to bring people together and help them help each other while enjoying good food and great conversation.  Basically, he's subtly setting up wonderful connections and as he says, "This all started trying to help one of my friends find a husband and a job."  Of course, this friend of his found both thanks to Mr. Clark's Friday lunches and the success has only continued.

Career advancement is often credited to hard work and dedication but there's also that little thing called connection that can skyrocket a person's job situation or personal life.  Just being friendly has so much to do with moving up any ladder you're presented with and Bob has mastered this idea with his promotion of fellowship among influential community members.  I was honored to listen to everyone at the table talk about their service, their careers and their love for the state of Florida.  I'm hoping to attend another luncheon with Bob as I learned so much from these experienced people in a matter of thirty minutes.  They all had a unique story, different experiences and subsequently varied advice on a multitude of matters.  Bob, with his unassuming yet dynamic presence has an uncanny ability to make people comfortable and embrace what makes them powerful in their own skin.  I hope to harness a little of his magic and use it to help those I come across as well.

Camp Mary has come to a close...

After a wealth of fun, laughter, good food, Miss America paperwork and excitement, I finally packed up my car to head back to St. Petersburg.  It was bittersweet because I have had so much fun living with Mary and her husband Bill in their beautiful home but I also know I'll be back soon.  Mary is such a generous hostess and now I know exactly what former Miss Floridas are talking about when they say they didn't want to leave her home.

I left feeling confident and excited about my Miss America paperwork.  Mary always reminds me, the paperwork is the first impression.  One stray word, one misrepresentation, one grammatical error can make all the difference.  It may seem like overkill but we went through that paperwork hundreds of times doing our best to perfect it and tweak it while maintaining a vibrance to it that I think will be so important.  I can't thank Mary enough for spending hours toiling over these forms and making sure they were excellent.

I am getting more and more excited about Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant coming up in Orlando.  First of all, I can't wait to cheer on Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen Jennifer and second, I am eagerly anticipating meeting all of my fellow Miss America contestants.  I know new friendships will be formed and I know I'll learn so much from these young women.  It will be an honor to be in their company.

With MFOT Jennifer at Ann Marie's!

July 31st..... HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MISS FLORIDA DIRECTOR MARY SULLIVAN!

Mary is always giving to everyone else so it was fun to have a day where people could give to her.  Ann Marie Griffin took us out to dinner for a beautiful meal at Mary's favorite, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse.  It was delicious and I have so much fun listening to these ladies talk.  It's the perfect combination of intelligence, humor and poise.

We also went out to lunch with Mary's daughter Summer and her grandson Lion as part of our birthday festivities.  It was wonderful meeting new mom Summer and watching Mary take care of Lion in the restaurant.  She is so good with children!  I bought Mary a cake and some of her favorite goodies (Starbucks cake pops, Reese's mini peanut butter cups...) and we enjoyed those after dinner.  I figured it was a win-win situation because I got to eat some too :)

An Adventure at the Ballpark...

I've spent a lot of time in stadiums over the past few years but I've never seen anything quite like the new Marlins Park.  It is the epitome of Miami...colorful, exotic, fun, classy, playful, exciting...well, you get the picture.

Robert Castro (Miss Florida Organization's graphic designer and so much more) went out of his way to set up our day at Marlins Park.  He knows I love baseball and he arranged all of this for me.  I could not be more grateful.  It was such a fun day.

We learned a few days before the game that I would be throwing out the first pitch.  Now, just because I watch a lot of baseball doesn't mean I can actually play baseball...or even throw a ball for that matter.  So, naturally, I figured everyone was in for a good laugh.  When we arrived at the park, we learned that a dog was also throwing out the first pitch.  Based on what I know about canine anatomy, I figured this would be difficult.  Mary and I were forced to inquire about this dog's pitch as we were concerned I would be holding the dog while throwing my ball and we knew that wouldn't do anyone any favors.  It was then that we discovered there were quite a few pitchers involved in the pre-game festivities at Marlins Park on this particular Sunday.  I was one of many throwing out the first pitch and I instantly felt better about it.  I threw some warm up pitches and my arm was feeling good.  I was ready to go.

And then the time came for me to make my way to the mound for my first pitch.  Somehow, in the time it took me to walk to the mound, my pants began to fall down a little.  Here's proof:

So, with my sagging pants and racing heart, I geared up to throw my pitch.  Mind you, the plate seemed MUCH further away from the mound at that point and I wasn't even standing on the mound.  Needless to say, my pitch bounced.  What do they tell you NOT to do when you throw a first pitch?  Bounce it.  I bounced the dickens out of that pitch.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq0Pcdd9tF4

All you can do is laugh about that abysmal attempt to throw a first pitch.  We went to our seats soon after and enjoyed the game for a couple of innings before walking around the amazing park.  It was about 95 degrees outside so an outdoor game would have been a sweat bath.  But, Marlins Park can close it's roof and turn on the AC for a very pleasant fan experience.  We visited the Bobblehead Museum...

Met Marlins manager Ozzie Guillen...

And I did some TV hits for Marlins Vision:

Everybody at the park was so hospitable and we enjoyed all the areas we visited and the people we met.  The game was an exciting one as it went into extra innings and the Marlins came away with a win!