Tags
Cafe Lulu, Cecelia Margraff, emcee, fears, gown, heels, Lions, miss america, Miss St. Francis, miss wisconsin, pageant, scholarship, St. Francis, stagefright
Volunteers make it happen, whether for Special Olympics, United Way, a community project or a fundraiser to support a family in need. They fill out paperwork, organize people, haul supplies, staple, copy, pour coffee, seek donations and do whatever needs to be done. The causes may be different, but the overall intention is to help someone or something.
This week is the 50th anniversary of the Miss St. Francis scholarship program. Hundreds of young women have passed across the stage to win hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarship money and compete at Miss Wisconsin and Miss America. To make that happen, volunteers not only put on the show, but also give their time during the year to keep the program growing. I’m thankful for this small army who give of their time and hearts to make the magic happen.
I had the honor of winning the title of Miss. St. Francis 1995. The money I earned paid for a semester of graduate school. Without that additional education, I’m pretty sure my life would probably have taken a different path – one of those sliding door moments. This year my friend Kelly (MSF 93) and I are donating a Professional Preparation Scholarship to one contestant for her internship or job search. We’re also co-emceeing the program. This is something like Kelly’s 10th time emceeing. She goes with the flow. I’m on the edge of my seat, taking notes and paying attention. The show is in two days.
Things I’m thinking as I prepare to emcee the Miss St. Francis pageant this weekend:
- Will the microphone work? Check one…check two.
- There are 10 incredible contestants with great talents and service platforms. One will become Miss St. Francis and then maybe Miss Wisconsin?
- I have to walk up and down stairs in a gown and high heels repeatedly to enter/exit the stage. I’m bound to take a header.
- Our outgoing queen is Cecelia Margraff, a student in the Marquette University School of Dentistry. What does she think of my teeth?
- I probably shouldn’t have eaten that yummy east Indian chicken pita with onions and tzatziki sauce from Café Lulu prior to tech rehearsal. (Sorry, Kel!)
- Can one suddenly develop a stutter?
- I’m going to wear high heels for at least three hours straight. I usually work out of my home office, wearing slippers. I’ve already apologized to my feet.
- There’s no cough button. I must remember not to swear.
- I will have to endure the “lamentations” of several of the past titleholders who brag about being able to fit into their competition gowns even though they ate one malted Easter egg candy this year. Mine gown looks lovely on its hanger.
- Thank you to all the volunteers, throughout all 50 years.
Stage Crew
St. Francis Lions
Christmas reading at the Library
The Patti Family
AS it is 