After the Memorial Day Parade in Great Kills, I made my way over to Costco on Staten Island. I, of course, insisted on an outfit change first; but I made it just in time for the festivities! Costco is a proud sponsor of the Miss New York Pageant. Just like last year, they offered to help the contestants raise money for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals, the Miss America platform. The Children's Miracle Network raises funds for 170 children’s hospitals across North America, which, in turn, use the money where it’s needed the most. When a donation is given it stays in the community, ensuring that every dollar is helping local kids. Our local CMN Hospital is located in Long Island. My afternoon included speaking to costumers and asking for donations, while also enjoying time with my Miss New York sisters. Many of the current local titleholders were there and we even received a special visit from Miss New York, Shannon Oliver! Costco generously matched every dollar donated by the customers. Our aim was to beat last year's total of $1,000. I am proud to say that we achieved this goal and raised $1,286! Thank you so much, Costco, for not only supporting the Miss New York Organization, but also the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. Together, we made a difference in our local community and had fun while doing it!
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Memorial Day is an important time to remember all those who bravely fight for our freedoms and those who we have lost while doing so. In May, I participated in two events on Staten Island to celebrate this national holiday; the Great Kills Parade and the Forest Avenue Parade. I had been a guest in these parades before and it was nice to return, again. This year, I was joined by the current Miss Staten Island, Miss Staten Island's Outstanding Teen, Miss Richmond County, Miss Richmond County's Outstanding Teen, Miss Southern New York's Outstanding Teen, and Miss America's Princess. The Great Kills Parade is right in my hometown. It is an intimate parade with a shorter route than most, but that is what makes it so special. Girl scout troops, veterans, and brave soldiers all joined in on the fun. Though we had a brief period of rain prior to the parade's start, we didn't let it dampen our spirits! I rode side-by-side with my "adopted teen," Alexa Moley. It was wonderful having her next to me the entire way. We've grown so close through this organization and I'm proud to know that I can act as an older sister to her. My driver brought along his granddaughter, Loren, who was ecstatic to not only be driving in the parade, but also to be accompanied by a "princess." "All of my friends are jealous," she told me. The Forest Avenue Parade is definitely a larger one, with crowds of spectators gathered throughout the route. I found a wide variety of participants in this parade; there wasn't only men and women in uniform. In fact, I even found Darth Vader! A little girl and her brother joined me in the convertible. I have to say, they really knew how to work the crowd! They were naturals! There were many familiar faces as I rode down Forest Avenue, too. Though I was often mistaken for "Miss New York," it's not something I'm going to complain about ; ] Who knows - maybe one day that could be a reality! I would like to specially thank all the men and women who fight or have fought for the freedoms we have, today. It is because of you that we live the way we do. We must remember you not just on Memorial Day, but every day. I hope that everyone enjoyed their Memorial Day as much as I did!
Back in May, I attended the Matthew Nierenberg Foundation's Annual Fundraiser in Staten Island. The Matthew Nierenberg Memorial Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was created to honor a young man from our community who suddenly passed in 2008. Their mission is "to provide an annual scholarship to a deserving youth." The Matthew Nierenberg “Heart of Gold” Scholarship is awarded to a high school senior each year to continue his/her education. The scholarship is awarded to the student that exemplifies Matt’s persona best - a warm-hearted, caring person. Last year, as Miss Staten Island, I went to the Matthew Nierenberg Foundation's Carnival. This year, though, they developed a new theme - wrestling! I've never really watched wrestling, so when I arrived at the event I didn't have any idea what I would be experiencing. However, after having such an awesome time last year, I knew this would be a great night. There were people everywhere; socializing, swooning over raffle baskets, and awaiting the wrestling performance. Once the show began, nearly everyone surrounded the ring - including me! I know wrestling is (dare I say it) "just a show," but I was really worried that someone was going to get hurt! The quality of the wrestlers was impressive. After watching the match for a while, I made my way over to the baskets. My luck wasn't so good this time, but I still always love to take a chance! A job well done to Matthew Nierenberg's family on another successful fundraiser. I know that you will be able to make another high school senior very happy this year when they receive their scholarship. You are doing wonderful things to keep Matt's memory alive and help our youth continue their education. Thank you for having me!
Oops! I just realized that I never blogged to let you all know about the March Of Dimes Walk on Staten Island! As this whirlwind of a month comes to an end, (okay, maybe it's been a little more than a month of craziness) I am ready to update you on what's been happening in the world of Miss Greater New York! At the end of April, I joined the March Of Dimes for their annual March For Babies. The March Of Dimes helps "moms have full-term pregnancies and research the problems that threaten the health of babies." This was the second consecutive year that I was able to be onstage for the opening ceremonies. It was quite the honor to be surrounded by such influential people in our community, including some of my fellow queens! Afterward, we met at the starting line to cut the ribbon and cheer on the walkers as they began their march! There were so many people involved, I couldn't believe it! This walk just continues to get bigger every year. Once the walk began, I went back inside the parking lot where sponsors were set up and many families still remained. It was nice to mingle with them and see some of the familiar faces from my past two years of supporting the March Of Dimes. As usual, I had a wonderful time with my Miss America sisters! Thank you to the March Of Dimes for, once again, graciously accepting me as a special guest. I always love these events and find them incredibly inspiring. I have faith that you will continue to do amazing things as the organization grows each year, with the help of the community!
Back on April 21st, I attended the second annual Walk For Children With Apraxia. The Staten Island walk was initiated and has been coordinated both years by Alyssa DePaolis, who is the current Miss Richmond County 2013. According to the American Speech-Languauge-Hearing Association, Childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder. Children with CAS have problems saying sounds, syllables, and words. The child knows what he or she wants to say, but his/her brain has difficulty coordinating the muscle movements necessary to say those words. CASANA is the Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America (CASANA). It is the only national 501(c)3 nonprofit public charity exclusively dedicated to children with apraxia of speech and their families. The Walk for Children with Apraxia benefits this organization. There were many other titleholders in attendance, as well. I always have a great time hanging out with these girls. It just goes to show what a tight-knit family the women in the Miss America Organization become. We all come out to support one another whenever we can. We enjoyed a day of raffles, food, zumba, and (of course) walking. I'm so glad that I was able to participate in this walk for the second time. Seeing the beautiful children walking who are affected by apraxia on a daily basis really opened my eyes to why Alyssa chose this as her platform. She is doing wonderful things to help these kids have a brighter future. Congratulations on another successful year, Alyssa!
It's time to let you know everything I was up to in the month of April! A few weeks ago, on April 16th, I was asked to join Boy Scout Troop 2 for their Annual Cook-Off. My Alpha Omicron Pi alumna sister, Trina, assists the boys and was kind enough to extend the invitation to me to be the "celebrity judge." I have to say, I was very excited! After all, anyone who really knows me can attest to how much I love to eat! When I arrived, Trina explained the cook-off process to me. The boys were split up into 5 teams based on their ages and level in the troop. Each team picked their own name and designed a dish that they were to cook, which had to include the special ingredient - ground beef. The judging criteria included: ingredient list, recipe, food group requirements, taste, and presentation. The other judges and I watched the boys cook their meals. From tacos in a bag to one of the best burgers I've ever had - they did it all! Once dinner was completed, the teams presented their creations for us and we conducted the official "taste test." My personal favorite part was being served at a special place setting by the oldest group, complete with a sign, music, and hand-picked flowers. After much deliberation, the votes were in! The winning group had made an excellent meat sauce with their ground beef, which was served atop pasta with a dessert of watermelon! It was a delicious meal that I would have loved to learn how to make - though, it is certainly not on my Miss New York meal plan. Hey - every girl needs a little treat now and then : ] At the end of the night, I was given an honorary Boy Scout Badge! It was a fun experience watching these teams work together to produce spectacular meals. It's good to know that there are organizations like the Boy Scouts that still strive to teach necessary skills and I'm glad that I got the chance to be a part of it! Thank you for welcoming me, boys, and great job!
On April 14th, our Miss New York Class of 2013 was completed at the Miss Brooklyn Pageant! A few of the current titleholders were in the audience to support the girls competing at the Brooklyn Music School Playhouse. Thanks to a donor, who chose to remain anonymous, the organization was able to not only crown a Miss Brooklyn, but a Miss Five Boroughs and Miss Greater Gotham, as well! Three very special girls took the titles: Stephanie Accardo (Miss Brooklyn), Teresa Lii (Miss Five Boroughs), & Katie Berry (Miss Greater Gotham). I can't wait until Miss New York Week in July. I know that we have 24 intelligent, talented, philanthropic young women and anyone can be Miss New York 2013! We are going to have an amazing time together. Congratulations to the Class of 2013: Victoria Ballestero: Adirondack On April 6th, I made my first official appearance as Miss Greater New York! It was for Where To Turn's Prom Expo at New Dorp High School. Where To Turn is an organization that "provides crisis relief services for victims of any kind of tragedy by aiding them in obtaining the help they need during the recovery process." The Prom Expo was for victims of Hurricane Sandy who needed dresses for a special occasion such as weddings, a sweet 16, or proms. Since I didn't have my sash yet (it needed to be made after the pageant) I created a name-tag for myself. I didn't want to have to wait to begin making appearances and helping others! When I entered New Dorp, I was led to a table to check in. They welcomed me and I was directed to the room where all of the dresses, shoes, and accessories were being kept. I was shocked when I saw them all! I couldn't believe how many dresses where donated to help these students! All styles and sizes were available. Once the guests began to enter, I met my first "client" at the front door. To my surprise, I got sisters! My job was to act as their personal stylist and find the perfect outfits for them. My mom was there volunteering, as well, so she worked with the younger sister while I looked for a prom gown with the older sister. We went thru many gowns, but I knew I had picked a winner when I found a gorgeous, yet simple, purple floor-length chiffon dress. After she tried it on, she knew it, too. Shoes and accessories completed the look. The joy that radiated from these sisters and their mom was so rewarding. If it wasn't for this event, they may not have even had the opportunity to find anything to wear to their events. And, of course, I had so much fun browsing the dress racks! I had another young girl after them, as well, who needed a sweet 16 dress. After a bit of searching, she, too, found the perfect dress. I was so excited to see NY1 and Fox5 News at the event. They approached me and asked for an interview, to which I happily agreed. That night, I saw myself on the news, talking about how amazing the Where To Turn organization is and how inspirational what they did with this event was. It was awesome! I loved having this as my first Miss Greater New York experience. I spent time with old friends and made new connections, too. I am looking forward to this year and traveling throughout the 5 boroughs & Long Island!
Okay - it took a bit longer than I had anticipated, but I am ready to write my first blog about the Triple Crown Pageant! On March 30th, I entered the Triple Crown Pageant with no real expectations but high hopes. Last year, I was Miss Staten Island, and prior to this pageant I had also competed in the Miss Manhattan Pageant. However, with so many amazing, intelligent, and beautiful women competing, I knew this could have been anyone's crown to win. The Triple Crown Pageant is run by the Miss New York Board. They award three young women titles (whose names are determined based on region of residence) and give them a chance to compete at the state level. My interview in the afternoon was fantastic, which is unusual for me to say since I'm my biggest critic. I really felt comfortable speaking with the judges about many topics; from my platform, to current events, to fun facts about Disney! I was challenged to show my intelligence, but was also able to show them personality. That is what I think makes the perfect interview. It was fun and casual, while still being professional. As we prepared for the show, I was feeling confident, but I still knew I would have to give it my all to win one of the titles. Backstage, all of the girls were getting ready together and taking some photos along the way. Making fabulous new friends is one of the great things about the Miss America System. Then, it was about to begin -- SHOWTIME! I was as ready as I could've been. I had practiced and trained for weeks and it was time to show what I had been working toward. Category after category completed and I couldn't believe how fast it was all flying by. Before I knew it, it was crowning time! They began with announcing overall category winners. To my surprise and delight I was called as the overall talent winner! I couldn't believe it! My talent piece has a lot of emotion behind it and is close to my heart, so this win meant the world to me. Finally, the moment of truth arrived. Who would be crowned the three Triple Crown titleholders? They began with the two runners-up: Stephanie Accardo and Katie Berry. Next came the first titleholder, Nina Davuluri! She picked the title Miss Syracuse 2013. With only two crowns left, a good friend, Christina Moore, was announced! Miss Kings County 2013 was a perfect fit for this Brooklynite. At this point, I was getting butterflies in my stomach and I knew that my entire family was praying for me in the audience. "And our last winner of the evening is......Contestant #20, Jamie Lynn Macchia!" I was in such shock that I don't even remember how I reacted! I'm pretty sure I walked to the center of the stage with my hands over my face. I already knew the title I wanted, too: Miss Greater New York 2013. Grateful is not even the word to describe how I feel. There were 20 fantastic contestants and I am honored to have been chosen as one of 3 to move on to the Miss New York competition in July! I look forward to making my reign as Miss Greater New York 2013 just as special as my Miss Staten Island 2012 year. I hope to reach even higher with my goals and work toward things I never imagined possible. I plan on traveling around the 5 boroughs and Long Island to promote my platform and the Miss New York Organization. Here we go! Don't forget to follow me on my social media sites. |