I just got back from Miss America's Homecoming in Indiana! Last Friday I traveled to Indianapolis/Zionsville/Carmel to participate in events celebrating Katie Stam's win. The trip started out great from the start...on my plane from Tampa I made three new friends from the University of Florida who made the plane ride go by really fast! They were on their way to an Ultimate Frisbee tournament in California! Best wishes guys!
I left the three musketeers on the plane and was welcomed to Indiana with what the natives call "Hoosier Hospitality". Now I know why they are famous for it! Me and the 10 other State Titleholders were treated like royalty! That afternoon we went to Zionsville High School for the Performing Arts to rehearse for the show that night. It was such a great reunion! We got to see Katie and give her a big hug before the show got started. She was still glowing!
For the first half of the show we sat in the audience with our sashes and crowns and enjoyed the entertainment, which included performances by Miss America, Miss America's Outstanding Teen, Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen, the 4 runners-up from Miss Indiana 2008, and some professional dancers. What a show!
After intermission we performed our talent pieces from Miss America, which was so much fun!! The audience was really receptive and I always love performing! My MAO 2009 sisters who were there include: Miss Arkansas, Miss California, Miss Illinois, Miss Iowa, Miss Kentucky, Miss Michigan, Miss New York, Miss Oklahoma, Miss Tennessee, and Miss Utah. We had a blast!
After the show were were invited to a reception at the home of a former Miss Indiana. She was a lovely host and had a beautiful house. It was a great time to mingle and of course, munch on the amazing hours d'ouvres she served! At the party I met Miss Indiana's Outstanding Teen 2006 who roomed with our very own Miss Florida's Outstanding Teen 2006, Sydney Keister, at the 2007 MAOT pageant! I also met Nicole Rash, Miss Indiana 2007, who was 1st runner-up at Miss America 2008!
The following day was full of fun appearances that the Miss Indiana Organization had planned for us. We went to a really neat boutique that the Miss Indiana Contestants always go to called "The Secret Ingredient". They had super cute stuff!
Outside of Nana's Flower Shop (one of the sponsors we visited)
We were then treated to lunch at the Cobblestone Grill before having a 2 hour autograph session at an art gallery called "The Sanctuary". Later we were informed that around 1100 people came through and we signed at least 400 autographs! Whew! I hardly noticed until it was over and I realized how many pictures I had gone through! It sure was fun though...being there with the other girls...getting to see so many people...especially when they recognized you from TV!
One of my favorite memories from that day is of our ride back to the hotel when our fabulous host Michael (aka "TDH" - Tall, Dark, and Handsome) drove us through Wendy's in a 15 passenger van and got us all Frosties!! And they say "pageant girls don't eat"...ha! We couldn't have been happier with our cookie-dough goodness! (YES, they have cookie-dough Frosties now!)
That evening was the Gala where we had a nice dinner and were each given the chance to tell of our favorite "Katie Moment". I shared about the wonderful lunch we had in Tampa after the Super Bowl. I will never forget that day, as everything was still so fresh and it was so neat to hear about all that Katie had done and was getting ready to do as her year was getting started.
With Katie Stam, our 2009 Miss America!
With Miss America's Outstanding Teen, Taylor Fitch - what a sweetheart!!
With our dear Sam Haskell III, Chairman of the Board of MAO
The whole evening was truly beautiful as people shared their hearts and we celebrated Katie and this great Organization. It was an honor to be a part of this very special occasion. Congratulations, again, to Katie, her family, and the Miss Indiana Scholarship Pageant. Go get 'em girl!!
Well, now that my hands official hurt, I am going to call it a night. But I did want to mention that I was able to stay in Indiana for a few days after the Homecoming and see my extended family I have there! It was a great time of fellowship and memory-making. It was neat how I was able to have that little bonus on the trip. My family was literally in the same city as the Homecoming!
God bless,
Sierra
1 comment:
Hi, it sounds like you had an amazing time on your trip. If you are back in Florida would you be interested in coming to Palm Beach? don't worry I am not a stalker. I am also a girl (my name is Amen Pawar-LaRosa) and I work for a PR company in West Palm Beach. Our client is opening a lounge and restaurant in Palm Beach and it is going to be "the" event of the season. We would like to offer you a VIP table whenever you visit Palm Beach. The grand opening is this Thursday from 9-11p. If you were to attend I would help coordinate press to meet with you etc and promote your visit. If you like you please email me at amen@shaminbaspr.com or call me at the office at 561.366.1226. I know my name is a little strange. My origin is from India and I was born in England so I have a British accent :)
Post a Comment