Michigan Pageant of Hope
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Prince and Princess of Hope Pageants in Michigan
I just got back from two very successful Prince and Princess of Hope Pageants in Michigan! I was in Detroit on July 25 and 26, and I had so much fun!! I was there with my girl Meridith, a fellow former Junior National Teenager from Texas. We had such a great time, and we met some truly inspiring people.
The participants of these Pageants were such an amazing group of kids. We had about 25 in all for the Pageants, but the small number is what helped it become one of my favorites. I was able to get to know each and every one of them, spend time with them, and give them the special attention I wish I could give to all the children who participate in my bigger Pageants! I had a blast doing their hair, painting their nails, and doing their make-up.
The parents and the staff at each location were phenomenal. All were so incredibly nice, and many volunteered to bake cupcakes and cookies for refreshments! They were all so grateful, but really, it was I who was just as grateful to them! After each Pageant, I noticed that the kids just wanted to keep taking pictures and getting hugged – they didn't want to leave!
Our first stop was at the Children's Hospital in Detroit. The kids there were so excited to see us, and we were so excited to see them! Since there was no space for a Pageant, I did room-to-room visits, handed out crowns, and explained that they are now "princesses for life!" We had such a great time, and it got Meredith and I even more excited about our Pageant later that day.
The first official Pageant was held at Gilda's Club, also in Detroit. The staff at Gilda's Club was absolutely AMAZING. They had decorated the room to make it look like the kids were stepping into a fairy tale. The walls were painted with beautiful illustrations of Cinderella and other fantasy creatures. The dragon flying through the sky was my personal favorite!
That night, we got to go to a Detroit Red Wings hockey game. Meridith and I had a blast cheering for Detroit! We signed autographs for the crowd, and before we left, we got a donation for HBBQs, Inc. from the team.
The next day, we held another Pageant at the Athletes with Disabilities Hall of Fame. This Pageant was truly inspiration because of where it was held, and also because Miss Wheelchair Michigan and Mrs. Michigan came to help us! Our boy participant got crowned Mr. Athletic because of his extensive participation with Special Olympics. After the pageant, Meridith and I had the opportunity to tour the Hall of Fame. We learned how prosthetic limbs were created and even tried on a pair of new hands!
Then, we hopped on a monorail and got a tour of Detroit. What a great city! We saw the Renaissance Center/General Motors building, Greektown, and we even saw Canada!
I also got to stop by and see my friend Ben Falik. He won the Dosomething.org BRICK Award with me last April. He started Summer in the City, a program for high school kids to easily participate in meaningful projects to benefit underprivileged areas of Detroit. Ben does such great work, and I was glad to help him at an arts and crafts day at a summer camp for elementary school children. You can check out Ben and Summer in the City at www.summerinthecitydetroit.org.
We also got to stop by a karate class at an organization called "Kids Kicking Cancer," a program started by Rabbi/Professor Elimelech Goldberg for seriously ill and at-risk children. KKC uses martial arts to empower these kids and help them feel good about themselves. You can learn more about Kids Kicking Cancer at www.kidskickingcancer.net.
Finally, I got to meet the production team that is helping to produce a film featuring myself called "What it's Like to Be Me." This film will hopefully be up for an award at the Sundance Film Festival next year.
All in all, Meridith and I had a fantastic time! We'd like to thank all of the volunteer judges that helped select our special winners, as well as Bill and Meghann for being our "chauffeurs" for the trip!
