Wishes Do Come True!

Cow Plop pictures with Rosie the Cow and wish child, Caden. Caden left for his wish trip to Dinsey just three days after the event!!

Hello friends and family!

It has been quite some time since I last updated you! Therefore, I have plenty of wonderful news to share with you :o)

The Miss Monroe County 2006 Cow Plop and Country Dinner was a HUGE success... raising $16,000 (enough to grant the wishes of three Monroe County children currently battling life-threatening illnesses.) Over 300 community members, including Kaye Lani Rafko Wilson (Miss America 1988), State Representatives and Senators, and local wish kids and their families, joined us for the exciting event. Rosie the Cow was quite the entertainer!!

One night... one event... one cow... three children's lives forever changed! The Miss Monroe County crown provided me with the opportunity to share my dedication to the Make-a-Wish Foundation with so many.

Without the help of family, friends and the community, none of this would have been possible.... so THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU:

- Mom and Aunt Deb (co-chairs)

- Dad, Kayla, Shelby, Corey, Aunt Terry, Uncle Bob, Uncle Scott, and Clint (set-up and

clean-up)

- Dione, Danielle, David, and John (Rosie's caretakers!)

- Caden, Faith, and Kaye Lani (official judges)

- Scott Heck (caterer, hall owner)

- Kent and Holly Meyers (silent auction and ticket sales)

- Miss Monroe County Board of Directors (ticket/square sales)

- Area businesses who generously gave to the Silent Auction!! :o)

In addition to the Cow Plop, I spent a few rainy April days at the State Capital with Representative Kathy Angerer and Senator Randy Richardville discussing with them my plans to declare a statewide Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. My days at the capital were incredible! I met so many legislators, learned a lot about state initiatives and legislation, and furthered my work with the awareness month. I am scheduled to appear in front of the House Committee for Public Health and Policy this summer!! Thank you Rep. Angerer and Sen. Richardville for the wonderful opportunities!!

Now that I am back home for the summer, I have been making a number of appearances around town as well. I was honored to emcee the Big Brothers Big Sisters Monroe's Biggest Idol event (and had a great time playing 'Ryan Seacrest!') I visited the classrooms of our Junior and Little Miss Monroe Counties and spent an afternoon with the inspiring Special Olympians. I even bowled in the MCCC Strikes, Spares and Scholarships Bowl-a-Thon... and yes... bowled a 69 and a 115 (at least I improved!)

With the arrival of summer also comes beginning preparations for the 2007 Miss Monroe County pageants. What an amazing group of contestants we have this year. I am excited to work with each of them... and know the show will again be an unforgettable one :o)

And finally... I have been keeping especially busy with the finishing preparations for the Miss Michigan pageant. I leave in three weeks! Everything is going great though... and I really am excited to spend the week in Muskegon... making friends and new memories. As Kaye Lani always tells me... whatever is supposed to happen will... and I have put my trust in just that. I am ready, and will do the best I can and whatever is supposed to happen... will!! However, as I have found this year...

Wishes do come true!!

Enjoy the beautiful spring sunshine :o)