Miss Michigan Orientation
Date: March 5, 2011
Location: Holiday Inn, Muskegon, MI
Orientation day was filled with preparations for the pageant (including getting my contestant number: 32 out of 32!), speeches, and dinner. My favorite part of orientation was listening to Katie LaRoche, Miss Michigan, speak. She is a truly inspiring young woman with a heart of gold. There is something that emanates from her that tells me she is one of the most sincere and altruistic people I will ever meet. In the little time I had to talk to her, she and I shared our experiences with Zonta International (an organization of professional women working to advance the status of women worldwide) and the slums of Kibera, Kenya.
Zonta International granted me a scholarship for my commitment to service in 2007. Katie and I both keep in contact with the organization and plan to meet with the Zonta Club of Saginaw for dinner and a meeting in May. When Katie mentioned she had visited Kibera, Kenya, I was so excited to tell her that I organized a group to raise money to support an HIV clinic in Kibera while I was in high school. When I connected with Katie over these things, I knew I was in the right place, with the right organization. I am truly thankful for my experience as a part of the Miss America Organization.
I also enjoyed the car ride to Muskegon and back. My director, Ashley Purdo, and board member, Becky Moore, and I had a lot of good laughs and conversation during our commute. I really appreciate how much fun those ladies add to my experience as Miss Auburn-Midland.
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