So it has been a really long time since I have sat down to blog.  Believe me there have been plenty of times that I have wanted to but the finding the time has just been difficult.  Why am I finally making some time today to actually do it, well because this blog post could seriously help out a program that I believe very strongly in The Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation

As some of you may know I was Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts 2006 and I went on to become Ms Wheelchair America 2007, both programs have afforded me some amazing opportunities.  When given the chance, I took over as the state coordinator of the Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts program and was also elected to the Board of Directors for Ms Wheelchair America (now maybe you might understand what I mean when I say I have been busy). 

We do our best to make the Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts program special on a very small budget, as a small new non-profit it is often difficult to get significant donations.  I have been working hard this year to increase our sponsorship opportunities and really take the pageant to the next level.  I saw an amazing opportunity to assist our program when I read about a contest on my friend Drew's blog  BenSpark.  The contest involzed a company named Izea and Sears teaming up and giving bloggers gift cards to help spread some holiday cheer.  In addition to the blogger getting a gift card, each blogger will also be giving away an additional gift card to reader of their blog.  The gift cards are for $100 and $500.  I could not hold back I had to enter each blog contestt for a chance to win.  Do you know what we can do with a $100 or $500 gift card?  I could make this year's pageant extra special by purchasing some really nice gifts for the titleholder.  The first thing that I thought of was some really nice luggage like the American Tourister Impulse 5 Piece Luggage Set or a really nice crown pendant.  Typically we are only able to give the new titleholder a gift bag full of itmes that I was able to find in the dollar bins and a few small donated items.  I also remebered that last year we raised a lot of money by having a raffle for a donated 13 inch flat screen tv and we used that money to help get the titleholder to the Ms Wheelchair America pageant in Maryland.  This year the Ms Wheelchair America pageant is in South Dakota, so we need to raise even more money to cover transportation costs to a more remote part of the country.  I thought that an ipod would make a great raffle item or even a wii.

So I have decided to enter every single one of the contests on each of the bloggers sites. It was easy all I had to do was leave a comment on each of the bloggers sites stating what I would want with either a $100 or $500 gift certicate.  The $500 bloggers make it even easier for you, all you need to do is choose a from one of three packages that are worth approximately $500.  In order to get additional entries I have twittered each of the contests and I am now spreading the word about the contests through this blog post.

I really have my fingers crossed on this one, I would be so excited to give the new titleholder something special and to help her ease the burden of fundraising.

I will let you know how things go and hopefully on March 29th when we crown our new titleholder we will be able to thank Izea and Sears for their generousity.

Of course you can enter as well by visiting the following blogs

The Blogs giving away $100 gift cards are:

BenSpark
Oh hey! What’s up?
Table for Five
Beautiful British Columbia
Steven Sanders
The real Tim Jones
There’s Something About Harry
La Vie de Laurie
Tough Girl 101
Julie's Journal
No, I don't read your blog

The blogs giving away $500 gift cards are:

Please enjoy some of the pictures from the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Pageant on April 6th 2008!

http://www.mswheelchairmass.org/pageantphotos2008.html

There are more to come....

Congratulations to Kristen Parisi, crowned Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2008 at the Carson Place today.

Kristen will be making appearances across the state as well as raising money to travel to compete in the Ms Wheelchair America 2009 pageant in Rockville Maryland this July.

Stay tuned for details.

Autumn Grant

Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts: a program of achievement, advocacy and opportunity for women with disAbilities in Massachusetts announces:

The Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2008 Pageant>>

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When: Sunday April 6^th from 2pm to 4pm>>

Where: Carson Place at the Bayside Expo Center>>

180 Mt. Vernon Street, Boston MA 02125>>

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Tickets may be purchased for $10 at the door beginning at 1pm and will grant you access to all onstage activities and the crowning dessert celebration.  >>

This is no ordinary pageant! It is a competition based on personal interviews, platform speech presentations and on-stage interviews to find a state and national spokeswoman for people with disAbilities.   The mission of the Ms. Wheelchair America Program and the individual state programs is to provide an opportunity for women of achievement who utilize wheelchairs to successfully educate and advocate for individuals with disAbilities.>>

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Please visit our website at www.mswheelchairmass.org or contact Autumn Grant at mswheelchairmass06@yahoo.com for more information.>>

I am very excited to announce that we currently three contestants competing for the title of Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2008.  I would love to see a few more women get involved because I think it makes a better experience for everyone when there are more people to meet and socialize with.  Because of this I am extending the application deadline to March 30th.  I have lists of potential sponsors if the application fee is holding you back.

Reduced Application Fee Extended

We have extended the reduced application fee for contestants to March 15th.  If you wish to compete in the Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts Pageant on April 6th, simply let me know by March 15th and the entrance fee is reduced to $125. 

Please do not let the cost restrict you, we have a number of resources that you can use to solicit sponsorship and we may be able to offer additional assistance.

Help us promote Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts

I had never heard of Ms. Wheelchair America until about 2 and a half years ago when I met Ms Wheelchair America 2006 at an MDA event. I did some research and found that Massachusetts actually had a brand new program and was searching for contestants. Long story short, I applied, competed and won the title for Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts 2006. I also went on to compete in the Ms Wheelchair America 2007 pageant in Little Rock Arkansas and won that title as well.

In my travels around Massachusetts and the US ,I found so many people who had never heard of this program for advocacy and opportunity and I enjoyed talking to them about it.

I entered the program because I wanted my voive to reach a larger audience; I accomplished that but I also now have friends all over the US and the state.  I have had the opportunity to do so many things I had never done before like ski in South Dakota and get a VIP private tour of Universal Studios Hollywood.  I also got to meet so many amazing people with amazing stories and promote my platform of "Independence Through Education" on a national scale.

Please help spread the word about the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts program.  Email me at mswheelchairmass06@yahoo.com and I can email you out a nice flyer to share with friends, family, co-workers, classmates, anyone who wants to make a difference.

Thanks

Autumn