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July 20, 2010

Hi, my friends!

Well, this Saturday marked my first month as Miss New Jersey. You know, I just can’t believe it.  Each day, even when I think I have received more blessings than one can possibly deserve, I meet one more person, or encounter one more experience that makes me more thankful than the day before.

My first official appearance as Miss New Jersey was the Ernst & Young Entrepreneurship Gala, where I had the pleasure of presenting awards to the very deserving award recipients. One of my newest claims to fame…I met the young lady who created the Switchflop! Yes, I actually had a very nice conversation with Lindsey Phillips’ mother before the gala and I had the distinct honor of presenting the award to Lindsey. She is such a remarkable individual with a warm heart whose creativity and inner drive speak volumes about the difference our youth can make in the world. Her idea began as a high school art project, her innovation launched an industry and her love for her work continues to cultivate and promote her line of shoes. Congratulations to Lindsey and her Switchflops!

I am also thankful for meeting a very special veteran who has graciously devoted the last 40 years of his life to honoring our fallen servicemen and women. Sunset Beach in Cape May is the site of the Evening Flag Ceremony between the months of May through September. One day, I stumbled upon this time-honored tradition and had the opportunity to talk to its founder, Marvin. Marvin is one of the wisest and kindest people I have ever met, and I was so fortunate to be a part of Thursday, July 8th’s Evening Flag Ceremony. Our country’s National Anthem has never sounded as sweet to me as it does at the Flag Ceremony each night. The lowering of the flag brought tears to my eyes, reminding me of the sacrifices our servicemen and women in every branch of our military have made throughout our country’s history. Marvin doesn’t take even half of the credit he truly deserves; he is an inspiration.

While we’re on the subject of inspirations, I must recognize Dancer’s Care Foundation and the Starbound National Talent Competition that was recently held in Atlantic City. The philanthropic creation  of Miss New Jersey 2002 Alicia Luciano Assad and Sandy Coyte of Starbound, Dancer’s Care Foundation has raised nearly half a million dollars for breast cancer research since its inception. The foundation which garners funds through dance competitions and events, such as Miss Star of Hope, dedicates 100% to research projects at Strang Medical Facility. These phenomenal young dancers not only danced their hearts out on stage all week, but they also managed to remain poised and beautiful through the oppressive heat that overwhelmed Boardwalk Hall when the ac broke in AC (no pun intended…oh, who am I kidding?). I had the honor of spending two days with Starbound during the week, and I couldn’t be more thankful for having had this opportunity. The stories I heard and the people I met all influenced the way I look at dance…and at life.  Thank you so much to the Starbound staff and dancers. I wish you the best as you continue on to your competition in Lake Tahoe and continue raising funds and awareness for breast cancer.

Surprisingly, I also made another appearance to support the fight against breast cancer. This time it was “Babes Burnin’ Rubber” at New Jersey Motorsports Park in my beautiful hometown of Millville. Rosemary Brahin, a breast cancer survivor, and her best friend Patti Feeney partnered with Susan G. Komen to organize the inaugural event. I was astounded by the amount of work, care, and detail these two women dedicated to this fundraising event, which included a walk, countless sponsors and vendors, celebrity go-kart racing and an evening concert. I, once again, fulfilled my lifelong dream of riding in a golf cart while wearing the Miss New Jersey crown and sash (already fulfilled once at the Philadelphia 4th of July Parade) as I sat in the back of the “pace golf cart/car” during the walk around the race track. It may seem like a small feat. Trust me, it made my day J. After the opening ceremony, I was rushed to the go-kart track for official go-kart training. The folks at NJMP go-kart track did their very best to prepare me for victory, but even they underestimated my poor driving skills. For whatever reason, speed and control don’t belong in the same sentence to me…which would explain all of the pushed barriers and spin-outs. It was completely fine though. My driving coach told me that spinning out and skidding into barriers is the first key to racing success. I’ve always said, “Go hard or go home.” After winning second place (there were two drivers in my race, myself included), I traded in my racing gear for a beautiful Nicole Miller original that was graciously provided to me by Nicole Miller Philadelphia for the VIP reception at the NJMP Clubhouse. I had the opportunity to walk the red carpet, pose for pictures, and reunite with some of my fellow go-kart celebrity racers. It was one of the most fun-filled and exhausting days, and something I will remember for the rest of my life. And for anyone who is wondering, my little go-karting escapade left me sore for the next two days. I won’t be turning in my crown and sash for a helmet and fireproof suit anytime in the near future.

Although I’ve had the opportunity to appear at a wide array of events with many interesting people, nothing could have prepared me for the heart-warming appearance I encountered this morning as I spoke to children from the SHINE neighborhood summer day camp program in my hometown. Sixty-four children will spend the week engaging in different activities and learning about the importance of making the right decisions when faced with difficulties in life. As I spoke to the campers about the importance of never giving up and persevering when life is difficult, I looked at all of their little faces and saw so much love and admiration. When you see a child’s face light up as you ask a question about his or her dreams or sign a T-shirt or thank him or her for giving you a silly band, you realize the power you hold as a mentor and a role model. It still astonishes me to this moment. I did not become the person I am today on my own. I am living proof of the adage “It takes a village to raise a child.” I am so proud to have represented my small hometown, my county and, now, our beautiful state – places comprised of people who have shaped me into the young woman I am today. There are plenty of times when I simply look at the Miss New Jersey sash and think to myself, “No other state name could possibly look as beautiful on this sash as ‘New Jersey.’” I’m sure many of you will agree, but I think that’s because we feel the pride and see the beauty in being New Jerseyans. See? It’s pretty tough to not have a sense of community spirit when you look at it that way J.

Speaking of pride and community spirit, I want to recognize Bella Limousine Company for its selfless sponsorship and incredible generosity to Miss New Jersey 2010. I have been traveling in style and I cannot thank Bella Limousine enough for allowing me to relax during those long drives! If you’ve witnessed my go-kart driving, you understand the true depth of my gratitude.

There is so much I want to tell all of you about, but I think that might be enough for now. I promise I won’t wait so long to write my next blog entry. Until next time, I send you each all my love and best wishes. I sincerely hope that today and tomorrow and the next day, you will wake up to find that you have one more thing to be thankful for than the day before. I’m looking forward to all that tomorrow holds in store for all of us.

All my love,
Ashleigh
Miss New Jersey 2010

 

 

July 1, 2010

Hi, friends!

The year 2010 has certainly been a year of many “firsts” for me! Besides the obvious “first” of wearing the Miss New Jersey crown, this is also my first blog entry! I hope that all of you reading this will enjoy the first entry and follow my blog for many more to come! My sincerest wish is to share as many of my experiences as Miss New Jersey as I possibly can, hoping that you will all feel like a special part of my Year of Service. It’s difficult for me to decide where to begin, but here goes!

First and foremost, I want to extend a special “thank you” to all of the volunteers, sponsors, hostesses, and security guards who made Miss New Jersey week possible. To Lou and Sally, the co-executive directors of Miss New Jersey: Thank you so much for your tireless efforts. The countless hours you spend scrutinizing over the smallest details, from the production to the paperwork, will never be fully known to all of us, yet you always have that little bit of extra energy to squeeze out a smile. To our State Field Director, Silvia Barthold: You are definitely the “proud mama” to all of us contestants, in addition to keeping all of us (and our paperwork!) in order. I can’t wait to see the group picture in the hotel lobby with all of the Miss NJ girls and you, sitting front and center. It’s the perfect example of how we all think of you – in the center of it all. To Lisa Pawlus, our State Field Director: I hope you enjoyed your first year behind the scenes because we certainly loved having you there! Not only did you help us with all of our paperwork throughout the year, you were also the best crossing guard at the pageant! We couldn’t have stopped traffic all by ourselves! Thank you for spending the week with us. To all of the ladies and gentlemen who volunteer on the Pier: Thank you for transforming the Music Pier into our “home away from home” for the week. From ticket sales to stocking the refrigerators, you do it all! It means more to all of the contestants than you think. To our pageant producer, Michael Ciuffo: I would rather call you “our fearless leader.” Not only did you teach 27 Miss NJ girls one fierce zumba number in one morning’s rehearsal, you also lifted our spirits when we needed it the most. To our assistant producer, Diana Salameh: Thank you for fluffing all of our gowns backstage before evening gown competition. Your sense of humor was something bright to look forward to each and every morning. To our featured performer, John Zisa: You melt all of our hearts with your voice and your compassion. A very special thank you from the 27 girls with the googly eyes sitting in the audience during your rehearsals. To all of the hostesses: I can’t imagine the relief you must feel once you are finally rid of all of us at the end of week, but I hope you know how much you are loved and appreciated. From the zipping of the gowns and gluing of the swimsuits to the endless escorting to the restrooms and hugs of encouragement, you truly are the “unsung heroes” of the Miss New Jersey Pageant. And to the security guards who ensured our safety all week: I cannot imagine a more intimidating bunch of individuals! Thank you for watching over us so closely all week. To Richard Krauss, the official photographer of Miss New Jersey: Miss New Jersey week may have only lasted a few short days but, thanks to you, the candid moments that made each day memorable are captured in photos that will last a lifetime. Thank you for taking the time, as well as each snapshot. Finally, I must recognize the generous and thoughtful sponsors who supported the 2010 Miss New Jersey Pageant. From food and lodging to gifts and wardrobe, the 2010 contestants received only the best thanks to the kindness of the many sponsors who believe in the mission of the Miss America Organization. Words can’t express the gratitude I feel for not only receiving such wonderful gifts, but also the reminder that there are countless members of the community who are willing to open their hearts (and also their restaurants!) to otherwise perfect strangers, stating that their reason is simply because they believe in giving back. We would not have been able to have this opportunity if it weren’t for our sponsors, and all of the “thank you” notes in the world still wouldn’t be enough.

This “thank you” is a personal “thank you” from me to all of the 26 contestants with whom I had the honor of sharing the week and the stage. That week was one of the best weeks of my life. I still find myself reminiscing about our trip to Smithville and the late nights spent joking and laughing hysterically in the “gathering room.” I remember talking with Melissa Ruiz, who I was honored to stand next to in the final two, and she said something I’ll always remember… “Miss New Jersey might be the sorority, but I’ve always felt that the groups of girls who compete with each other year are the ‘real’ sorority.” I couldn’t agree with you more, Melissa. The Miss New Jersey Class of 2010 will always hold a place in my heart. It is with each of these intelligent, beautiful, talented and genuine representatives in my heart that I will continue on to Miss America, carrying the lessons of life and laughter that have shaped me into the person I’ve become. I am both honored and humbled to represent all of you and I hope you all realize how much you have influenced me.

I am so fortunate to have encountered so many wonderful people and experiences in the time I have competed in the Miss America Organization. I spent four years competing at the local level before winning the title of Miss New Jersey, and I am grateful for each and every one. With each new person and experience, another piece of my life and my sense of self had fallen into place. In essence, I grew up in this program. I began as the soft-spoken teenage girl who thought that competing in pageants would be a fun way to earn scholarship money, and I have matured into the young woman who has found the confidence to pursue every dream and is using her new sense of self to advocate for the issues that mean the world to her. The journey certainly wasn’t easy, but it led me to the place I stand today…and I wouldn’t have had it any other way. To those reading who have been parts of that journey, I thank you with all of my heart. To those I haven’t yet met, maybe our paths will cross soon and you’ll become a part of the journey I have yet to travel. As I said before, it has been a year of “firsts.” Although this is my first blog entry you will read, I hope it won’t be the last. From all that I’ve seen so far, it is going to be quite a year…and I hope you’ll be there every step of the way.

Love always,
Ashleigh

 

 


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