It's Almost Christmas!

Since I've talked to you last I have been crazy busy, but what else is new?  I recently tag-teamed an awesome event at the University of Buffalo with my good friend Katelynn Smith otherwise known as Miss Empire Rose 2012.  The event was a Dance Marathon affiliated with Children's Miracle Network (the National platform of the Miss America Org).

There were so many people, many more than we had anticipated which was wonderful.  The event raised thousands of dollars for Women and Children's Hospital of Buffalo.  One thing that was really great about the event was how colorful it was.  The basketball court was filled with happy students in every color of the rainbow.  At the beginning of the event it was explained to everyone that each color represented a child who was in attendance that was either fighting pediatric cancer or who had recently finished treatment.  I was touched at what a great idea that was.  It really connected the students to an individual child and their story and there was so much hope and great energy in the building.  I was a bit confused though when I didn't see a child with a blue shirt like the ones Katelynn and I were wearing.  Then at the end of the presentation we were told that the blue shirt represented the children who were too sick to be there that night.  I was honored and also saddened by this realization until I met a girl named Stella.

Stella, or "Stella Swift" as many like to call her, is a little girl who is bravely fighting leukemia.  She has a lot of ups and downs and I was grateful that she was feeling well enough that night to grace me and everyone else with her presence.  She was also feeling well enough to bounce around with her best friend in the bounce house, (each girl adorned with matching sequined hats.)  Stella has one of the best personalities I have ever been lucky enough to witness.  She was team "red" in honor of her favorite artist Taylor Swift's new album.  Now if you know anything about me, you would know that I immediately wanted to steal her and run away and sing Taylor songs all day.  Instead, we danced the night away and tweeted Ms. Swift and talked.  I learned that she uses music as therapy and that her dream is to record with Taylor herself.  We had lots in common regardless of our age difference. 

Overall the night was a huge success and it was great seeing the kids running around happy, carefree and feeling like the little celebrities that they are.  This was the first time that UB has hosted this event and I really hope they have it again.  Below is the photo that we tweeted Taylor of Stella, myself, her best friend and her little brother Nigel (what a cute name!)  Also, please click on the link that says Stella's name and "Like" her facebook page and pass it along, it really means the world to her!

 

In other news, I recently received a tentative job offer from U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and I am extremely excited!  I was pretty down when I realized that I wasn't going to be receiving a call for a different police job I had worked so hard on but I realize now that bigger things are in store for me.  I was reminded recently by a good friend of mine named Shelby that "God does everything for a reason" and boy was she right.  It will inevitably be a very long background process but I will keep you all posted.

I am also very excited to visit Watertown in a couple weeks!  I will be gift-wrapping as a fundraiser with my Teen Maggie Ackerman and my Star Princess Veronica Neff at the Ritz Day Spa and Salon.  The Ritz is the official Salon and Spa of the Miss Thousand Islands Pageant and they keep me looking great from head to toe with their skincare, haircare and luxurious make up.  There will be two separate dates, December 15th and 22nd from 10:30am to 1:30pm.  Please stop by for some glamorous Christmas cheer and let us make your Holiday a little easier by wrapping your gifts!

Three more things on my agenda, the first is to tell you about my friend Aili Makuch.  Aili is a 16 year old girl who is a family friend and is also battling pediatric cancer, multiple forms of it.  Her and her family are struggling with this fight physically, emotionally and financially.  Hoping to ease some of their burden, a benefit basketball game and benefit dinner has been organized.  When I was asked to take part in this event I was a bit hesitant because my ball game isn't all it used to be.  Then I was told that they wanted me to sing the National anthem and had no intention of allowing me to touch a basketball, so I said I was in.  The event is this Saturday evening and I can't wait!  It will be a great event filled with good times, laughs, great people and great food.  For more info please visit the event page on facebook and if you would like to donate money or any kind of goods to Aili or her family please email me at MissTI2013@gmail.com

Second to last item on my list is me pleading with you to spend 30 seconds a day and vote for my amazingly talented friend Mallory Hytes Hagan, Miss New York 2012 as America's Choice 2013!  By winning America's Choice Mallory will have a secured spot in the top 15 (as if she wouldn't anyway!) I am so proud of the hard work she has done for this organization in the past year and am proud to call her my dear friend.  She has been competing in this organization for ten years and has done more than earn her stripes.  She is educated, funny, down-to-earth, talented and never forgets where she came from.  This June she made me feel comfortable in an extremely intimidating environment.  I am so grateful to have met her and I know she will make us proud.  Please help her in her journey to Miss America 2013 by voting once a day (it is VERY easy) by clicking this link: Vote Mal!! Love you Mal!  I will be having so many heart palpitations on January 12th you have no idea.

Last on my list but most certainly not least, I have received my official autograph cards as an early xmas gift from my Miss TI family!  I am so excited to give them out so if you have an event you would like me to attend please email me at MissTI2013@gmail.com, you can also send me your address and I will mail you or a loved one an autograph for free!  I am more than willing to send cards to service members at home and overseas as well!  Below is a sneak peak of what my cards look like, with wonderful photography by Priscilla James.

 

Until next time, 

Peace, Love and Deer Jerky ;-)

Lonna 

Reggie Bush: The Backlash

I was contacted tonight by my good friend from Rochester with a simple text saying: "nice article in Yahoo! Sports."  Um...what??  Ladies and gents, I do not play sports, and if I did, my skills would not grace the pages of a National news site, so I was pretty confused as to what he was talking about.

With my head still spinning, full of confusion and curiosity, I asked him to send me the link.

The title to article was: "Reggie Bush Bashes the Women of Buffalo." 

Oh, ha ha!  Yet another joke about Buffalo.  I sigh, roll my eyes and start reading.  Keep in mind, this isn't the first time an NFL star has bashed Buffalo.  Earlier this year, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady bashed the conditions of Buffalo's hotels, and a few years ago, Buffalo's own Willis McGahee publicly bashed Buffalo as a whole, so it wasn't a surprise to see that someone else had something to say.  I also wasn't surprised that my smarty-pants friend thought it would be funny to scare me into thinking some news blogger at Yahoo! Sports wrote something about me.

However, I was surprised to see my four points on my screen when I scrolled down the page.  Some news blogger HAD written about me on Yahoo! Sports!!  Had he heard I had that I had a crush on Mr. Bush?  I was sure that it couldn't be for two reasons: 1) I can't compete with miss Kim Kardashian, 2) a Miami Dolphin can't be with a Bills fan. (FYI: I crushed on him when he was a Saints player, WHO DAT!)

Apparently I was referenced in this article as the "exception to the rule" when it comes to Buffalo women being trashy.  I don't know where this stigma came from but it is obnoxious.  It is cold here, not very comfortable for people to play football in (or walk their dog) if they weren't raised here or trained in these conditions.  Sorry buddy, stinks for you.  But I still don't get it, why all the bad animosity when it comes to girls from Buffalo?

I promise you, I am not the exception to the rule.  I am an average girl who works and goes to school and there are plenty like me.  After pondering this for an entire hour of my life, I have came to the conclusion that Mr. Bush, Mr. MaGahee and Mr. Brady are just hanging out in the wrong part of town.  What do you think?

I will leave you with some of my favorite BuffaLOVE moments:   GO BILLS!

Children's Miracle Network event at Women and Children's Hospital

Working with teen girls on dating violence issues at a Fellowship in Buffalo, NY

Liebster Love

I am always honored when I receive any kind of award, be it the blue ribbon I won in a Grape Stomping competition or being honored at an Alumni gala at my college.  My most recent nomination came from my amazing pageant director/fashionista/food enthusiast Shelby Cohen.  If you haven't heard of Shelby, (I'm Sorry!) but here is her blog: Big Hungry Shelby.  She has amazing input on all topics but mostly spends her time being fabulous and exploring fabulous new foods.  Shelby recently nominated me for a "Liebster."

This Liebster thing is a blogging award system based on paying it forward to other up and coming bloggers you like, and to encourage more networking throughout the blogosphere. What is a Liebster? Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing, and welcome.

Here are the rules for receiving this award:

• Each person must post 11 things about themselves.
• Answer the questions that the tagger set for you plus create 11 questions for the people you’ve tagged to answer.
• Choose 11 people and link them in your post.
• Go to their page and tell them.
• No tag backs!

Eleven things about me:

1. I spent a majority of my life with my grandparents and was extremely close to my grandpa.  I now have creepy interest in having long conversations with old guys, especially veterans.  Not only do they remind me of my papa but they also have amazing stories to tell.
2. I was born in Virginia, on  the coast, because I was a Navy baby....and I hate swimming.
3. I love running long distances to clear my mind, but don't have the time to do it as much as I would like to.
4. I have tattoos...yes, I do pageants and I have tattoos.  They are all in places that can be covered in a job interview and each have a meaning. One is about my grandpa, one for my grandma and one is an anchor for my Sailor dad who is a Vet.
5. I have done everything possible with my hair; extensions, blonde, red, black, brown, long, short.  You name it, I've done it...except for dreads.
6. I have a SERIOUS addiction to premium television shows.  For example: True Blood, Dexter, Girls, Game of Thrones.
7. I love country music and dream of singing at the Grand Ole Opry someday
8. I have a not-so-secret obsession with Taylor Swift.  I know her shoe size and birthday.  You can stop reading now if you want.
9. I hope that within the next five years I will be a police officer
10. I love love love Sour Patch Kids
11. I love being in calm settings.  Don't get me wrong I love my Iphone but if I could get rid of all of my electronics (except my music) I would dropkick them all into Lake Erie.

Shelby's Questions for me:

1. What is your favorite dish containing bacon?  Bacon wrapped scallops
2. What is the foreign country you've most loved visiting or would most love to visit? Kenya was amazing and I plan to take my children there some day.  I truly believe it is God's land
3. What were the top five meals of your life?  I have an awful memory so this question is a fail for me.  Also, I love food and after going to Kenya I truly am grateful for any meal I receive, no favorites =)
4. As a child, did you have an imaginary friend? Who or what was it? I was an only child for ten years of my life and I didn't have an imaginary friend but I was extremely close with my dog Buster.
5. What color is your bedroom painted? Gray...does that mean I'm boring?
6. Do you have recurring dreams? If so, of what? When I was little I used to have really freaky dreams involving the not-so-jolly green giant but it's been years since I've seen him.  Now I just have pageant nightmares involving my arch-nemesis beating me lol
7. What two people, living or dead, real or ficticious, would you want to be stranded with on a deserted island?  Garrett Hedlund and Garrett Hedlund's clone
8. What is your favorite kind of lip balm? Burt's Bees Grapefruit
9. Do you have a favorite spice or herb? What is it? Cinnamon
10. Who is the person who always brings a smile to your face, and why is that? She isn't a person but she always, always brings a smile to my face.  Her name is Bracie 
11. What is your favorite children's book? HARRY POTTER!

So....I am not extremely popular so I don't have 11 friends but here are some pretty interesting blogs! Please check them out!!  Tag guys...you're it!!

1. Mallory Hagan at Miss New York 2012
2. Chelsea Brumagen at You Don't Need a Crown to Be Miss America
3. Gabriella Lexer at Life Without Hair 
4. Patrick Scullen at Engaging with Conflict
5. Theresa Guirola at A Day in the Life of Tiny T 

Here are my questions for you:

1. What is your comfort food?
2. Favorite place in the world to travel?  And/or dream destination?
3. Favorite shopping location? (Can be online)
4. Animals?
5. Hidden talent?
6. What's your favorite holiday?
7. Best gift you ever received
8. Favorite article of clothing
9. Last book you read
10. Favorite band?
11. Your role model

Keep it going!

Lights, Camera, Priscilla!

Last weekend I went and spent my weekend in the Thousand Islands with my "second family."  I had so much fun, it's ridiculous.  Friday afternoon and Sunday morning I shot with my photographer Priscilla James of High Key Photo here are some sneak peeks from our session!

Then Saturday morning I had a "Welcome Home" breakfast for me to meet my extended Miss TI family.  I also had the pleasure of meeting my princess Veronica and crowning her.

Meet Veronica!! 

The last really neat thing I was able to do was tour the beautiful Thousand Islands with my boyfriend Joe and co-director Shelby.

 

Joe and I in the Thousand Islands

 Shelby and I on top of Boldt Castle, gorgeous, but scary (I hate heights)

I little collage Shelby made of my Thousand Islands ventures.

Last but not least, um, my birthday is in 19 days!  Woo hoo!

Until next time...Love, Lonna

Goodbye Summer...Helllllo Football!

Hi everyone!

Just wanted to give you an update on my past couple weeks, nothing too crazy but here it is...

I started a new job at hospital working in the Emergency Department which is extremely interesting. Hopefully it will give me some good experience for my future (police work hopefully) in regard to dealing with traumatic experiences.

I've also finished my NINTH graduate level course! Whoa! Not to pat myself on the back but I feel pretty accomplished :-)

I have been dating an extremely wonderful guy named Joe and had the pleasure of meeting his awesome family this Labor Day and also attend his cousin's wedding. It was such a great time. (Some pictures of me, him and his niece below!)

Last but not least, some cool news is that I am finally spending a weekend in the Thousand Islands! I am so excited for my first photo shoot with my sponsor and to spend time with my TI family and meet all the formers. I pinky swear there will be MANY pictures to come of this weekend :-)

until then, Go Bills!!

-Lonna

Housekeeping

Hello all, just wanted to give you a brief update on my life in the past week or so.  I started classes again (after only one week off) and I am taking Criminal Law right now.  It is actually very interesting but it gives me a lot of room to voice my opinions on the law and sometimes that is not so good. :-)

 Anywho, I am also still processing for the New York States Parks Police.  Not sure if I mentioned this before but if you have read any of my tweets ( @LonnaLu or @MissTI_MAO ) you would know how excited I am to possibly be getting this job.  I have already tested for the physical (runing, sit ups, push ups and swimming), the medical, the psychological and now I am just hammering away at a bunch of paperwork while they background check me....and everyone I have known since the first grade.  Kidding, kind of.  This is actually the dream job of a lifetime and if I get it I will be able to retire at 43 years old and teach Criminal Justice at the college level (another dream of mine).  If you are a Criminal Justice student like me and are looking for a job, they are actually about to administer the written exam (the first step in getting any police job) in November, all across the state.  For more info and an application, check out their website at http://nysparks.com/employment/park-police/default.aspx

But besides that I really haven't been doing anything too crazy, just trying to relax on my week off before life got crazy again.

On a different note; I realized after I wrote my novel-length first blog that I never explained exactly why I told you so much about my past.  I told you that so that you could understand the reason for my platform.  My platform is called "Love Shouldn't Hurt: Teen Dating Violence Awareness."  I try hard to emphasize the word "dating" because many like to replace it with the word "domestic" which implies that a couple is living together (usually not the case for teens) and also sounds a lot scarier.  When students or parents hear the word "domestic" they immediately think of fists being thrown and bruises on their little girl.  They don't always realize that the bruises aren't always visible and that girls can hurt just as much as boys.  My main goal as Miss Thousand Islands 2013 is not to go to Miss America (although that would be pretty neat) but it is to educate the youth in New York state on the dangers of teen dating violence.  The ultimate for me would be to get teen dating violence to be a part of our teenagers education curriculum (perhaps in health class?)  If any of this interests you and you would like me to speak to students or just have a "hang out" with students or young adults at your school, church, soccer team, etc. please contact me at MissTI2013@gmail.com and also, feel free if you are going through something yourself to send me an email.  I am always hear to help but if you don't feel comfortable talking to me or would like to talk to someone completely anonymous you can check out this really cool website http://www.loveisrespect.org/ their livechat is ALWAYS running online or you can even TEXT them!!  Text "loveis" to 77054 for help.

So now that you know a little bit more about me let me tell you a couple exciting things coming up!!

-I was asked to represent my undergraduate school, Hilbert College, at a local alumni networking night in Buffalo, NY on October 18th.  I was asked specifically because my school wants 3 "young successful alumni" to feature.  Pretty cool eh?  I won't be going as Miss TI, just little ol' me but I am still very excited and honored.  Hilbert is the reason I went to Africa, worked for the Secret Service and they also sponsored me for Miss NY last year so I pretty much love them!  Their 8 core values of Peace, Love, Joy, Respect, Service, Integrity, vision and compassion have really shaped who I am today and I am really honored. 

-Also, I will be doing my first photo session on September 28th with my new photographer, the official photographer of Miss Thousand Islands 2013, Miss Priscilla James of High Key Photo.  I am so excited!

Speaking of awesome sponsors, I would like to take a minute to thank the wonderful companies and individuals who donated to this years pageant to make it so great:

-Watertown Savings Bank

-Big Apple Music

-A Touch of Grace

-The Ritz Day Spa and Salon (AND thanks for all my goodies!! :-) )

-Waterbury Fine Jewelers

-April McClintock Photography

-Dancing Queen Studios

-Image Now

-Gray's Flower Shop (My flowers were lovely!)

-Big Hungry Shelby www.bighungryshelby.blogspot.com

-Page Fitness

-Stewart's Shops

-Mary Kay Cosmetics, Barbara Yerdon

-Cam's Pizza

-Jreck Subs

-Morgia's Pasta

-Attilio's

and  Bella's Bistro

Until next time... Lonna

Hey!! My name is Lonna and I am your new Miss Thousand Islands!!

This past Saturday, August 11, 2012, I was honored to compete with six other amazing and talented young ladies at the Miss Thousand Islands 2013 pageant.  I feel honored to have been chosen as the recipient of the Deltra Willis Talent award as well as actually winning the title of Miss Thousand Islands 2013 and a chance to journey to Miss New York 2013.  But before I tell you any more about the pageant, let me tell you a little bit about myself...

My name is Lonna, and I was born on October 29, 1989 in Norfolk, Virginia where my dad was stationed with the U.S. Navy.  Very soon after that I moved to a place I call home, Irving, NY.  Irving is about 45 minutes south of Buffalo, right on Lake Erie.  I have spent most of my childhood playing on the beach on the Lake, taking dance classes and singing in any choir that would take me.

My childhood was fairly normal except for a couple things:

1.  My parents were separated when I was a baby (which really is not abnormal to me, I just got extra presents and I also got to travel more)

2.  I watched my mother be involved in a domestically violent relationship

Now I do not mean to tell you the second part for you to feel bad for me or to make this blog sad or very serious but whether I like it or not this event truly shaped who I am.

Later on when I was in high school I found myself in a relationship with a boy who seemed almost perfect except for the fact that he wanted to control everything I did.  At the time, being 15, I didn't see a problem with someone wanting to know who I was with, where I was going, when I would be back and always making me if what I was wearing was "inappropriate." 

I had witnessed physical dating violence but wasn't aware of what verbal and emotional violence was until after I had finally escaped the grip it had on me and was only left with the scars it left on my soul.

For a long time I was very insecure with myself.  I loved singing, dancing, being on stage and just entertaining people in general but I found myself hiding in a crowd; no chance of me trying out for a solo or a role in a musical.  It wasn't until I finally decided to compete in a local pageant that I finally started finding my courage again.  I have been competing ever since, for eight years now, and each time I improve and become more comfortable in my own skin. 

I competed in my first Miss America local in 2010.  I finished as second runner up to Miss Buffalo 2011, Desiree Wiley.  I had such an amazing time that year that I decided to come back and compete again the next year, and it just so happened to be my time.  I won the title of Miss Buffalo 2012 and represented upstate in the 2012 Miss New York pageant this past June.  I had an amazing journey that culminated with Miss New York week.  During that week I met amazing women from throughout the state, was pushed to my physical emotional limits, did my personal best and grew as an individual more than I could have imagined.

It wasn't easy to not make the top ten but I don't give up that easily.  I knew I wanted to go back to Miss New York and I knew I had to start working on it right away.  During pageant week I one of the young ladies I was fortunate to grow close to was Miss Thousand Islands 2011, Allison Carlos.  In getting to know Allie I realized how passionate her local was to making her be the best she could be and on top of that, they simply treated her like royalty!  I knew that if I was going to be successful during my last eligible year of pageantry, it would be with a nurturing and passionate organization like this one.

That brings me to my current story; Miss Thousand Islands 2013.  I feel so blessed to be representing the upstate region at state yet again and I cannot wait to see what this year brings.  I will soon be touring Clayton and the surrounding areas to learn more about my new territory.  I am hoping I can go scuba diving in the Golden Crescent, take a boat tour and go to the zoo.  I will make sure to fill you in when I do all or any of those things!  Until then here are some pictures from this years show!

Me and some girls from In Motion dance studio, where Allison teaches

Me, Katelyn Smith (Miss Empire Rose) and Jesse Ladoue (Miss Western NY)

For more pictures check out our facebook at Miss TI Facebook 

I will leave it at that because all my other blogs are going to look incredibly short compared to this =)  Have a wonderful night!!

Love,

Your Miss TI, 

 

Lonna McCary