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Monday, October 26, 2009
Make A Difference Day
Saturday, October 24th, was Make A Difference Day! It was Make a Difference day and I was helping the wonderful organizations of HANDS ON NETWORK AND POINTS OF LIGHT by participating in this volunteer day and spreading the project ideas and my commitment to volunteer work throughout the great state of NC! I worked with Hands On to coordinate a project area, event, and time, and although there were so many great ones to choose from I was so thrilled to be traveling to Research Triangle Park, Chapel Hill area to the SECU Family House and the Ronald McDonald House to help with all kinds of great volunteer projects! I was joined by the amazing UNC MBA students! They told me they do projects, like this one, throughout their semester! They had about 80 MBA students spread throughout the area helping with all kinds of HON projects! I met so many wonderful people and we cleaned, baked, iced cakes, and worked on stocking pantries! A huge thank you to everyone who helped make this day very special, and a huge thanks to Leigh for helping make this day happen! A big thank you also to the SECU family house for having us, and the great, hardworking, UNC MBA students who were there all day! Last but not least, a big thank you to Hands On and Points of Light: These organizations are dedicated to making a difference in this world, one volunteer at a time! They help actions centers throughout the USA and internationally to inspire people to volunteer as well as help connect them with the right volunteer opportunity. For more information on all they do or service projects in your area visit www.handsonnetwork.org
Thanks to all the volunteers who made Make A Difference Day a huge success and who are always teaching others the power they have to make a difference! Always remember its the small things that make the biggest difference, and we can ALL Volunteer!
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
This month has been filled with Pink! I was lucky enough to help with the Luncheon for FRIENDS for an Earlier Detection with special guest speaker Elizabeth Edwards, who was a breast cancer survivor. Great lunch and great friends! Thank you Martha Kaley for being such an amazing inspiration and for the founding of this wonderful organization, which has raised millions for research for an earlier test (which one day could save my life and yours!!)! WoW!! Not only did we have the amazing lunch with almost ONE THOUSAND people at Koury Convention Center, but we had the event SHOP FOR A CAUSE at SIMPLY MEG'S in Greensboro at Friendly Center! Meg had a great party and shopping event and 10% of the evening's proceeds went to FRIENDS!! Thanks Meg and all the WONDERFUL, SWEET people at SIMPLY MEGS!
One more to mention, you can join us for BLAST FOR BOOBS on Nov. 1st! Sponsored by in part by REMINGTON COUNTRY and proceeds go to FRIENDS!! For more information on FRIENDS or the event visit their website: www.earlier.org
David Cook Concert and Meet & Greet
Opening Act Ryan Star
My Great Friends, Natalie and Drew! Congrats on your Engagement!!!
I was so excited to meet David Cook, the American Idol winner last week! He had a great opening act, Ryan Star. And David was an amazing performer and thanks to my friends at the NCLUB I was able to meet the David after the show! He was so nice, and I plan on going to see him perform in Charlotte in December!
I was so excited to meet David Cook, the American Idol winner last week! He had a great opening act, Ryan Star. And David was an amazing performer and thanks to my friends at the NCLUB I was able to meet the David after the show! He was so nice, and I plan on going to see him perform in Charlotte in December!
Sunday, October 11, 2009
I had a very exciting weekend! On Friday night I was so excited to help volunteer at the 2009 Gathering of FRIENDS dinner! FRIENDS for an earlier breast cancer test is a non-profit organization founded with a unique purpose of finding an earlier test. Since tumors can be in your body 5 to 8 years before detection, it is key to find a test to detect those tumors and prevent breast cancer. One out of every eight women will have breast cancer, that is why this is such an important cause. The founders of FRIENDS are located here in Greensboro, and they have worked so hard for over ten years to help save lives all over the world by donating millions to research for an earlier test. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, that is why this past friday I got decked out in my pink and put on a pink awareness ribbon, turned in an upward direction for early detection. Martha Kaley, founder, survivor and friend is one amazing woman dedicated to helping others, and being an inspiration to women, like myself. Over 500 people came to this beautiful dinner at Grandover Resort, and the same turnout with come to the Luncheon next week at Koury Convention Center. The theme of this years events surround SHIRLEY- the image of womanhood & and the TIE THAT BINDS. This idea is based on the simple fact that we are all bound by someone we know, love, in memory or honor of that is or has been affected by Breast Cancer. It was the 14th annual gathering of friends, and that is was, because that night, we were all bound together by one cause, breast cancer. We all wrote down a message or a name of a survivor or a loved one lost to breast cancer on a single pink ribbon and a room of five hundred people then tied these ribbons together to tie on Shirley. We heard a promising medical update and we had HODA KOTB, Co-Host of NBC's TODAY SHOW, DATELINE NBC Correspondent and Breast Cancer Survivor speak to the group about her challenges and how she came out even stronger after kicking breast cancer's butt! It was a great evening of Friends and we had the best speaker!!! Thanks to everyone, and all the volunteers that helped with the dinner! See you all at the Luncheon, and remember-WEAR PINK!!!
For more information on FRIENDS please visit the website at: www.earlier.org
On Saturday morning, bright and early, I traveled to Raleigh, NC! I was helping with the Autism Society of NC and their annual Ribbon Run! I have been going for years, so it was an honor to go and help as Miss NC and present the awards to the winners and special awards to the dedication of these runners and families, affected by Autism, to the cause of helping support the ASNC! Thousands came out to support the efforts of the ASNC, and I helped with awards and got to talk to the audience and families about how much this organization has meant to me over the years. I saw my great friends there too, thank you Bill, Tina, Mark, and Baby Will!!! The Autism Society of NC has a great ribbon run every year, I had a lot of fun!! Thank you to everyone who came out to help support and run!!
OCT 8, 2009
Pigs, Poultry & Politics in Jamestown, NC was a great networking event for the 2009 Local Elections and Candidates, it was also a great way to meet new people from around the triad area! Thanks to everyone who came out to support the Builders Association!
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
Sunday, October 4, 2009
NW Seniors working to grant a wish, we can help them!!
The Helicopter golf ball drop
Stacey, the senior from NW, who will be doing her senior project on MAW
My new friends that will be working to grant a wish for child this year, thanks girls!!
October 3, 2009
What a big day this was! Filled with three big events in my hometown of Greensboro, NC!
And it was my sweet dog, Remington's 4th Birthday! I kicked off the day, bright and early, at 7am at the Women's hospital for the Women's Only Race/Walk for a cure for Breast Cancer! I was interviewed by News Channel 2 at 7:30am! I talked about my personal connection to Breast Cancer, friends and family who have had it, passed away or survived from breast cancer. And as women we need to be aware of breast cancer and the importance for early detection, since the tumor can be in your body for 5 to 8 years before it becomes breast cancer. My work with FRIENDS has helped me learn a lot about breast cancer and the importance for early detection. There was over 3,000 women, their husbands and families there to support the event and run for a cure! It was a great day, with many local celebrities and radio personalities there to help! The little girl's race started first and then the women's race started at 9am and then awards began. We honored the survivors and the women there supporting them or their personal connections. It was a great day for me, and my first time at the walk for a cure! I have a great month ahead for events supporting Breast Cancer and got some great tshirts and jewelry to support the cause with proceeds benefiting breast cancer research! Last year this event raised more than 70,000 dollars for mammograms! After helping with the event I went to Gateway Education Center's Fall Festival! I went to see all my friends at Gateway, and help them kick off the fall season! It was a lot of fun! Thanks to the Gateway PTA for asking me to come!
Then I headed over to the USO Care Packages Relief fundraiser for my new friend Cherie!
Her husband is in Afghanistan fighting for our country right now, and we need to help him and all the other soldiers fighting for our freedom! Some men and women don't get any care packages so its important to let them ALL know how much we care and love them and appreciate their service! So we held signs on Spring Garden Street at Fat Dogs, the restaurant that offered to support this event and donate proceeds! There is a long list of things they need and monetary donations are acceptable because they will need over $3,000 dollars to ship the 250 care packages just in time for the soldiers to get them for Thanksgiving! I will have more information to come about the upcoming fundraisers and possibilities to help with the care packages. I was so honored to be among several former men and women that fought for our country that came to support these efforts for relief packages. I was so impressed at how strong these women are that put this together and are determined to help any way they can! So please join me, the USO, and these great people to help them, help their families, and the men and women over sea's fighting for our country! I will post more information as soon as I get it! Start thinking of things you can donate, like books, magazines, toothpaste, shampoo, candy anything! Its hard enough to be away from your family and friends, but we can't imagine the conditions they are living and fighting in every day, so we need to do all we can to help them!
Thank you so much for your help!!!
USO of NC Salute to Freedom Gala
"We need them, They need us, We need you, Its that simple"
Friday, October 2, 2009 Salute to Freedom Gala in Cary at Prestonwood Country Club
This was a beautiful evening honoring these outstanding service members:
Staff Sergeant Andrew Harrison of the NC National Guard
Staff Sergeant Ryan Green of the US Army at Fort Bragg
Sergeant Austin Hilburn of the US Marine Corps at Camp Lejeune
Hospital Corpsman Second Class Guy Ambrose of the US Navy
Staff Sergeant Alejandro Soto of the US Air Force at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Petty Officer Christopher Key of the US Coast Guard
They also honored with the Spirit of Freedom Awards to Terry Grimes and Kenneth Tigges
I want to thank all my friends at the NC USO-Al, John, Simone, Sherri, Erin, Katie, Michael and Dawn, and all the wonderful volunteers and helpers that I saw at the Gala that I have come to know and love over the past several months! Thank you for your dedication to the to troops and the USO! You guys are all wonderful! The USO has a vision to lead the way into enriching lives to America's military in North Carolina, their mission is to serve and support America's military and their families. So this evening was to celebrate the freedoms and those who defend them. I was honored to help with this evening, alongside these amazing honorees, distinguished service men and women, the 82nd Airborne Division "All American" chorus, Sloan Gibson, the President of the USO Arlington, the USO leadership, the bagpiper Robert White US Army (Ret), and of course my good friend, Miss USA Kristen Dalton! I got to catch up with Kristen on all the wonderful things she is doing as Miss USA! I am so proud of her, she is doing great things for this country and she looked beautiful! We all came together for a great night for the USO of NC, and it was great! Everything was absolutely beautiful, and I couldn't have been surrounded by more amazing, dedicated and kind individuals. Thanks to everyone for a great night, and a beautiful gala! It was great to see all of my USO NC friends and talk about future opportunities for helping the USO!
October 1, 2009
Nat Greene Kiwanis Classic Golf Tournament to benefit Make A Wish of the Central and Western North Carolina region. It was held at Starmount Forest Country Club in Greensboro and there was a shotgun start at 12:30pm. Make A Wish foundation has been helping the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions for over 30 years, so the Kiwanis club wanted to help change the world through service to the children and our local communities! The Kiwanis golf ball drop was done at 6pm by a helicopter on the driving range, closest ball to the pin will "split the pot," it was very exciting to see that! I had a great time, and there was a full house of golfers out to help the MAW Family! Including so many of my Make a Wish favorites! Thanks to everyone who came out and helped! I also met two new friends, Stacey and Savannah, who are doing their senior project, at my former high school Northwest Guilford, on Make a Wish and they are raising enough money together over the next few months to grant a wish! That is a great goal, and lets help them be able to accomplish this goal by showing them lots of support and helping them with their fundraisers and events! More information to come!
After I left the golf course, I went to high point to catch the Embers at the High Point Beach Music Blast to benefit the Children's Home Society of NC!
Red Dirt Rising Private Screening
I went with my friend Brad, the lead in the new film Red Dirt Rising, to the private screening for his new movie on Sunday September 27th. Based on a true Story, this film shares a decade in the lives of Jimmie Lewallen and his wife, Carrie as they experience the joys of love alongside war and tragedies. Jimmie and his friends, Bill Blair and Fred Harb find escape from lifes challenges in racing! It was filmed right here in North Carolina and features great, and talented actors, these actors portrayed racing's earliest heroes in this great new movie! This screening was to benefit the racing legends medical fund, the pit party started right after the private screening and there were thousands of people that came to show their support of the movie and the local legends that paved the way into what we know now, today as racing and nascar! It was a very impressive film, and I thought it was amazing. The lead character, Jimmie, was the best in the film, Brad was great! Opening remarks were made by former FOX8 sports announcer Rich Brenner, then we heard a word from the directors Bo Boback & James Suttles, then we heard the great music from the film's music producer Cliff Downs, who is an Emmy Award Winning songwriter and composer! We were even lucky enough to meet some of the people that the movie was written about, Carrie Lewallen, was in attendance at the screening along with Gary Lewallen! It was a very impressive day and movie! And I cannot wait until the world can see what a great job this talented group of actors, producers, and directors put together in the beautiful state of NC about a true story of the beginning of racing! For more information visit the website for RED DIRT RISING at www.reddirtrising.com and look for the movie album on itunes in the next few weeks!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
After all the homecoming festivities I drove to Raleigh with my parents for the first annual Opening Doors for Autism Society event for the Autism Society of NC. It was great, the location was this beautiful house! I met with the founders of opening doors gala for ASNC, and even made a bid on a silent auction item! They had a great, amazing list of auction items! Including: golf packages, signed everything from the Carolina Hurricanes, NCSU, UNC NCAA Basketball Champions, Roy Williams, DUKE; Ballroom Dance Lessons; Spa Packages; artwork; paintings; a private shopping party and shopping spree; and a 7 series BMW sedan as well as a brand new motorcycle! That was impressive! All the proceeds went to benefit the Autism Society and will be used to promote opportunities and to provide support to the more than 50,000 people living with Autism in North Carolina. I want to thank Kay and Tina for helping me get more involved with the events for this great cause, like the one Oct. 10th for the Annual Ribbon Run in Raleigh! I was so honored to be there at this event, and I met so many wonderful people! Thank you for all the volunteers at this event, the first annual Opening Doors for Autism Gala was a huge success!
Fall Fest Parade and UNCG Homecoming
As a member of SGA at UNCG I was able to participate in the Fall Fest Parade as Miss North Carolina International and a Senior Senator! We had a great turnout, two decorated cars and several great members of SGA and leadership! Despite the rain (all day) we had the top down and had a great time! Go Spartans!
Later on that evening I was able to escort my great friend David, on homecoming court! We were decked out in our blue and gold! We saw lots of friends, and alumni coming to the game for the weekend and all of the festivities! It was a great day!! Enjoy the pictures!
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