VAF Workshop - October 28, 2007

Today my mom, Esther, Laverne, and I all traveled to Reflections in Harrisonburg for a Miss Virginia Association of Fairs Pageant Workshop. I would strongly encourage future Miss ACFs to attend, as the day was filled with valuable information. We went over all the details of the competition to know what to expect and did mock interviews for practice and feedback. We also learned about the clothing and proper fit that was expected. I found the perfect interview suit at Reflections! I have a lot of work ahead of me, with preparing my speeches & outfits and practicing for interview, but I am looking forward to it! Thanks so much to Krystal and the rest of the VAF pageant crew for the wonderful resource! Thanks to Sara, Miss VAF 2007, for all of your help!

Closing Day of the Fair - August 5, 2007

It was sad to see the fair go! I watched the tricycle competition and tried some of the interesting fair food--deep fried Snickers and Oreos. Both were tasty, but the Snickers was better! I also enjoyed playing Ski Ball and won some prizes. Everything was a little slow, as it was coming to an end and beginning to shut down. The fair was an amazing experience that I'll never forget.

Time to begin preparing for the Miss Virginia Association of Fairs Pageant coming up in January!

Day 5 of the Fair - August 4, 2007

Today sure was a long day--the fair opened at 10 AM. First I watched the Basketball Hoop Contest, and then began preparing for the main event of the evening: Jason Michael Carroll! Karla and I set up the reserved seating section and had to chase of some crazy fans. The Meet & Greet began, and Karla and I hosted, ushering people in and out. It was so cool to meet JMC! I got my picture taken with him and he autographed my CD. He was really nice and seemed like such a normal guy.

The concert was awesome--especially the front row seats! We definitely had a great view and the music was wonderful! JMC was a big highlight of the fair experience.

Day 4 of the Fair - August 3, 2007

I took part in the Watermelon Seed Spitting contest today and got 2nd place! My distance was 10 feet, 1 inch. The winner's distance was 11 feet, so I wasn't too far behind. I also went to the Buyer's Appreciation dinner and 4-H auction. I attended the Husband Calling contest and passed out awards. That was a funny competition--my mom got 2nd place (and embarrassed herself!). Just another fun-filled day at the fair!

Promoting the Fair - August 3, 2007

I appeared today on NBC29's noon broadcast. Christina Cruz interviewed me live, asking me questions about myself and about the fair. I invited everyone to come out and enjoy the fair. This was my first live interview, so that was a neat experience!

Day 3 of the Fair - August 2, 2007

Today was a busy day at the fair! It all started with the 4-H show, where I learned a lot about livestock. Miss Albemarle, Ryan Tillery, and the other Albemarle princesses were visiting and we had the traditional Fair Queens vs. County Queens tug-of-war competition. We almost had them, but lost it in the end! It was exhausting, but a lot of fun. Miss Virginia Association of Fairs, Sara Wirtala, was also visiting, and it was great to meet her.

Another highlight was competiting in the pie eating competition. I was competing against a bunch of guys from the Marines! I didn't win, but I sure tried. Rick from 3WV didn't show up for our challenge--I think he was too scared I would beat him!

Senior Citizen Day - August 2, 2007

Senior Citizen Day took place from 8:30-11 AM this morning. Seniors came, free of charge, to enjoy a complimentary breakfast from Erica Hall. Erica and I also did a cooking demonstration on how to make a tasty and healthy granola. There were also presentations from UVA Community Credit Union and Morningside assisted living facilities. I drew tickets for door prizes and after the presentation, the guests enjoyed the fairgrounds. Everyone had a blast!

Day 2 of the Fair - August 1, 2007

I judged the pound cake contest today along with the Anniversary Queen (Karla), the CBS19 sports team, Erica Hall of From Scratch Baking Company, and my mom. We sampled 19 different pound cakes and scored them on flavor, texture, moistness, originality, and creativity. We sure were full after we finished! The top three winners are eligible to enter their original recipes at the state fair.

Karla and I also took part in the Cross-Cut saw competition. It was really hard, but we did it! A pair of men went after us and they were extremely fast. I think they had had a lot of practice, though! The second day of the fair was even more fun than the first, and I'm sure the rest of the week will be a blast as well.

Special Needs Day - August 1, 2007

Special Needs Day took place from 8:30 until 11 this morning at the fairgrounds. About 100 people attended, including children and their families or caretakers. The Albemarle Cheerleaders were there to lead in the spirit and fun, and country singer Miranda Townsend opened the event with her wonderful music. The kids had so much fun dancing and listening to the singing! Next, Erica Hall of From Scratch Baking Company provided cookies to decorate. That was a blast, and the cookies were delicious! The kids were then free to check out the tents and livestock, and the merry-go-round and Ferris wheel were open to ride. Everyone had a great time--the event was definitely a success!

Grand Opening of the Fair - July 31, 2007

The fair has finally begun! The first night was awesome. It all started with the grand opening--I was brought in on a horse-drawn carriage and the other princesses followed behind in a Clydesdale-drawn carriage. I cut the ribbon and the festivities began! The rest of the night was filled with fun and laughter as I explored the fairgrounds, checked out the different tents, and rode amusement rides. I'm looking forward to the rest of the week!

Promoting the Fair - July 31, 2007

I had to be at the fairgrounds this morning at 4:45 AM!!! It was still dark and we were meeting to be interviewed live by Audrey of CBS19/ABC16/FOX27. Unfortunately, the technician couldn't get a signal for the live shot, but we filmed a taped interview to appear on the morning news. It was so funny because the goats in the petting zoo jumped in front of the camera while filming. The goat was trying to eat the cameraman's straw hat!

We also headed over to Clear Channel Radio to talk to Pam of Country 99.7. This is my favorite station, so it was really cool to meet Pam and see the place the music comes from! After finishing at the radio, I went to get some rest for the big opening night of the fair.

Promoting the Fair - July 30, 2007

Today we met with the Charlottesville Radio Group to promote the fair. I was interviewed on WINA, 3WV, 106.1 "The Corner", and Z95.1. It was a lot of fun! I challenged listeners to enter the Mr. & Mrs. Potato Head contest and even challenged Rick of 3WV's Big Greasy Breakfast to the pie eating contest!

I also went back to the Charlottesville Newsplex to be interviewed by Beth Duffy. I promoted the fair and with appear in Tuesday's Family First segment on CBS Channel 19 at noon. Everyone at the station was so nice and it was so cool to see how the news is broadcasted. I can't wait until the fair!

Photo Shoot - July 20, 2007

We had a wonderful photo shoot today at Gitchell's Studio. Jim Carpenter took gorgeous photos of the younger princesses and me. It was so much fun to get dolled up and dressed in our gowns, sashes, and crowns. I can't wait to see the photos!

Commercial Filming - July 19, 2007

Today we filmed a commercial for Special Needs Day at the Fair. Karla, Miss Anniversary Queen, and I advertised the event, which will take place on Wednesday, August 1 from 8-11:30 AM. Children with special needs and their parents/caretakers are invited to the fairgrounds for a day of fun! Events include cookie decorating with From Scratch Baking Company, entertainment by local country singer Miranda Townsend, and cheering with the Albemarle High School Cheerleaders.

Karla and I had a blast filming the commercial. After several phone calls regarding our wardrobe, we selected red blouses. My mom, Carol, and Esther had a fun time watching us get tongue-tied with the TelePrompTer! We didn't need too many takes to get through the script, but you should try saying "cookie decorating" on the spot!

The commercial will air July 24-31. Thanks to the CBS 19, ABC 16, and FOX 27 newsplex for your patience and a wonderful commercial!

Miss ACF Scholarship Pageant - June 30, 2007

The Miss Albemarle County Fair Scholarship Pageant took place on June 30, 2007. What an amazing experience! After having practice the weekend before, I had spent the week preparing my 30 second speech for interview and practicing my walks and the opening number.

I felt really good about my interview. My speech went well and the judges were so friendly and easy to talk to. They asked me questions about my speech on Albemarle County and about various items on my application/bio sheet. My 30 second speech went as follows:

"From the beauty of the rolling Blue Ridge Mountains to the charm of Downtown Charlottesville, Albemarle County is, without question, a wonderful place to live. Albemarle County's versatility proves to be an impressive quality, as its citizens can enjoy dining, arts, and entertainment comparable to that of large cities, with beautiful countryside as a backdrop. This unique balance between rural and metropolitan, infused with charm only a college town can provide, is why I am proud to call Albemarle County my home."

After my interview, I stopped by Smoothie King to visit my friend Rachel K. and grab something to eat. Then it was over to the Charlottesville Performing Arts Center to practice for the evening's competition!

The pageant began with an adorable line dance/opening number to "Rock My World Little Country Girl". I wore a black cocktail dress and western boots. Next came casual wear, in which I modeled chocolate brown Bermuda shorts, a white cotton tank with brown and gold designs, a tan beaded necklace, and brown espadrille wedges. Following casual wear was the evening gown competition. I wore a beautiful light pink beaded gown. Many thanks to Amber C. for helping me out backstage, whether it be curling my hair, gluing my dress to my sides, or just giving me moral support!

Following the gown modeling, all nine contestants were ushered back onstage for a surprise game of "Who's Your Daddy". All fathers and significant others were (somewhat forcefully) brought onstage and paired to their delegates with audience support. That was a lot of fun!

Finally the moment we had all been waiting for came: The Crowning. As our hearts beat heavily in our chests, they announced Adria as the Photogenic Competition winner and Taylor as Miss Congeniality, as voted on by all the contestants. Alana was awarded 2nd Runner Up and Meredith was named 1st Runner Up. Congratulations Adria, Taylor, Alana, and Meredith! Next Karla, The Anniversary Queen and Emcee, announce that contestant number 6 was Miss Albemarle County Fair Queen 2007! I had won!

As I had already competed in two pageants, making Top Seven in the first and 1st Runner Up in the second, I had imagined this moment so many times. However, it still felt unreal as I walked forward, hugged the reigning Miss ACF, Kelly, and had the crown pinned to my head, the sash placed over my shoulder, and the trophy placed in front of me. Hearing cheers from my friends and family in the crowd was so amazing! Many thanks to my friends, Ally H., Anna W., Rita H., Carly A., and Amber C., my boyfriend James, my parents Beth and Andy, my sister Courtney, Mrs. Luck, and Mrs. Amburn. I appreciated your support so much!

I then took pictures with the runners up, the Teen, Pre-Teen, Little, and Baby Miss ACFs, and my friends and family. After thanking the judges, I took my awards and an armful of flowers back to the dressing room to change and clean up. After the pageant, the Albemarle County Fair Board took my mom and I out to dinner at Rhett's. Thank you so much for the delicious meal!

I am so excited to spend the year as Miss Albemarle County Fair Queen 2007. I can't wait to attend the fair July 31-August 5, travel to Williamsburg for state competition in January, and promote my platform, Crohn's and Colitis, throughout my reign. I hope to be able to make a difference in our community. Thanks again to everyone who supported me at the pageant, Esther for organizing the pageant, and the judges for giving me this opportunity. I'm looking forward to an amazing year!