The last time I updated all of you, I had just finished with my first custard eating contest at Culver's in Baxter and a day at the Battered Women's Shelter softball tournament.
I have stayed plenty busy since then! On July 28th, I had the opportunity to judge the Little Miss and Mister Fourth of July pageant in Brainerd with Miss Baxter's Outstanding Teen, Savannah Cole, and Bill Musel. These were the cutest little boys and girls! It was seriously a challenge trying to pick the winners because they all were so adorable.
Since I judged this pageant in the Westgate Mall right outside of Dairy Queen, I want to quick remind all of you that Miracle Treat Day is July 26th! When you buy a Blizzard that day, Dairy Queen will donate $1 to Children's Miracle Network (the national platform of Miss America). This gives everyone a perfect excuse to eat Dairy Queen :)
Then on Saturday the 30th, I was up bright and early to help pass out water at the Relay for Life in Baxter. I had never volunteered for this event before and I didn't realize how intense it was. Many people were wanting water because it was such a hot summer day and it was great to see people running in honor of a loved one with breast cancer or survivors walking with proud smiles on their faces.
Saturday night was the 2012 Miss Brainerd Lakes and Miss Baxter pageant at Tornstrom Auditorium. I was looking forward to this event to see who the two new queens would be and who would be my new sister queens. For those who don't know, I was Miss Brainerd Lake's Outstanding Teen before I was crowned Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen. Seeing everyone for the first time since Miss Minnesota week was a ton of fun! Thanks to my former sister queens Rebecca Yeh, Miss Brainerd Lakes 2011, and Haley Van Steenwyk, Miss Baxter 2011 for an awesome year and congrats to the new queens Heather Erickson, Miss Brainerd Lakes 2012, and Maren Goff, Miss Baxter 2012! I look forward to seeing what you two will do with your year and the things that will come with it.
The next day I was up and at em'. to head to Bemidji for their Fourth of July parade! I was asked by Mia, Miss Grand Cities Outstanding Teen and her Mom to be in the parade with her. I brought Molly West (Central Lake's Outstanding Teen) and Corrina Swiggum (Scott County's Outstanding Teen) with me to be in the parade. It was nice to catch up with them and hear how life after Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen has been treating them.
The Fourth of July festivities didn't end there though! On July 3rd, I was in my hometown of Nisswa to help sell food for my church, Lutheran Church if the Cross, and be in the parade later that day. I couldn't leave Nisswa without walking around, visiting the people I work with, and eating the famous Lions Club pork-on-a-stick :)
The famous pork-on-a-stick :)
Signing autographs for a cute little girl
Working the food table for my church
Grand Marshall in the Nisswa parade
A HUGE thank you goes out to Dondelinger Auto Company for sponsoring me a car to ride in for the Nisswa and Brainerd/Baxter Fourth of July parades. DJ Dondelinger sponsored me a brand new 2012 white Corvette with only 28 miles on it! Also many thanks to my wonderful boyfriend Dylan for bearing the heat with me and driving me in the both of my hometown parades.
The next day was the Brainerd/Baxter Fourth of July parade. I was able to see some familiar faces and watch some spectacular fireworks. I was the Parade Marshall for the both the Nisswa and Brainerd/Baxter parades, an honor that is certainly appreciated. I never demand that my work be recognized, but I'm honored to be acknowledged.
Last Saturday I was so excited to be able to watch Molly West compete for the title of Miss Minnesota High School. I competed with Molly at Miss Brainerd Lake's/Baxter's Outstanding Teen and Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen and she has become a sister to me. The pageant is not affiliated with the Miss America Organization but rather with the Miss High School America Organization. The High School Organization started in 2009 and I actually competed in the very first Miss Minnesota High School pageant and placed 3rd runner up. All 50 states did not have a pageant so I was asked to take the Miss North Dakota High School title and compete at the very first national pageant! I always refer girls who want more onstage experience to this system because there is no talent or fitness wear. I'm so proud of Molly because she was crowned Miss Minnesota High School 2013! She also won the interview and fun fashion awards. Also congrats to Gianna Capuzzi, Miss Minnesota Collegiate 2013!
Molly, Miss MN High 2013
Gianna, Miss MN Collegiate 2013
On Monday I was at the Mall of America is my directors and my Mom shopping for Miss America's Outstanding Teen! I'm feeling more and more prepared everyday and now I just wish it would be here already. I leave in less that a month!! I want to remind everyone of my send-off coming up on July 22nd at Franklin Arts Center in Brainerd at 5pm. Hope to see you there!And finally this morning I was at Ruby's Pantry with Molly West Miss Minnesota High School. It is a food distribution organization that is not income based. You pay $15 for a "share" which gets you hundreds of dollars in groceries that are either a day old or about to expire. You get a tremendous amount of food! I love volunteering for this event because it has a deeply rooted Christian faith.
Later today I spoke to the Brainerd Rotary about the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Organization and the Children's Miracle Network. I was able to raise almost $100 in just that short amount of time that I was there. The Rotarian's were very giving and generous and I'm thankful to them for letting me come in and speak.
With love,
Bailey
Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen 2012
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