Yesterday, August 30, I started the long drive down to Hoopeston, IL to compete for the title of National Sweetheart! National Sweetheart is a pageant for all the 1st or 2nd runner ups from every state in the Miss America Organization. Lucky for me, I get to compete! I'm so excited for this week because I basically get a preview of the Miss America experience. Since the actual Miss America competition is a one-shot deal, this will be a great opportunity to grow and develop into--hopefully one day--a future Miss America.
I drove 7 hours the first day, stayed at a hotel in Rockford, IL and drove the last 4 hour leg of the trip today. I arrived in Hoopeston around 4pm. Now, Hoopeston is a very small town of 6,000; HOWEVER, since MY hometown is EVEN SMALLER, I felt right at home! (side note: I must admit, I'm very sad to be missing Red Rooster Days, Tynelle giving up her Dassel Ambassador title, and MN's largest chicken feed!) All the girls who drove in met at the local McDonalds. It was a great opportunity to chat one on one with some of the girls.
Around 5:30pm, the rest of the girls arrived by bus from the airport. There are 41 of us! We then headed to the local country club for a dinner hosted by the current Miss Hoopeston. We were all starving after a long day of travel! We definitely indulged!
We had a quick orientation, received our official state sashes (Yes! I do get to be Miss Minnesota for a week!), and headed off to our housing. Miss Michigan and I are living with the Raver family in what I must say is a COMPLETELY beautiful home! They also have three young daughters (ages 3, 5, and 7). I LOVE kids, and I look forward to meeting them in the morning (it was past their bed time by the time we got here!).
Well, that's it! A day of travel and meeting new people! I'm convinced this will be a WONDERFUL experience. I will keep you all posted on my happenings as often as I can!
Thanks for the support everyone!
Oh! P.S. Forgot to mention that I won a drawing for a "Miss America"-patterned cand
I drove 7 hours the first day, stayed at a hotel in Rockford, IL and drove the last 4 hour leg of the trip today. I arrived in Hoopeston around 4pm. Now, Hoopeston is a very small town of 6,000; HOWEVER, since MY hometown is EVEN SMALLER, I felt right at home! (side note: I must admit, I'm very sad to be missing Red Rooster Days, Tynelle giving up her Dassel Ambassador title, and MN's largest chicken feed!) All the girls who drove in met at the local McDonalds. It was a great opportunity to chat one on one with some of the girls.
Around 5:30pm, the rest of the girls arrived by bus from the airport. There are 41 of us! We then headed to the local country club for a dinner hosted by the current Miss Hoopeston. We were all starving after a long day of travel! We definitely indulged!
We had a quick orientation, received our official state sashes (Yes! I do get to be Miss Minnesota for a week!), and headed off to our housing. Miss Michigan and I are living with the Raver family in what I must say is a COMPLETELY beautiful home! They also have three young daughters (ages 3, 5, and 7). I LOVE kids, and I look forward to meeting them in the morning (it was past their bed time by the time we got here!).
Well, that's it! A day of travel and meeting new people! I'm convinced this will be a WONDERFUL experience. I will keep you all posted on my happenings as often as I can!
Thanks for the support everyone!
Oh! P.S. Forgot to mention that I won a drawing for a "Miss America"-patterned cand
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