We are now on the third day of Miss Iowa week and it is going great. It does feel like we’ve been here for much longer than just three days, though.
Yesterday, we started out with an exercise session with Ray Porter, the official trainer of Miss Iowa, at 7:45 in the morning. It was great to be able to meet him and start out the day right by moving and warming up my body. After a little break to get freshened up, we headed downstairs at the Clarion for a Kids for Hunger event. In a little more than an hour, we were able to put together 1400 meals to be sent to Honduras! Kids for Hunger sends 30 million meals to 25 countries each year. This is extraordinary and was great to be a part of this!.
Posing with the contestants after we filled six boxes of food to be shipped off to kids in need.
After grabbing our crowns, we headed out to the assisted living facility Senior Star where a couple of us performed our talents, we were served lunch, and we had the opportunity to visit with some of the residents. At my table was George “Tom” Jones who was great to talk with and very welcoming. I was also one of the contestants who was able to perform. While I was unable to bring my harp with me, I was able to play part of Mendelssohn’s Rondo Capriccio on the piano, which I think the residents enjoyed.
With Miss Eastern Iowa, Gretchen, and Miss Davenport, Amanda, at Senior Star.
Next, we headed to Ridgecrest, an independent living and assisted living facility. This is always one of my favorite places to visit because the residents are so friendly and really seem to love life. Several of the residents described the facility as a “community” and that the fellow residents were their family. Here, Pauli spoke for several minutes about the Miss Iowa program, some of the other contestants were able to perform their talents, and we were given quite a bit of time to interact with those who came out to see us.
After most of the residents drifted back to their rooms, we headed back to the Clarion for dinner in the hostess suite and another three hours of rehearsal. Everything is starting to come together for the production number. While I have a hard time learning dance steps, I am very lucky to be around such wonderful contestants who are willing to help someone with two left feet like me look great in the opening number. Thanks, girls!
Today has been off to a great start. This morning we traveled to Iowa City to visit the Children’s Hospital at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. This hospital is one of two Children’s Miracle Network hospitals in Iowa. Here, the contestants were broken into groups to go visit children’s rooms. I have been to the hospital several times and the experience is always so rewarding. To be able to put a smile on a sick child’s face is so special. Two of the boys that we visited, Wil and Christopher, came down and joined the contestants for lunch. They were so sweet and so feisty! Both were clearly ladies men (in fact, Christopher’s mom whispered to me as we left that Christopher picked me out to be Miss Iowa! What great taste that nine year old has!).
We have a quick break now before we head to Golden Corral for dinner and then back to the Clarion for another couple hours of rehearsal. Unfortunately, I don’t really have many pictures to share from these days, but I’ll post pictures when I’m able.
Elizabeth
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