Children’s Miracle Network-Sanford Radio-thon

This morning Miss Eastern Dakota, Miss Empire, and Miss Red River Valley’s Outstanding Teen and I had the wonderful opportunity to tour Sanford Children’s Hospital in Fargo, ND. I was amazed by the artistic atmosphere and the staff’s dedication to making the hospital as comfortable as possible for the children and their families. One of the staff members told us that her focus was to ensure that the children still had time to laugh, play, and use their imaginations in the play room. She believed that it was a part of the healing process and helped the children to forget the “scary” things that would come with treatment.  Between the caring staff, beautifully decorated environment, new technology, and health care professionals Sanford is truly a wonderful hospital for children and their families.

Next, it was time for me to get on the phone and call individuals from the community that have donated to the hospital in the past. 100% of the money went directly to Sanford. I enjoyed making the calls and speaking to people who were enthusiastic to donate and help in any way they could. I am happy that I raised a good amount of money, because every little bit helps and I got to see exactly what it was going towards today.

This morning was an eye-opener for me. I realized how powerful the Children’s Miracle Network is by seeing the smiling faces of patients and feeling the sense of hope and perseverance that everyone there had. The Children’s Miracle Network not only gives children and their families access to the medical treatments that they need, but they also provide comfort, hope, and support. I am now more honored than ever to be a part of the Miss America Organization’s effort to raise money for the national platform of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals!

Kate Wilson
Miss Grand Forks 2012

Grand Forks’ Outstanding Teen & Complete Nutrition Sponsorship

This past weekend I had a great time being a part of the Miss Grand Forks & Miss Grand Cities Outstanding Teen Pageant, held at the Empire Arts Center! On Saturday I attended the dress rehearsal and helped the teen contestants with their modeling walks. Last spring, I was a volunteer at Aspen Studio’s “Lights, Camera, Fashion!” show as a modeling coordinator and some of the girls I had coached were competing in the pageant! I was excited to see familiar faces and even more excited to get to know the new girls. I was blown away by how confident and talented each of the contestants were.

The next day (Sunday) was pageant day. Miss Empire, Miss Eastern Dakota and myself had the opportunity to be emcees for the pageant and perform out talents.  This was a great opportunity for us to be on stage and practice our speaking skills. One of the major roles of being Miss North Dakota is being ready for anything and the teen pageant gave us the perfect chance to practice our ‘filling’ skills when the auditors needed more time to tabulate the scores. We were even treated to an impromptu stand-up routine by the hilarious Emily Burkland, Miss Grand Forks 2011 as we filled time on stage as a group.

I especially enjoyed the chance to perform my talent during the pageant. After watching Miss America and seeing Miss Oklahoma- Betty Thompson perform her Irish Dance, I have been working very hard with my dance and I could not wait to get back up on stage again. I love to dance and I believe my love for Irish Clogging shines through when I am up on the stage and under the bright lights. Words cannot describe how much I am looking forward to sharing my talent in Williston at the Miss North Dakota Pageant.

To our two new little sisters- I am so proud of you both and I can’t wait to cheer you on this spring! You are both incredibly talented and beautiful girls, and you have just made one of the best decisions of your lives by entering the Miss America Organization. Many opportunities will come your way to grow in every possible way. This year will be fun but also help you with your future goals.  Congratulations, Miss Grand Forks’ Outstanding Teen 2012 Alyssa Black and Miss Grand Cities’ Outstanding Teen 2012 Mia Pagnac!

I ended my week visiting one of our fitness sponsors-Complete Nutrition. It was my lucky day because I was greeted by one of the company advisers who had made the trip up all the way from Australia to visit the Grand Forks Complete Nutrition location! He was very helpful and enthusiastic about his job and he made me feel confident that I will reach my fitness goals for this June. Between Complete Nutrition and sponsor Christopher Roach at Snap Fitness, I am very excited for the swimsuit competition at Miss North Dakota. I have been working very hard to live a healthy lifestyle and I am proud of the progress I have made thus far and enthusiastic to keep moving forward. I am very thankful for sponsors Complete Nutrition & Snap Fitness!

Kate Wilson
Miss Grand Forks 2012

Grand Forks’ Bridal Show

I had the opportunity to attend the “Everything from Weddings to Prom” show at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks this weekend. Miss Eastern Dakota Laura Harmon and I were live models for “Beautiful Beginnings,” a wedding and prom shop located in Thief River Falls,, MN. Laura and I had a great time trying on many prom dresses every hour. My favorite was a black gown with silver beading, it made me want to attend prom again! We had a great day speaking with members of the community and I loved spending time with the owner Sarah, she was so kind to us and even brought us lunch (fun fact: Sarah is a former contestant in the Miss America Organization).

When Laura and I were walking around during the event, we were often asked about our crowns. Our response was that we are a part of the Miss America Organization and had won the titles of Miss Grand Forks and Miss Eastern Dakota. Lately, I have been doing a lot of thinking as to the significance of the crown we wear. It is clear to me that, more than anything else, it represents the opportunity for us to be role models in the community. I’m so proud to represent the Miss America Organization as Miss Grand Forks.

Miss Grand Forks 2012
Kate Wilson

Hitting the ground running!

It’s my first week back to school and I have hit the ground running! First was an appearance at the Grand Forks Rotary Club, where I had the opportunity to speak with many business leaders from the Grand Forks community and share with them my platform issue. I spoke about my platform, “Read, Lead, Achieve” and how this can apply to people of all age groups. I was given the opportunity to share my goals and experiences with working with my platform, as well as my experiences with the Miss America Organization, why I decided to compete in the program and what I’ve gained from my involvement over the past 2 years.

Next I had to opportunity to speak at Schroeder Middle School as a special guest for their 7^th grade assembly based on Citizenship. I spoke about how to be a good citizen. I focused on the leadership aspect of my platform and encouraged the students to get involved in both their school and their community.  At the end of my presentation the students were allowed to ask me questions. I was asked everything from what my future career goals were to if I liked Justin Bieber! This appearance was especially fun for me because as a future educator I am inspired by children. If chosen as Miss North Dakota, I will embrace the chance to speak to many more schools through a state-wide school tour.

Miss Grand Forks 2012
Kate Wilson

Christmas Break-Friends & Family

Christmas is by far my favorite holiday, and I am so happy that I was able to spend it at home this year with my family. I was also able to reconnect with an old friend during Christmas break. Upon my arrival home, I was greeted by my friend Anna. Anna and I have been best friends since we were young when we grew up living next door to each other. After high school we went our separate ways (her to Colorado for school and me to the University of North Dakota) but we still kept in touch and when we see each other it’s as if nothing has changed.

Anna and I grew up admiring the Miss America Organization, (so much so that we both went as “Miss America” for Halloween one year) and every year, we enjoyed watching the Miss America pageant with our mothers where we would all pick our top 10 favorites and pretend we were the judges. As a little girl, I dreamed of being up on that stage and I am proud to now be in the position to work towards one of the goals I have had since I was young. Anna and her mother were so excited to hear all about my title as Miss Grand Forks and what I’m doing to prepare for the next level of competition. I could tell that they were also proud that I have become a part of the Miss America Organization. After catching up, we went out on a typical “Anna & Kate” adventure! First, we went shopping to collect supplies for making Christmas crafts and cookies. We then came home and constructed a ginger bread house, made almond bark pretzels, and crafted Christmas trees made of ornament bulbs! We had a great time getting into the Christmas Spirit together.

On Christmas Eve, my Dad and I attended a wonderful church service. The music was phenomenal and I was very happy they played my favorite Christmas song, “Oh Holy Night.” The beautiful music reminded me of my grandfather who recently passed away. The first Christmas after losing a loved one can be hard, but I’ve learned that with my family around me, it will always be a special time.

Later, my family and I watched “Christmas Vacation” and “Home Alone,” a tradition we’ve had for many years that never seems to get old!

On Christmas morning we woke up and chatted around the Christmas tree until everyone was awake.  We admired the tree and observed each ornament, recalling memories from them. Every ornament has a story- either my brother or I made it, it was a gift, we purchased it on a vacation, it has old pictures in it, or it was made for us by a family friend. It is my official job to decorate the tree, and it is really fun for me to take out each ornament and be reminded of fun memories every Christmas. In my opinion, that is how a Christmas tree should be- created by a family. As Charlie Brown would say “All it needs is a little love!”

When everyone was awake we exchanged gifts. I gave my Mom earrings and a lipstick, my dad Sioux pajama pants, and my brother a massive Sioux decorated water bottle. My “little” brother Jackson is 6’4’’ 280lbs so I figured something huge for him to bring to football would be a good gift. I received perfume, a beautiful scarf, and gift cards. My mom received tickets to the Wild vs. Manitoba Jets game from my Dad, and was grinning from ear to ear the whole day. She is a proud Canadian and grew up watching the Jets so she was so excited when the team returned and even more excited now that she gets to see them play!

That night we sat down to a terrific meal and talked most of the night until it was time to go to bed. I am thankful for all of my gifts, but even more thankful for my health and for the many blessings that this Christmas brought me.

Kate Wilson
Miss Grand Forks 2012

Tis the Season!

This past week was a crazy one for me. It was both stressful with final exams, but also fun with all of the Christmas events I had the opportunity to attend!

To kick off the Christmas fun, Laura, Stephanie and I had to opportunity to do a New Year’s themed photo shoot with Dan of Nodak Photography in Fargo, ND. I am a former model, so it was fun for me to get in front of the camera again with a professional photographer. I had a blast taking pictures with Stephanie and Laura. We all got to wear sparkly cocktail dresses, and of course- big hair and makeup! I can’t wait to see how the pictures turned out!

The next day was the annual Christmas sleepover at our director’s home. We were served a four course meal, and many delicious Christmas treats! I had a great time getting to know Stephanie and Laura, watching Christmas movies, and opening gifts. We received gifts from our sponsors, which included a fleece blanket, matching pajamas, matching zip-up sweatshirts, a bracelet, earrings, lip gloss, soap, lotion, fuzzy socks, and candy. We also received services to help us prepare for the Miss North Dakota Pageant in June from Artisty-Bethany Smith, tanning from iBeach Tan, personal training from Snap Fitness, and products from Complete Nutrition. Thank you so much to all of our sponsors!

Later in the week, I was able to make my first official appearance as Miss Grand Forks! I attended “Santa’s Village” at the Lincoln Park Golf Course. It was a Christmas themed party for families and young children. The room was filled with about 20 fully decorated Christmas trees, and each had a specific theme. My personal favorite was the Sioux themed tree! There were many tables in the room, each with a different Christmas craft. I walked around to each table and constructed crafts with many different families and took pictures with each child in front of their favorite Christmas tree. I had the opportunity to speak with many parents and children of all ages. It was this event that made me realize that I truly can make an impact in this community by simply being kind and reaching out to the people of Grand Forks. I look forward to many appearances to come throughout the community of Grand Forks as I continue to represent the Miss America Organization at the local level.

I had finished all of my exams, and it was time to go home. I packed up all of my things and loaded the car to begin my journey to my hometown to spend the Christmas season with my family. On my way to get gas, I heard a radio commercial for “Operation Christmas Morning” that was happening at Cabela’s in East Grand Forks. This organization collects unwrapped toys to distribute to the children of Grand Forks so every child will be able to open a gift on Christmas morning. After hearing this I immediately drove to East Grand Forks to select some toys to donate. I picked out a stuffed animal puppy and a sled. It is my hope that the gifts I donated will bring a smile to a child’s face on Christmas morning!

I am now safely home, and looking forward to the joys the rest of the Christmas season will bring me!

Kate Wilson
Miss Grand Forks 2012

Chicago 2011

Every year my Dad and I travel to Chicago at the beginning of December for our “Christmas Kick-off.” We have been going for the past eight years and this has become a fun tradition that I look forward to each year! On our Chicago visits, we have our favorite restaurants to go to and many places to see. One evening I ate dinner at the top of the John Hancock Building on the 95th floor! The food was amazing and we had a wonderful view of the city from our table. We also traveled to the Chicago Institute of Art Museum which I really enjoyed because I am a huge fan of art. Many of the paintings I viewed I have seen in textbooks in my courses at UND. It was amazing to see them in person and view all of the beautiful details. I also had the incredible opportunity to see Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” for the eighth time at the Goodman Theater. This is my favorite play because the story is beautiful and it really puts me in the Christmas Spirit! The production this year was my favorite thus far- we had front row seats, and the cast did an amazing job!

Although I explored many great places, my favorite part of the trip was simply spending time with my Dad. He is my best friend, role model, and biggest fan! We spoke much about how proud he is that I was given the title of Miss Grand Forks 2012. It means the world to me that I have so much support as I step into this important organization and, come June, I know that I will be able to put my best foot forward with my family standing beside me.

Kate Wilson
Miss Grand Forks 2012

Thankful

I have been very busy lately with school, work, and further developing my platform, as well as working alongside my pageant committee to line up appearances where I can begin to meet and work with leaders from throughout the Grand Forks community on youth literacy related programs and events. Seeing my family for Thanksgiving last weekend was a much needed break from my hectic but exciting new schedule. It was wonderful to see my family, relax and celebrate Thanksgiving, one of my favorite holidays!

My boyfriend Derek and I left on Wednesday to meet our families at my cabin. When we arrived we were immediately greeted by hugs and kisses from our dogs! Derek’s parents drove all the way from Dickinson, ND and his brother Jake and Grandfather drove from Mankato, MN to celebrate Thanksgiving with us. I had not seen Derek’s family, my little brother, or my dogs since this past summer so I had an amazing time reconnecting with them. Everyone wanted to hear all about the Miss Grand Forks competition and my new job of being a local representative in the Miss America Organization. Even more, they told me that they are all coming to Williston to watch me compete for the title of Miss North Dakota 2012 this June! I am thrilled that I will have so much support at the pageant and I am thankful for all the love that I continually receive from my amazing friends and family.

After an encounter with an unexpected guest (a bat tried to crash our get together on Wednesday evening), it was time to take in Thanksgiving day itself. On Thursday, we ate a delicious meal and gave thanks for all that we have been given. Derek’s Grandfather, who is 91 years old, said a beautiful blessing before dinner stating that Thanksgiving is about giving thanks for all of our fortunes and sharing time with loved ones. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I reflected on all of the things I am thankful for this year. One of which is the title of Miss Grand Forks. I am thankful for the opportunity to share my platform with the community of Grand Forks. I am thankful for the opportunity to progress to the Miss North Dakota Pageant in June, and I am thankful for the doors that this organization has opened for me.

Kate Wilson
Miss Grand Forks 2012

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