Hello & welcome to my Blog!
I am the reigning Ms. East Coast USA 2010-2011, I won after competing at nationals in Baltimore, MD and was crowned on August 2nd, 2010. Not only was I honored to win as the oldest delegate in my division, I was also the national swimsuit winner! Proof you can be (almost!) 40 and fabulous! Pageants have allowed me in the past to use a crown & title to bring awareness to causes dear to my heart and I have decided to dedicate my reign to one of my deepest passions in life--working with animal rescue and helping those who cannot help themselves.
My platform, "Forever Home: Adopt A Friend For Life" springs from my own extensive personal and charitable involvement with animal rescue work over the past decade. I have recently been working most with Rikki's Refuge, a 362-acre no-kill overflow shelter which accepts rescues from all over the East Coast. Most of our rescues come from NC, VA, SC, GA and NY and our philosophy is that NO animal accepted is put to sleep as all pets deserve a forever home. At Rikki's you will find 22 species of animals including felv+ kittens, 3 legged dogs, blind puppies, pigs raised as pets then sold for slaughter (and rescued), lame horses and virtually any other hard-luck animal who only needs a place to call home and a person to love them.
During my years of volunteer work, I have learned many states still use gas chambers for the euthanization of animals & pets who don't find homes, and 99% of these are dogs & cats. I, along with thousands of others (thanks to Winging Cat Rescue esp.) worked to help pass in GA "Grace's Law", which has now eliminated use of the gas chamber for euthanasia starting TODAY, 1-1-11. What better way could there be to start the New Year???
Sadly, others need to follow. In 2009, "Davie's Law" hit committee and was shelved; it is my personal desire that in 2011 I and many others can help make gassing ILLEGAL in NC and get this bill BACK to committee and PASSED INTO LAW!! Davie is a puppy who survived a 30 minute gassing attempt who was later found in the trash, still alive. Please join me on my journey to eliminate this nightmare; I am concerned that this law has not yet passed and I will continue my efforts to be a voice for those who cannot speak for themselves.
A little about me: I am a member of the Board of Directors of Rikki's Refuge for 2011-2012, Rikki's is a 501(c) non-profit no-kill shelter located in Orange, VA. A former Toastmasters chapter President, I am a matriculating candidate for CPCU graduation in 2011, the insurance industries' highest professional designation. In addition to being a student, I am a busy wife to my loving husband Carl and mother of 2 teenagers, Audrey Alanna and Stephen Christopher and I serve as a nursery assistant leader at my church. My grandmother Libby is a long-term resident of Davidson, NC and the rest of my family hails from Columbia, SC, so I am a true Carolina girl through and through!
I will be posting my work with animal rescue, past-present and future, and various pageant appearances over the next months, so be sure to check back to see what I am up to. Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to setup this blog and who has guided me to find my passion in life to make a difference--I look forward to meeting you and many new friends during my journeys across the Mid Atlantic!
