Day 263: Wedding To Remember

Hey all! A fellow Miss America sister needs our help. My mom was on the internet the other day and came across this contest and shared it with me. Keep in mind that this girl and I have never met and literally live on opposite sides of the country. However, she is a Miss America titleholder and a great believer in the 4 points of the crown; style, scholarship, success and SERVICE. She is engaged to a gentleman in the military and they have been chosen by Fox as finalists in this years "Wedding to Remember."Her name is Ashleigh and her fiancé's name is Matthew. She is the current Miss Taunton in Massachusetts. They are one of the three final couples left and you can vote for them to have their dream wedding by clicking here. You can read a blurb from all of the couples and vote from there! Best of luck Ashleigh and Matthew!

God bless,

Kailee

Day 182: Visited The Children's Hospital

This afternoon, the Miss Washington contestants and I visited the Seattle Children's Hospital to visit with some patients. A few contestants hung out in a play area with a few children, while a few very lucky girls were chosen to visit patients in their rooms. I was so very fortunate to be one of the lucky few to do room visits and meet with a few patients one on one. The girls and I met many outstanding youngsters who are serious warriors! Unfortunately, we were not able to take pictures with the patients because of privacy reasons (understandable), but trust me when I say that I had an incredible time!

There was one patient in particular with special needs that just illuminated when the three girls and I walked into the room. It is a simple moment like that, that make a strenuous week that much more worth it! Each girl and I gave the patient autograph cards and in return he gave them each a kiss and blew us all kisses! It was one of the most precious events I have ever expereicned and one I will treasure forever.

For those who don't know, each year the Miss Washington contestants visit Seattle Children's because of the partnership between Miss America and Children's Miracle Network. Seattle Children's works with both CMN and Ronald McDonald House. All of the money that contestants raise for Miss Washington will be donated to this hospital. To learn more about Seattle Children's, please click here.

God bless,

Kailee

Day 157: Voted For Victoria

This one if for my friend Victoria! My beautiful friend Victoria is competing for the title of Miss Oklahoma this weekend and she needs your help! Right NOW there is the People's Choice competition. Which ever contestant receives the most votes for People's Choice has a guaranteed spot as a semi-finalist. It is just $1 each time you vote, and you can vote by clicking here.

Victoria is a sophomore at Oklahoma City University. She is originally from Washington State and we went to the same high school! Victoria's official title is Miss Brookside. Her platform is "Healthy Living- Make it a lifestyle!" She is a beautiful and talented dancer and is one of the most genuine people I have ever met. She is such an inspiring young lady and will go so so far in life. You can help her dream become a reality with just $1. Vote now!

Day 125: Miracle Bowl

Today was another super crazy busy day! This afternoon my fellow Miss Washington sisters and I raised money for Children's Miracle Network and the scholarship organization through a bowl-a-thon at Skyway Park Bowl in Renton. We raised over $30,000 in total! Here are some pictures from today.

Day 70: Spoke Up About Bullying

After a very busy weekend, Jordyn is finally getting back to the 'normal' life. But, if there is one thing that will remain the same, it will be her positive attitude and passion for her platform. Jordyn is an advocate for prevention of youth bullying with her platform titled, "Character Counts."

Meet Jordyn Hall, Miss Lewis County 2012

What is your platform titled?

JH: My platform is Character Counts; Supporting prevention of youth bullying.

How can others get involved with your platform?

JH: Just treat everyone with respect, or if you see someone being picked on, stand up for the targeted person! Because after all that's what a person with a morally sound character would do. 

Why did you choose this particular platform?

JH: I chose this platform because I was severely bullied in high school by my so called best friends. Which in return, made me drop out of school, lose my self worth and made my GPA drop to an all time low. But don't worry! The next year I gained enough self confidence to return and I was a stronger and happier person.

(That is the beautiful and intelligent girl I know! You go girl! ^^)

When doing some research, I came across The Bully Report on Do Something.  This is a full report on bullying for teens in the United States. Included in the report are startling and heartbreaking statistics like the one seen above. In addition, there is also a petition to sign, stating that you will stand up for yourself and others. Of course I signed it and encourage you to do the same; http://www.dosomething.org/bullyreport

Then after Jordyn and I talked, she brought it to my attention that the National Bullying Prevention Center also had a digital petition. I signed that petition as well and again more than anything encourage you to do the same; http://www.pacer.org/bullying/digitalpetition/

This platform is so imperative because so many children experience bullying in different magnitudes. Whether it be a snide comment or physical bullying, bullying is bullying. I, myself, was also fell victim to rude, insensitive and arrogant people, so I definitely can relate. Take a stand, sign the petition and practice what you preach!

As Ellen DeGeneres says-

Be kind to one another.

Kailee

Day 69: Donated to the Ronald McDonald House

This afternoon Miss Seattle wrapped up a crazy pageant weekend. Congratulations to all of the contestants on their success and congratulations to all of the new new titleholders! Jean-Sun Hannah Ahn, Miss Seattle 2012, was another sister of mine who crowned her successor. Within her year, she has be an advocate for the Ronald McDonald House Charities!  

Meet Jean-Sun Hannah Ahn, Miss Seattle 2012

What is your platform titled?
Jean-Sun: Making A Difference in the Lives of Seriously Ill Children: Support for the Ronald McDonald House

How can others get involved with your platform?
The Ronald McDonald House charities is a global organization and anyone can help make a difference, whether is be simply making a donation to the house online, or even donating change to the boxes at your local McDonalds...anything you can give makes a difference. Anyone can volunteer at local Ronald McDonalds Houses, hosting movie night, activity nights and even dinners. Also promoting the organization through various social media outlets via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. The public will know you are supporting and raising awareness for this organization.

Why did you choose this particular platform?
I like to say that this platform found me. I was invited to an event at the Ronald McDonald House when I was a freshman in high school and the moment I stepped into the Seattle House, I knew I wanted to become involved and help make difference in the lives of not only these seriously ill children, but also their family members as well. Many times we don't realize that when a child becomes seriously ill it truly affects the entire family in more ways than one. I knew I could utilize my violin to help bring smiles to children's faces and bring joy in a time of crisis. In addition organizing fun filled events with music provided the opportunity for me to really get to know the children and families serving not only as a role model but also a friend. Consequently, my platform goes hand in hand with Mis America's national platform, Children's Miracle Network. As Miss Seattle, I was able collaborate with both of these organizations and serve as an advocate for both. It was incredible to be able to regularly visit the Seattle Children's Hospital where many of the patients also stayed at the Ronald McDonald House while receiving treatment. I know I will continue to volunteer and serve as an advocate for both these organization for years to come. I am so grateful to have had the many experiences I have had as Miss Seattle and look forward to what my future holds. 

My parents and I traveled to Yakima this afternoon to celebrate my mom's birthday and see the rest of my family. On our way there we stopped at good ole' Mickey-D's to complete my act of kindness for the day (and maybe a shamrock shake). If you haven't ever noticed, each McDonalds has donation boxes in front of the cash registers and/or under the window in the drive-thru. My dad and I both dropped a dollar or two into the box. The money collected from the donation boxes will then be used to help families!

(Jean-Sun and I after Miss Washington)

God bless,
Kailee

Day 68: Donated Books

Meet Kimball Gainor, Miss Whatcom County 2012

What is your platform titled?
KG: READ!

How can others get involved with your platform?
Promote a positive relationship with kids and reading by visiting a classroom, visiting your public library to get involved with, mentor a youngin and spend sometime reading with them. There are many ways to reach the same goal of promoting a healthy and positive relationship with reading! 

Why did you choose your particular platform?
This platform is important to me because when young children begin to read up until (often 2nd and 3rd grade) they begin to read to LEARN. If they have not already developed a positive relationship with reading, their following education is at risk as they are less likely to graduate high school and/or pursue higher degrees in college. My job is to build a bridge while children are still learning to read and develop that relationship, showing them why reading is something to be excited about and not dreaded! 
Photo Credit: Steven Michaels Photography

Although I did not have enough time to get into a classroom to read, I was able to find a collection of my books from childhood to donate. My house in Tri-Cities pretty much shares a backyard with an elementary school, so I thought that was a perfect fit for my donation. I hope the kids will appreciate their new collection of books. I know I thoroughly enjoyed them!

( A year ago when Kimball was crowned!)

God bless, Kailee

Day 61: Had Some Heart

Who will be Miss Pierce County 2013? Tonight, we will find out! Good luck to all of the contestants! I wish I could be there. But before then, it is time to feature another one of my Miss Washington sisters. Miss Pierce County 2012 is Alexandria Henderson!

Meet Alexandria Henderson

What is your platform titled?
AH: Gotta Have Heart; 30-for-30 promotes walking 30 minutes a day for 30 days to promote heart disease awareness and prevention...We are going to pick it up again for April (since it has 30 days.)

How can others get involved with your platform?
AH: Maybe share this Facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/GottaHaveHeartW.A.L.K

I also would add that you can do the kindness for your body and challenge yourself to a 30 minute walk like I am!

Why did you choose this platform?
My favorite uncle died of heart disease at the age of 35. Far too young to lose a family member. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in America, beating out all other forms of cancer combined. Not many people know that. 

Copyright: Ardorlit_Photography


After the game, my family and I headed to Oldtown Scottsdale! This little place is so beautiful, especially at sunset! Fortunately, everything you'd need and want is within walking distance. Here I was able to get my 30 minutes of walking in.

Day 53: Supported PE in Schools

In 24 short hours we will have a new Miss Grays Harbor, which means it is time to meet another Miss Washington sister. Melissa Hornback is our current Miss Grays Harbor and her platform is Childhood Obesity and P.E. in schools. An interesting fact about Melissa is both her and her mom held the title of Miss Grays Harbor. Thank you Melissa for your year of service and best of luck to the contestants.

Meet Melissa Hornback, Miss Grays Harbor

What is your platform titled?
MH: My platform is officially Childhood Obesity and P.E. in Schools.

How can someone get involved  with your platform?
MH: I've focused a lot on raising money to buy simple things like jump ropes to donate to schools. I would suggest talking to an elementary school in your town to see if you could come in to a P.E. class and just spend the day with the kids encouraging them to keep moving. They love it when you do gym class in your crown!

Why did you choose your platform?
MH: I chose it because of a P.E. teacher I had in high school who really emphasized the education side of the class. Kids today go to P.E., they run around, and they go back to class, but no one ever really teaches them about why physical activity is so important. My teacher not only made us run laps and play volleyball, etc., but he talked about the dangers of not exercising, like obesity, which can lead to diabetes and high blood pressure. It really changed the way I look at physical activity and I wanted to share that with kids. 


After talking with Melissa, I was inspired to give back to a local school. I went to Bi-mart and took her advice. I bought a few cans of tennis balls and donated them to the school close by. I remember when I was in school, I would get so excited to have new basketballs or soccer balls to play with. New things can encourage the kids to be more active and I hope that the tennis balls are put to good use!

God bless, 

Kailee

Day 31: A Valentine For Carmen

I have heard through several people now about a young girl going through chemo. Carmen is a 8 year old girl living in Squamish. You can learn more about Carmen and read her story at http://www.caringforcarmen.com or by liking the the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/CaringForCarmen1). She sounds like a fantastic, determined little girl with a lot of strength and heart. 

A friend of mine, who knows her personally, posted a great idea on Facebook. She asked for people to send prayers and valentines her way. I know if I were in her position, I would love the kind words from strangers. So I ran to the store, found an adorable little elephant and a cute box of chocolates. Then, I remembered I had one more Miss America bracelet to give away and threw it in with the rest of the goodies and a note.My friend provided me with the address. If this is something you would like to join in on, please message me for the address. Finally, I sent the valentine her way and hope that it is able to bring a smile to her face!

Have a random act of kindness you would like me to try? Comment below.

God bless,

Kailee

Day 11- MAO Week: Did Something!

Today, was my first full day in Vegas and I had so much fun! My good friend Ali met my mom and me here and we walked the strip! The Miss America contestants did not have prelims today, just rehearsals! In just 24 hours we will have a new Miss America (fingers crossed).

As I walked around Vegas, I was wondering how I could complete my final task while in Vegas. Mandy Schendel, Miss Washington 2012, has titled her platform "Do Something; Enriching Youth Cultivating Leaders." For as long as I have known Mandy, she has always encouraged the younger generation to follow their dreams and just go for it! So, I thought to myself, how can I encourage youth while I'm here? Well, I was shopping around and found the cutest bracelets that said "Miss America" and"There She Is". I bought 5 of them and as the day went on I gave them to little "princesses" and told them I'd see them on the Miss America stage soon! It's simple, but a sweet reward to see the smile on their faces...:)

Watch Miss America tomorrow on ABC! And best of luck to Mandy!!

P.S. Mandy was the preliminary award winner for lifestyle ad fitness in swimwear! She is the first from Washington since 1981! Congratulations!

Day 10-MAO Week: Donated Used Purses

Another contestant that I was so fortunate to meet during Miss Washington was Miss Idaho 2012, Whitney Wood. Whitney's platform is really unique and very easy to support. Her platform is titled Handbags of Hope; Giving women confidence they can carry. Basically, the organization accepts gently used purse donations, which they then fill with 15 essential items that women need. Then they take the filled purses "to women and teens living in transitional housing. [They] support local shelters such as Domestic Violence Intervention Center and referrals."(Handbags of Hope Facebook)

Now, it seems that there is one category of accessories that each women goes crazy for. In my case, I am a purse lover! So, naturally my mom and I had a few nice purses lying around that we would never use again. We sent our purses to:

Handbag of Hope Idaho

290 Plantation Circle

Idaho Falls, Idaho 83404

You can send your gently used purses there, or discover more about Handbags of Hope by checking out their Facebook page!

Miss Idaho 2012, Whitney Wood

Watch Miss America live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Saturday January 12th! 

Have a random act of kindness you would like me to try? Comment below.

God bless, 

Kailee

Day 9- MAO Week: Shh! It's A Secret...

Sometimes you have a plan and sometimes a better opportunity then presents itself. Just now, that opportunity struck me. Although this act was anonymous it still, coincidentally, related to the Miss America Organization! And I PROMISE I actually did something!

The Miss America Organization is the #1 scholarship provider for women in the world. With that said, each contestant works hard to earn more scholarship dollars and earn money for Children's Miracle Network. I am such a fan of this organization, that any opportunity to help in the betterment of young women and make someone's dream feel that much closer I will take!

Today's lesson...it's FUN to do something anonymously for the good of someone else! Try it sometime!

Until next time my friends,

Kailee

Day 8-MAO Week: Supported St. Baldrick's

Tonight the Miss America Preliminary competition began. Each night a group of contestants will compete in different phases of compeition. At the end of each preliminary night, there will be a winner for swimwear and another for talent. I cannot wait to see who the preliminary winners are!

 A few months ago, at Miss Washington, I was so fortunate to meet two of the other titleholders. One of them being Miss Alaska, Debbe Jo Ebben. Debbe is incredibly sweet and so courageous. Her platform is St. Baldrick's Foundation, where participants and cancer patients shave their heads together. Debbe was so dedicated and brave that she shaved her long beautiful locks for this cause. 

Tonight, I bought a new coffee mug in support of the organization. You can donate and/or learn more about St. Baldrick's by clicking here. 

Watch Miss America live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Saturday January 12th! 

Have a random act of kindness you would like me to try? Comment below.

God bless, 

Kailee

Day 7-MAO Week: Donated to The Miracle League

Each contestant who competes in the Miss America system is asked to choose an issue relevant and relatable to them. If chosen as a titleholder, that contestant is then asked to be an advocate for their platform during their year. Over the years, I have seen so many amazing platforms and causes which make the young women in this organization that much more incredible. 

Miss Florida 2012, Laura McKeeman

After watching each contestant's video, I was touched by so many of the contestant's platforms and found that I really related to a few of them. The first platform I related to is The Miracle League. This organization runs baseball games for children with physical or mental challenges. Each player scores and gets to round the bases, which just warms my heart!

As an athlete for so many years, I've realized how important sports are in a person's life. Athletics have taught me so much about myself, working with others and was the first thing that gave me a feeling of accomplishment. I love the idea of The Miracle League because I know what it is like to score a point, make a basket or run the bases. As a child, the feeling is unlike any other and it gives you something to believe in. Everyone should have the opportunity to play the game that they love and most importantly everyone should have something to believe in. 

There is a lot of great gear you can purchase to support The Miracle League, or you can make a simple donation like I did!

Watch Miss America live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Saturday January 12th! 

Have a random act of kindness you would like me to try? Comment below.

God bless, 

Kailee

Day 6-MAO Week: Voted For A Semi-Finalist

Today's act is very, very simple and everyone should take part! Even though I have and will continue to vote everyday, I think this is a GREAT opportunity for others to help make one girls dream come true! If you click here, you can vote for your favorite contestant to have a secure spot as a semi-finalist!

After watching all 53 videos I am astounded and inspired by what the contestants have accomplished.  These girls are more than just a pretty face. They are smart, articulate and determined. I can't wait to see who will be crowned Miss America 2013! I sure do have my winner picked out;)

Click on a video

Watch the video (or all 53 like me)

& vote! 

Watch Miss America live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Saturday January 12th! Also, keep an eye out for my pageant sister, Miss Washington, Mandy Schendel!

Have a random act of kindness you would like me to try? Comment below.

God bless, 

Kailee

Day 5-MAO Week: Donated to Children's Miracle Network

In just one week we will have a new Miss America! As the excitement builds and the contestants get ready to compete starting Monday, I figured I would do my part and dedicate this week to acts relevant to Miss America. I begin my week by donating to Children's Miracle Network (CMN). For those of you that don't know, CMN is the national platform for Miss America and she who is crowned is devoted to representing CMN as the Goodwill Ambassador. CMN was founded in 1983 and became the national platform for Miss America in 2007. The thing that I absolutely love about CMN is the fact that they focus on two main goals; help as many children by raising funds and keeping those funds local.

Here are just a few ways that you can donate to Children's Miracle Network!

1. Simply donate money.
2. Donate time working with the kids.
3. Look for chances to 'buy a balloon'.
4. Donate toys or other goodies to put a smile on a child's face. 

Watch Miss America live from Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino, Saturday January 12th! Also, keep an eye out for my pageant sister, Miss Washington, Mandy Schendel!

Have a random act of kindness you would like me to try? Comment below.

God bless, 

Kailee