Saturday, September 20, 2008

Ready to Roll..

It has been quite some time since I updated you on just what exactly I have been doing! This will also be the last time I am able to update you until I return home from L.A. I have been keeping busy with my appearances, working out with Trainer Dan and Paul, running (a LOT), and planning fundraisers for the weeks between when I return home and when I leave for Las Vegas for Miss America!

I have been recovering from Strep Throat this week. Originally I thought that this would bump me back from the progress I would like to have made these past few days as I prepare for my trip to L.A., but being sick was surprisingly a good thing! It made me just rest and relax, although I could have done without the sore throat (hehe).

A couple of weeks ago, I volunteered in the Hope Dental Clinic all day with Dr. Mercer. I try to volunteer as an assistant or a "rover" every time they hold the clinic, which is a few times per month. Fortunately, the majority of our patients kept their appointments. On the flip side, it is not entirely uncommon for us to mark down "No Show" next to a patient's name, so I'm glad to know that this problem is hopefully improving.

The Milford Riverfest event was also on the books a few weeks back. I joined Sue, Mrs. Kemmerlin, and Linda at our recruiting table. Fortunately for all of us, Sue remembered to bring her pop-up tent, so the sun was not beating down on us all day. We were selling raffle tickets for a magnificient "movie basket" that we had on display, as well as fund-raising coupons to Boscovs. I don't recall how much money we made, but it was a great contribution to the organization. It was a good learning experience too; I will never forget to bring a money box! We were cramming all of our money into Sue's change purse because we all forgot to bring a money box! (haha)! Another thing I learned: don't go to Milford with Mrs. Kemmerlin if you want to get anything done in a timely fashion because she knows everbody!!! I kid you not, Mrs. Kemmerlin knows every Milford resident and their family members. It's actually quite funny to watch her try to remember their names ;).

The following Monday, I drove to Sue's house to meet her after work. It was the day of the Miss America Lottery!!! Many of you don't know what this is, but it is basically the way that the Miss America contestants choose their contestant group/number for the pageant. The groups are based on the order of competition. The contestant order for choosing was drawn randomly, and we didn't know what number we are until it popped up on the screen, but there were only three contestants on the computer screen at a time, so we stared at that screen for hours!! It was a good thing I didn't have another appearance that night, because I would surely have been late! Although it was lengthy, it was a fun experience, and it gave me a chance to practice my name/state memorization for the contestants!

I was invited to be a judge for the Miss Assisted Living pageant that was held at the Milford Senior Center! This was, by far, one of my most memorable appearance to date. These ladies were adorable and so excited to get out on that stage! I judged with Senator Gary Simpson. I run into him all the time, and he and my mom have known eachother since they were kids, so I always enjoy seeing him around the state! We had a blast judging all of these ladies and listening to their answers for the On-stage Question. Every contestant was in their 80s or 90s which made the whole show even more unbelievable! There were three crowns given; one for the winner, and one for each of the first and second runners-up. This was the first time the assisted living facilities had created a pageant like this, so I hope that they do it again next year!!

One week ago, I finally had the chance to attend my first local pageant for the 2009 Miss Delaware year! The contestants did a fantastic job and I thoroughly enjoyed chatting with them in the dressing rooms before the pageant started. Congratulations to Julie and Idara!!! and also to Kayla and Carly, although I was unable to come to the Miss Wilmington pageant. I am also very excited to see new faces at these locals!! Prior to the pageant and during intermission, I was holding a jewelry sale to benefit Children's Miracle Network. My mom has a knack for making beautiful earrings, so I figured I would put her to work!! She enjoys helping out, and I definitely appreciate everything that she does! The sale was a success and I hope to hold this at the local pageants in the future! I'd also like to mention that I will never be afraid when I'm with little Sarah. She told me while we were backstage that "If anyone comes down here, don't be scared. I know karate." (haha) Those little girls did a great job on stage as princesses!

Earlier that morning I joined Mrs. Delaware, Lili, at the Grand Opening of the Lewes Automall. From radio interviews, to performing on the piano, to pictures with convertibles, and amazing pulled pork sandwiches, we had a blast! The salesmen were busy all afternoon selling cars, and we were meeting and greeting! I especially liked the steel drum performer! He did a great job! I wish that I knew The Little Mermaid songs so that we could have played together!

Unfortunately, I did not make it to the Scholarship Symposium this past Thursday. I came down with Strep Throat this week and did not feel well enough to attend this appearance. To be honest, I was also still contagious at that point so for the sake of everyone it was best that I did not go.

Last night on the other hand, I was feeling much better!, although my throat was still very sore. I went to the Billiard Tournament at Dover Downs. There were pool players from various places as well as Nascar drivers!! I met and chatted with many of the drivers which was so exciting, especially considering that one of them used to date a former Miss Missouri!!! There were two people (Fred, a cook from Dover Downs and Brian, from American Builder) that were playing to raise money for the Miss Delaware Scholarship Organization. Whoever won the tournament had a check for $10,000 to present to the non-profit organization of their choice. They both did a fantastic job!! I enjoyed watching all of the games of 9-ball! Fred made it to the final championship rounds, but was beat out by Casey Mears! Casey donated the money to the Alzheimer's Association. We all had a great time and I got a few pictures and autographs from the drivers that were still around after the tournament ended.




Today will be jam-packed with running errands, getting some of my shoes fixed, and PACKING!! I have gotten a lot of the packing done, although my bedroom looks like a tornado came through. Sue will be coming over later tonight to make sure that my packing is sufficient. Three weeks on a reality tv show requires a LOT of clothing, shoes, jewelry, and toiletries!!..nothing I can't handle though.

I am so excited for the filming of Count Down to the Crown. For many of the contestants and I, this will be a reunion!! but for some like Colorado, Hawaii, and Alaska, it will be the first time I get to meet them! I know that we are going to have an absolute BLAST in Los Angeles and hope that everyone has a safe flight.

I hope I don't miss too much in Delaware while I am away! I will talk to everyone when I get home!!!


xoxo Galen

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Here, There, and Everywhere..

These past few days have been filled with all sorts of appearances, workouts, and other preparation!..oh and a new puppy too!!!

This past weekend, my brother was honored as he was declared an Eagle Scout at his final Court of Honor. Our family and friends came to witness the event from all over DE, PA, and even Tennessee! It was so nice to see everyone and I'm so excited for Phillip. It is truly a great honor to have reached this rank in the Boy Scouts and I am so proud of him for all of the work that has gone into this since the time he began boy scouts years and years ago.

As soon as the Court of Honor concluded, I was whisked away back to my house to get my crown and sash and then headed down to Lewes for the Children's Beach House Fundraiser. My chaperone, Dolph, and I had a great time!! We chatted with many people, bumped into gals from the Miss Delaware Org., and ate great food and even more desserts!! He just kept handing them to me! I had never been to the Beach House before but it is an incredible building and every inch is made/decorated to be inviting for children.

The following day, I arrived at the Slaughter Beach Vol. Fire Co. for their Open House event. I saw a few familiar faces, since some of the volunteers had been at the Ellendale Fire Hall a few weeks ago when I made an appearance! I chatted with ladies from the Kennel Club, shared some laughs with the State Trooper, enjoyed hearing the Milford Community Band perform, and spent time with the kids that took part in the event..while they weren't playing in the fire safety "Smoke House."

I almost forgot; WE GOT A NEW PUPPY!!!! Her name is Lilly and she is the cutest little thing I've ever seen!! She goes from an energetic playful mood to being so sleepy she's just got to take a snooze; typical puppy right? I think the other dogs are warming up to her nicely :)



Hope everyone has a great week!!!

Thursday, August 21, 2008

..many new faces and Orlando exploration

Last week, Sue and I embarked on a trip to Orlando where we attended various meetings, enjoyed time at Sea World, but most of all, supported Mandie as she competed for the title of Miss America's Outstanding Teen.







When we arrived, Sue and I got a little bit of sleep, thankfully, since our flight arrangements got a little crazy. Not to worry though, Sue and I know just what to do when we get stuck in an airport for hours; sit in massage chairs at Brookstone, eat lunch, read, read, read.



The next day involved a lot of focus as I began the daunting, yet exciting, task of trying to remember the names and states of every Miss America contestant as I met them! I had the opportunity at least meet, if not get to know, 40 of the Miss America contestants which was so exciting! I had many great conversations and experiences with these beautiful and talented women. We appeared on the Daily Buzz show, spent a day in Magic Kingdon in Disney World, saw the Shamu show in Sea World, and watched the Teen pageant each night! The sock hop was one of my best memories of the trip. Once the auction was over and we got back out on the dance floor, we all had a BLAST! I was surrounded by teen contestants, miss contestants, the outstanding teen of 2008 and Miss America 2008! What a sight that must have been!! From Mickey Mouse to the enormouse convention center where the pageant was held, to VIP fast passes on the rides in Disney, I definitely saw a great deal of Orlando, and spent the week the best way possible!







Sue caught on to a few odd facts about me throughout the week, especially my inability to wake up to one single alarm. I usually set at least two alarms, but since I had to wake up before Sue most of the mornings, I only set one so that I wouldn't disturb her. Well, the result of that strategy was Sue having to wake me up after I subconsciously turned off my alarm and went back to bed...every..single..morning. Sorry Sue!!! I arrived early to every single meeting/trip/meal though!



Once I realized that nothing was going to change the fact that I had permanent goosebumps in FL, I began really being able to focus on the activities and events we were participating in. See, in Florida, there is no happy medium when it comes to temperature; it's either dreadfully hot and humid outside or incredibly cold inside. I must say, I was thankful to step outside whenever we had the opportunity to do so; it gave me a chance to thaw!





Sarah was one little Delawarean that was able to come to Orlando. She did such a great job on the stage as one of the princesses!! I always enjoy watching her have a ball in front of an audience! ..and she always manages to end up right on my lap =P



Of course the main reason we were all there was to support Mandie! She looked beautiful and poised on the stage and did a great job when performing her talent! I was so proud of her and certainly did my fair share of cheering when she was in the spotlight!



I had a great time on the trip and cannot wait until I get to reunite with the Miss America contestants when we arrive in L.A. for the reality show filming.







Since then, I have been pretty busy. I got my hair cut, and it turned out shorter than I anticipated, but I love it!! My hair feels so much more healthy now; it was just getting to long. On Tuesday, I attended a Dentistry for Disabilities meeting and gave a small speech to the audience. I learned quite a bit, and have a new branch of dentistry to add to my Dental Outreach focus! This morning, Carol and I went to a Making Strides for Breast Cancer Breakfast. We ate great food and listened to a handful of wonderful speakers who shared not only what the organization does, but also the milestones that the survivors have overcome. It was very inspiring to hear the survivors speak. I'm sure I will be attending more of their events in the future.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Thursday, August 7, 2008

Busiest Week So Far..

This has been the most hectic week since I won my title almost two months ago.



On Monday Sue and I embarked on a little trip to Milsboro and Milford to scope out the wardrobes of two other ladies. Melanie and Rich Hatter's son's girlfriend let me try on some of her dresses; three of them worked so that was a success!! In Milford, we went to Bliss' house to try on some of the clothes/dresses that she no longer wanted/needed. Apparently, Bliss and I look good in the same clothes because EVERYTHING fit and just about EVERYTHING looked great! We were all amazed at how well everything seemed to work! Sue and I went home with garment bags and garment bags FULL of dresses, shirts, and suits. I am so extremely appreciative of all that these ladies provided me with! It was so kind and thoughtful of them to do that, and it is more of a help than they think!!! THANK YOU!!


The Delaware Electric Coop event was held on Tuesday at the Harrington Fair grounds. Susan and I attended this together. We looked at all of the exhibits and ate a delicious dinner! I met many people, signed many autographs, and took a lot of pictures! I also happened to bump into my first piano teacher from years and years ago; what a reunion!! Ms. Fennel hasn't changed a bit!!














Last night was my appearance at the Blue Rocks game in Wilmington. I was able to throw out the first pitch with a few other fans. Throughout the game, I had a dental exhibit displayed for the Blue Rocks fans to take advantage of. From a sandbag toss game in the shape of a tooth, to prizes for kids, to free toothbrushes, floss, dental educational cd's, and dental-related activity worksheets, we had "the bases covered!" My dad and Bob kept me company and helped me with the dental table. The homemade sandbag toss was a hit!! All of the kids loved it and I will be able to use this throughout the year. I gave out over 100 toothbrushes, an entired big box of mini floss containers, and all of the worksheets! I came home empty-handed, which is exactly what I wanted. These items were donated by Dr. Kidd in Dover and Dr. Pilsbury in Dover. One girl (she couldn't have been more than 14 years old) told me, after asking me a few questions, "It's nice to know that there are really people out there who care." It made me realize that to some, that dental table may have been just a handful of free items, or a game to play, but it impacted others in a positive way. As Miss Delaware, I represent not only our state, but everything that I'm involved in, including the Miss Delaware Organization. To show someone, like this young lady, that our organization is here to impact our community is exactly what I set out to do each time I step outside. I really appreciate her comment because it lets me know that we're on the right track!!

A radio interview is how I began my day this morning! I drove to New Castle and was interviewed by Mark Fowser. The interview will be on the air this weekend on 92.9 if you'd like to find out what we talked about!


Now I'm just getting ready for my trip to Orlando for the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant and the Miss America Workshop. GOOD LUCK AMANDA!!!!

Friday, August 1, 2008

It has surely been too long since my last update! I've had a lot of new experiences and am now anticipating Mandie's send-off part tonight, for the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant!

I'll give you a brief update about how July went for me!

It started out with the Town of Wyoming meeting. I saw many familiar faces since many of the Wyoming residents are members at my church. They all so thoughtfully honored me at this meeting, and even bumbed me to the beginning of the meeting so that I didn't have to stay for hours!

I had a blast travelling to Pennsylvania with George and Sue to watch the Miss PA pageant! There were many wonderful and talented contestants, and it was nice to take a look at what other state pageants do during their Miss pageant. I even bumbed into two of my judges from Miss Delaware. Needless to say, I gave them both BIG hugs!!Congratulations to Kendria! She played the piano beautifully and I'm excited to meet her again in Orlando!

I had one of my favorite appearances just a couple weeks ago! The Best of Delaware event! I had a great time last year, and knew I'd have a good time again. I was showcasing clothing from Lady's Image, so I was changing outfits every 30-40minutes. This may sound like a lot of wardrobe changes, but I'll tell you what; it was nice to be able to switch shoes that often! My feet never hurt because I was always changing shoes!!

I went to the fair with Linda for Governor's Day and had such a great time! We started the day off on the right foot after I won the annual Egg Tossing Contest! We were all over the fair grounds; from watching my first horse races, to laughing uncontrolably during the Pig Kissing Contest, to riding the Ferris Wheel with Lt. Governor Carney, holding baby chicks, and even seeing a real "Fightin' Blue Hen!" I met a lot of people and had to opportunity to visit many exhibits and tents that I had never seen. We were also very fortunate in the weather that day; it was beautiful outside, sunny, and breezey. We couldn't have asked for more! I was also asked to perform at the Governor's Dinner, so I played on my new electric keyboard! It worked out so well! We finally got to kick back and relax as we watched the Martina McBride concert from the air conditioning. The golf cart ride back to the car was a little challenging since my piano comes with many other "accessories (stand, pedal, bench, etc.)," but luckily, we had a nice group of gentleman that helped us!

I've also discovered a new workout that I love! Brittany and I went through a Crossfit routine a few days ago, and boy was I sore the next day! It gets tough to push through the last couple loops, but we knew we were working very hard, and it was quite obvious when I could barely get out of bed the next day!

Tonight is Mandie's Send-off party and I am so excited for her! She is going to represent Delaware so well in Orlando and I know she's going to have a blast!!! She will come home with 49 new friends! I wish her the best at Nationals, and will definitely be there cheering her on!!! GOODLUCK MANDIE!!!! We are so proud of you!!!