The Go Red for Women Luncheon was a successful event. I was honored to be a special guest and an ambassador for this years event.
My directors, Emily and Tricia have been so supportive throughout my year. They have always encouraged me to do something extraordinary. I love you ladies!
One of the keynote speakers for the event was Tricia Dampier. I was SO proud of her. I encouraged her to come to the casting call back in February to audition to be a speaker and representative for the national campaign. Her mother is a heart attack survivor and her story is so moving. Tricia has been doing public speaking for nearly 20 years and is the founder of Girls Speak Incorporated.
Marney Duckworth, Mrs. America 2007 was also there to show her support.
Pat Woods, Tricia's mother, survived a heart attack in Oct. She is a reminder of why we fight this disease.
Tricia's story of her mother's heart attack brought everyone to tears.
We Go Red for our mothers, our grandmothers, our sisters and our friends.
Steve, board member of the American Heart Association and Patsy, one of my favorite survivors!
I had such a fun day being a special guest at the grand opening of Basement Boutique.
All of the high price pieces from the department stores are marked down 80%!
When you shop here, you are not only guaranteed a bargain but some great laughs as well. The owners are just so fun! Congratulations on your success ladies!
Thank you so much Rob and Shelly, my course instructors! What a fulfilling and life changing opportunity!
After 12 weeks, I received my certificate of achievement from the Effective
Communications and Human Relations Dale Carnagie Course.
Dale Carnagie Training is one of the gracious sponsors for the Mrs. Colorado pageant. They provide the queen with a full scholarship for this course.
I walked away with life lessons in human relations and public speaking that are priceless ! I received 2 special awards during the 12 week course. One for "outstanding performance" and one for "break-through performance".
Cheri Vargo of Dale Carnagie makes this scholarship possible for the Mrs. Colorado organization.
The Mrs. America organization is a proud supporter of the MENC, the National Anthem Project.
Together we are on a mission to bring 1 million signatures to Washington DC to present to the House of Representatives to try and make MUSIC one of the core academic subjects in our public school systems.
The Canon City Spring Blossom Music Festival is one of the participants in the Colorado Music Conference and supporter of the MENC.
I was able to attend the 2009 Spring Blossom Pageant and speak on behalf of the Mrs. America organization and MENC and gain over 100 signatures for the petition to take to Washington DC.
The Royal Image Boutique hosted a shopping day for all of the Mrs. Colorado contestants. I was finally able to meet most of the contestants for this years upcoming competition on May 16th.
All of the women are so amazing and I can't believe one of them could be Mrs. Colorado 2009!!!
Pictured above with owner, Raeanne Duca and Mrs. Colorado 2004 Sherri Engstrom. Far left was a pleasant surprise visit by Miss Colorado USA, Patrice Williams just days before she left for Miss USA.
Shoppers enjoy the grand opening of the SECOND location of the Royal Image Boutique!
One of Mrs. Colorado's main sponsors, Royal Image Boutique, has opened a second location down south (near Park Meadows Mall). By appointment only @ 303-466-9216.
Pictured with manager, Carolina and Raeanne, owner and founder.
The Royal Image Boutique offers evening gowns and prom dresses from all of the top designers. Raeanne has designed dresses for Miss USA, Miss Teen USA, Miss America and MRS. AMERICA contestants (to name a few) for several years.
The Family Home Stead is a wonderful and necessary organization here in Colorado that provides short term low cost housing for homeless families with children. They help the parents make progress toward economic stability.
The host and I had a great time getting the crowd ready for the evening. I had to bust his chops for his interesting wardrobe for the occasion . . . he said, "They told me SEMI-formal!" I can appreciate a comedian!
Fellow supporters and board members of Family Home Stead.
My handsome husband, as always, playing the part of Mr. Colorado!
The beautiful diamond earrings that were a live auction item.
I had so much fun showing them off to the crowd. The highest bidder was my husband! He thought I deserved them for an early birthday gift (thank you honey). The money went to a great cause which was a bonus!!
The American Heart Association held a beautiful cocktail party at Del Friscos Steak House to honor the sponsors of the Go for Women Campaign. We also welcomed several interested sponsors. Of course several survivors were on hand as well to share their stories.
Pictured here with Rosemary Lindsey, the Executive Director of the Go Red Campaign.
Sharing my story of why I do the work that I do to fight heart disease has been therapy for me since my husband's heart attack. I'm always honored when people tell me that I inspired them to make a change. Thank you to the AHA for having me as a guest speaker.
John also briefly spoke about the importance of educating about heart disease. He not only speaks as a survivor but as a physician as well.
Chris Rockwood, General Manager of Del Friscos. They were so gracious to host this wonderful event to show their support for the Go Red for Women Campaign. It was a beautiful event and the food . . . amazing!
Sandi Matt, assistant Manager of Del Friscos. They were such wonderful hosts. They donated the entire party. Thanks again Del Friscos!
John takes a moment to thank one of the generous sponsors of the Go Red Campaign, Charlie Nelson, President of Great West. Thank you again for all of your support.
Always there to support me . . . my handsome husband and favorite survivor John.
John and I were so grateful to meet a wonderful couple, Don & Trish Woods (pictured center). They had a very similar story as ours over 20 years ago. Trish was pregnant with her first child when her husband suffered a massive heart attack while on a bike ride.
The good news . . . over 20 years later he is still around to talk about it!
Patsy is a wonderful volunteer for the American Heart Association and a survivor of heart disease.
Again, thank you to Del Frisco's for hosting this wonderful event and providing such wonderful food.
What a great time I had at the Macy's Go Red for Women National Casting Call. I was on the judging panel with Sherri, quad bi pass survivor and Erika, morning host of Alice 105 Radio to try and narrow down the amazing candidates that came out to share their stories on film for the job of a national spokesperson for the Go Red for Women Campaign.
Cassie Bair and Sara Tobin from the American Heart Association put on a great event and I was so excited to be a part of it.
It was a great day in RED for the volunteers of the casting call.
The Glo Spa in Cherry Creek is having a wonderful promotion to promote the American Heart Association. Come in for a make-over by a nationally recognized make-up artist and receive a goody bag. All proceeds go to the American Heart association. I attended a fun day of spa services with other AHA volunteers to kick off the promotion.
The goody bags and promotions offered to benefit the American Heart Association.
The make-up artist was so good to the three of us. We loved our new looks and we all had a "Glo" about us!
Pictured with the make-up artist and Sherri a quad-bi pass survivor, Patsy an aneurysm survivor and myself wife of a survivor.
We were all proud to support the cause!
Me, during my make over. Okay, it's a big task for me to show up to an appearance with NO make-up on BUT it was for a good cause so I was happy to do it!
Sherri during her make-over. We loved getting pampered!
It is always an honor to visit the Veterans Hospital. Karen Thaylor, Mrs. Wheat Ridge 2009 joined me to visit with the patients at the Hospital. We took a moment out of our busy day to take a picture with the wonderful staff of the Volunteer program.
They took such good care of us and we look forward to coming back!
The Veteran's Hospital is SO wonderful to the Mrs. Colorado local and state titleholders. They always host a beautiful lunch for us when we visit. Karen and I loved the food and appreciated the time they took to make us feel special.
Okay this guy is a pistol! I went to Veteran's Hospital last year as Mrs. Cherry Creek and met this Vietnam Vet in the housing unit of the hospital. He was quite "underwhelmed" that I wasn't Mrs. Colorado and told me to come back if I became Mrs. Colorado and he would visit with me. (Ha! I just love feisty people!) Well . . . . you can imagine I was on a "hunt" to find him to keep up his end of the deal. When I entered the housing unit, he was the first person I saw. I smiled big and said, "Remember me? You owe me a visit!" He DID remember me and let me take some pictures and share some stories with him. LOVE HIM!!
It is such an honor to visit the Veterans of War. This Vietnam Vet was so excited to see us.
To all of the Veterans that I met that day . . .
Thank you for sharing your stories. Thank you for reminding me of why I'm proud to be an American and most of all . . . Thank you for your Courage!
I was so honored to be part of the Heart Ball, a black-tie fundraiser for the American Heart Association. I modeled a 3 carat diamond necklace that was auctioned off during dinner. When you purchased an engraved glass of campaign, you were eligible for the drawing.
A night of diamonds, campaign and supporting my favorite cause . . . The American Heart Association! Just wonderful!
The lucky couple that won the diamond necklace. It was hard to give it up but it was easier once I saw how excited she was!
Sheila Dietrich, executive director for the American Heart Association. She is the woman that makes great things happen here in Colorado. Thank you Sheila for all of your hard work!
Fellow American Heart Association Ambassador, Denise Plante. She is the co-host of Colorado & Company and KOSI 101. She looked absolutely lovely. I always enjoy bumping into her!
The center piece for all of the tables. I have found myself obsessed with "heart stuff" as much as "crown stuff" these days!
Our lovely Miss Colorado Teen USA, Taylor Schettler, has started a wonderful program at her high school called "Courage Through Confidence". The program promotes self-esteem and having the courage to believe in yourself.
I was so very honored to be a guest speaker at their recent gathering at the Douglas County High School.
Pictured here with some of the young ladies that attended the Courage Through Confidence group. They ranged from age 14-17.
As an ambassador for the American Heart Association, I wanted to let you know that . . . February is "Heart Month". This is a better time than any to start living a heart healthy life! Did you know that heart disease is the #1 killer in our country?? This disease does not discriminate... my husband who is a former athlete with good cholesterol and great blood pressure suffered a massive heart attack and almost did not survive. Thank goodness he did and now we spend our time educating and preventing heart disease. Make February the time to start eating healthy, getting your check-up at the doctor and celebrating your favorite stroke and heart attack survivors! February 6th is National Wear Red Day! Pass the word around to your family members and fellow employees to wear red on Friday, Feb. 6th to support the awareness of stroke and heart disease!
I had such a great time on Friday morning on the Good Day Colorado show on Fox with Shaul Turner.
I was able to promote the American Heart Association and be a part of the "Fox Box", which is a panel of Shaul Turner and three guests to talk about current events. We covered the economy, some Colorado laws and the issues of camera phones.
Thanks for having me Shaul. You are such a talent and just gorgeous!
Fellow guests were, Dove a comedian from New York and a local radio D.J.
I was asked to come back and be a part of the show again. I can't wait!
(I will post pictures when I receive them from one of the producers).
My daughter, Lila, attends a full immersion foreign language program at Denver International School. The programs offered are French, Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. This year I planned to attend the annual Royal World Tea Fair as "mommy" but was asked to be a special guest as Mrs. Colorado. I had so much fun signing autographs and showing my support for the school. The little girls always get a kick out of a "princess" joining there tea party!
D.I.S. also held there open house that day to almost a 100 perspective families. They too were able to come and join the festivities at our Tea Fair. We had different teas from over 15 different countries.
Mrs. Denver, Lori Pace, is also a fellow parent at D.I.S. It's always fun to work with my fellow titleholders!
It's always a bonus to find another girl who loves crowns as much as me!
One of Mrs. America's sponsors is MENC, the National Association for Music Education. I was honored to be a part of the Colorado Music Educators Conference in Colorado Springs.
There were over 3,000 attendees to support music education.
Mrs. America delegates are coming together with MENC to gather 1 million signatures to present to congress in Washington D.C. in June. The goal is to get music education and the arts in our public school programs as part of the core curriculum.
I kept busy getting several hundred signatures to represent the Mrs. Colorado Organization in Washington D.C.
Mrs. Denver, Lori Pace, also collected several hundred signatures the following day. Thanks Lori!
