The Big Splash!

Me with the Mastermind Behind the Event, Barbara Arnold-Herzer!

Tonight I had the opportunity to do some promotion and fundraising for my local pageant organization through the 1st Annual Big Splash event at Moorpark Presbyterian Church! The event featured several non-profit organizations that were in need of funds, including Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County (of which Vanessa, below, is a participant!), the United Cancer Advocacy Action Network (UCAAN), the Rotary Club of Moorpark, the local food pantry, and a Military Appreciation Organization! The attendees enjoyed a yummy dinner, excellent entertainment, and donated to the causes to which they felt most passionate; in addition, each organization featured a raffle or silent auction item; all of the proceeds from the items went directly to the organization.
Overall I was able to raise $180 for the Ventura/Santa Barbara County Scholarship Association! It was a successful night of growing and giving- a true reminder of what it means to serve!

Guests Enjoying the Giving Atmosphere!

Me with the MCs; they were awesome!

My Information Station!

Me with Vanessa!

Simi Valley Days Parade!

This morning Simi Valley had their annual fall celebration and kicked off the festivities with their annual Simi Valley Days Parade! We were a record #19 in the lineup!
It's always wonderful to get to meet the people of the county I serve and represent! Everyone on the parade route was very kind to me! Along the way, there was a mother and her red-haired daughter; when the mother saw me, she pointed at me, looked at her daughter, and said, "Look honey, she's a redhead!" The daughter then looked up at me- and suddenly her eyes grew wide, and she started waving at me! It felt SO amazing to give a girl that may have been a little insecure about her hair color some comfort... just another reason why I love being Miss VC! <3

Our Wonderful Ventura/IJM Crew and Princesses!

A Great Shot of My Teen and Me!

This Navy Sailor Was Kind Enough to Pose with Us! =)

Me with Miss CA IJM Kim Bebo <3

Pom Pom War!!

Me with Miss Teen Simi Taylor Thompson <3 

With Miss CA Princess Alyssa Horton <3 

Teen & Miss 4eva! <3 

Me with Princess Bella! =)

Shared a Car w/ My Teen! We had fun!

<3 <3 <3 

Moorpark Chamber of Commerce Breakfast

Me with Rotarian and Field Representative Adam Haverstock

This morning, I woke up extremely early (for me! haha) and attended the monthly Moorpark Chamber of Commerce Breakfast at our very own Moorpark Country Club! I got to eat a very tasty breakfast and talk with a lot of local business owners in the community of Moorpark about the Ventura County Scholarship Association and all of the wonderful tools I have acquired from being a part of this local organization and the Miss America system; in addition, each person in attendance had the opportunity to promote their business and/or cause to the entire room for 30 seconds, so I was able to get the word out to everyone attending that we are in need of corporate sponsors and scholarship donors! I even had a few businesses approach me after the program and express interest in donating! Woo-hoo!!

Overall I had a great time meeting more fantastic people from my wonderful hometown community of Moorpark! =)

Me with Chamber Chairman Robert Sichmeller and Director of Operations Abigail Sichmeller! =)

View form My Seat in the Breakfast!

I love my job! <3 

Moorpark City Council Meeting!

Wow, what an incredible day!
Tonight I went to the Moorpark City Council Meeting to speak on behalf of the Ventura/Santa Barbara Scholarship Association; we are in need of funds to keep giving our contestants scholarships for their education! I also had the honor and pleasure of leading the Pledge of Allegiance at the start of the meeting! I wish I had some pictures to post of me speaking, but it was not appropriate to take pictures during the meeting...
I spoke about my experience competing and how much I have taken from my time with the Miss America Organization. I also spoke about how important our organization is and the invaluable skills us contestants learn while preparing for the pageant: interview skills, communication skills, the ability to bring oneself to an interview, and how to present oneself in public with poise and grace. Finally, I spoke on how vital it is for the community of Ventura County to come together and help keep our pageant running... hopefully the City Council will be the first step! =)
Tonight was my first step in addressing each of the City Councils in Ventura County and raising awareness for our organization; hopefully this will not only bring more scholarship funds to our organization but will also recruit more contestants throughout the county!

Me at My House Before the Meeting...

...And Me Outside City Hall After the Meeting! Victorious! =)

Super Heroes Super Readers @ Moorpark City Library!

Yesterday afternoon, I had the opportunity to visit the Moorpark City Library and read to the kids as part of the Super Heroes Super Readers event! The event included a very entertaining magic show from Super Powerful Ultra Dave, a costume parade, prizes, and Princess Corner!
Miss Teen Moorpark Emily Gratke and I had the pleasure of running the "Princess Corner" together! I kicked things off with a performance of "Almost There" from The Princess and the Frog; Emily then read her super story Violet the Pilot, and I read the classic fairy tale Cinderella; we finished with a group song, "Part of That World" from The Little Mermaid! I then stayed afterward to talk to the kids and sign autographs =)
It was such a wonderful event with a great turnout! For more information on the Moorpark City Library and upcoming events, check out their Facebook page and the Library website!
Libraries are such an important part of our communities; I encourage you to get involved with your local library by volunteering your time, donating books and/or funds, and getting a library card and taking advantage of all the resources your library has to offer!  =)

Super Powerful Ultra Dave!

Singing to the Kids; SUCH a blast!

Emily and I Helping Give Out the Prizes!

Reading Cinderella to the kids! 

I was more than happy to sign autographs!! I felt like such a rockstar!! =)

Have YOU read a book today??

Miss CA Homecoming Luncheon!!

On Saturday, September 8, our very own Miss California 2012 Leah Cecil enjoyed a warm welcome back to her hometown of Garden Grove! To celebrate her homecoming, the Miss Garden Grove and Miss San Diego Organizations hosted a luncheon that featured wonderful food, excellent entertainment from select Miss CA contestants and the American Boys Choir, and the presentation of homecoming presents to Leah, including certificates of honor and recognition, an iPad from her San Diego Committee, and a 2013 VW Passat to drive for the remainder of her reign from one of her sponsors, the VW of Garden Grove!
I felt SO very blessed to receive an invitation to the party! It was so amazing to get to see a lot of my pageant sisters again and to have the opportunity to chat briefly with Leah about her journey so far and to wish her luck at the Miss America Pageant in January! She is such a kind, caring, and beautiful person; I am VERY excited to see her compete on the National stage!

The Luncheon

Leah welcoming her guests!

Me with Miss Garden Grove 2013, Missy Mendoza =)

Me with Miss City of Orange 2012, Megan Wisler

Me with Several Local Titleholders! Reunion! =)

Leah and her Father Dancing to the American Boys Choir's rendition of "Can't Help Falling in Love with You;" it was truly a beautiful moment, there were definitely some tears in my eyes! <3 

Leah and her Mother Performing Together; ANOTHER tear-jerking, beautiful moment!

Leah and Me Around the Time We First Met...

...Leah and Me Today! SO blessed to know this girl! <3

Arts Under The Stars!

Enjoying an Evening of Twilight at the Walnut Grove!

This past Thursday, I had the honor and privilege of volunteering for Arts Under the Stars, an annual fundraiser benefiting the Moorpark Foundation for the Arts! I kicked off the event by singing the National Anthem and then helped draw the raffle ticket winners and manage the live auction with fellow local titleholder Elizabeth Sutton (Miss Teen Twin Counties). The evening consisted of a lovely dinner, terrific entertainment provided by performers of the High Street Arts Center and the Ballet Folklorico Mestizo of Oxnard College; a silent auction with tons of amazing prizes, a raffle with more amazing prizes, and a live auction featuring prizes such as a name engraving on a seat at the High Street Arts Center, a beautiful painting of Babe Ruth commissioned by Julia Ruth herself, and Ellen DeGeneres tickets!
Overall, the event raised well over $3,000 in the live auction alone! I felt so blessed to be a part of such a wonderful fundraiser and part of such an incredible program that supports the local arts in Moorpark!! =)

Singing the National Anthem!

Presenting my Dad with a Raffle Prize! Haha =)

The Incredibly Beautiful Babe Ruth Painting!

Drawing Some Lucky Raffle Tickets!

Elizabeth and I Enjoying Dinner!

Elizabeth and Me with Foundation President Lou Valdez!

Like Mother Like Daughter! =)

Just Two Beautiful Ladies Enjoying Volunteering! <3 

Jaguar/Land Rover of Ventura Dog/Car Wash

On August 25, the Jaguar/Land Rover Ventura dealership hosted a car wash and auction fundraiser to benefit the Animal Shelter of Ventura and the National Police Dog Foundation. I had a lot of fun attending the event and lending my services by helping present donation checks to the organizations and helping out with the silent auction! The day featured car and dog washes for visitors, wonderful barbecue, an adopt-a-dog booth with tons of adorable furry pets up for adoption, and two incredible demonstrations from the Ventura County Police K-9 Unit! They demonstrated how their dogs find drugs, find hiding suspects, and attack fleeing suspects; it was unbelievable! It was eye-opening for me to speak to the officers and hear how much work they dogs really do and how valuable they are to our very own Sheriff's Department.
For more information or to donate to such a worthy cause, click here!
To know more about the Ventura County K-9 Unit, click here!
And finally, to adopt a pet in Ventura County or to find one that has been lost, click here!
Thanks for reading! Enjoy these photos from our most successful event!

The K9 Unit Demo!

Demonstrating Arresting a Suspect

Me with Tracey and Retired K-9 Adam!

Me with Officer Eric Jackson and K-9 Eron!