Bake Sale Success

Yesterday we spent the morning at Prairie Crossing in Grayslake at a farmer's market selling our baked goods to fundraise for American Coed Scholarhip pageant.

There was an art fair yesterday, SURPRISE. We had about 90 pieces of baked goods and I thought it would be too much, if just the farmer's market, but with the Art fair we had just barely enough. We sold all the palm sized chocolate chip cookies and M&M cookies, Samantha made them and they looked and smelled great. There were none leftover so we didnt get to taste them. Maybe next week.

We had Rice Krispy treats, blueberry and banana chocolate chip muffins and I brought water to sell too. We sold about 25 bottles of the 30 bottles brought.

Our sale was quite a success.

About Nationals for American Coed and Bake Sale Fundraiser

Last night and tonight Sheridan and I were baking in order to have a bake sale at the Prairie View Crossing Farmers Market. This market is located off 137/45 in Grayslake accross the street from the Prairie Crossing Metra station.

I called some farmers markets in the area that were held on Saturdays to see if Sheridan, Samantha and I could do a bake sale in order to fundraise for our National Coed trip. At some you have to show you are a non for profit organization at others you have to live in that community in order to participate. There are many rules.

We just wanted to get into a local farmers market, while they were still being held and the weather as still nice, and have a few sales to see if we can fundraise for our trip.

We are trying to fundraise to raise money for optionals at competition and for Samantha to cover the cost of her plane ticket. Samantha is going with us as a Friend, Coach, Mentor, Hair stylist and all around moral support. She is a college student who has been in pageantry herself for at least 10 years. She is great to have as an "adult" friend as well as a coach for Sheridan.

If I tell Sheridan what to do then she hears Mom telling her what to do, but with Sam it is a friend and mentor, someone closer to her age and she listens. It works out quite well.

Anyway, back to the bake sale... Samantha is baking palm sized M&M cookies and palm sized Chocolate chip cookies and her mom baked a few loafs of bread. I baked some blueberry muffins, Banana Chocolate chip muffins and rice crispy treats and brownies.

We are selling water too. I also have a number of donated gift certificates/cards to sell at discounted prices for some local restaurants like Dover Straits, Taylor Street Pizza in Mundelein, Pizza Hut in Mundelein, Zanies comedy club tickets and others.

We are also putting out a collection/donation box so people can donate money if they want.

We have already sold glow sticks at the fireworks/concert at Schaumberg Days on Labor Day Weekend and made about $110. That all goes towards the pageant and payments toward plane tickets and optionals. All the money is going towards this scholarship program.

We have to sell at minimum two full add pages which are at $600 each and then you pay for optionals, Talent, Photogenic and Speech are $300 and then count towards additional add pages. Other optionals like Acting, Modeling, and Cheerleading are $100 each and aren't given as credit for ad pages.

We have gotten about 5-6 small sponsors, had many gift card/certificate donations and we are selling the gift cards to use like sponsorship money to pay for the optionals. We are using garage sale money, money from bake sale and selling glow sticks, money from going on surveys, queensational makeovers, and money from selling raffle tickets that another queen is handling - a 50/50 raffle where 200 tickets are being sold for $50 each and a person has a chance to win $5000. We make $20 off each ticket sold. We only sold about 3 on our own and many as a group with the other queens.

I have brownies in the oven, finished another batch of rice crispy treats and have to go to bed to get ready for tomorrow.

Wish us luck!!!

ACORN Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now

Did you see the articles about ACORN in the news. I listen to talk radio, WLS 890AM which unfortunately is more republican then democrat, but always interesting to listen to and they have a lot of political figures come talk on the station.

Yesterday on their morning show, Don and Roma Wade talked with Charlie Gibson and they asked him a news question about ACORN and what he thought about the scandal, and how the senate voted 83 to 7 to withdraw or no longer fund the federal money to ACORN.

Two of the 7 who did not vote for the withdrawal were our own IL senators Dick Durbin and Roland Burris. After seeing all the bad publicity about ACORN, the undercover tapes of how they were willing to help some prostitutes with a brothel or what I heard was helping working girls realign their job so they can get a mortgage, a house loan and have this woman and a man (the pimp)"change" their occupations on the applications to allow them to get a mortgage. Either way, we all know that President Obama was affiliated with ACORN so again you cant help to wonder if the reason our two IL senators didnt vote to withdraw the monies was b/c they didnt want to indicate any scandals with Obama related to ACORN or maybe just didnt want to piss him off.

Either way, politicians should have and need to have morals. Obviously what has been going on wtih ACORN is wrong and any normal person would vote to NOT allow them our hard earned Tax money to go to such an organization. These Senators should be ashamed with themselves. At minimum maybe they could have abstained or only voted as "present" but not cast a vote or maybe they just should not have shown up for that vote, but to vote to allow the money still be given to ACORN, what an abomination.

I can only hope to give them the benefit of the doubt by thinking they knew the majority would vote to stop the money to ACORN and so they voted Yes to show support for the President, not upset him or make him look bad b/c of his relationship with ACORN. Yes, that must be it.

http://www.projo.com/news/johnmulligan/acorn_whitehouse_17_09-17-09_9QFOJ3V_v10.3985ece.html

In consideration of this article, above, it could be that we are just blaming the whole organization when only there are few who have caused this bad opinion of this group ACORN. ACORN has had previous scandal when they were trying to get people registered to vote and claims they were signing up anyone and not properly signing people up. This may be true and might not. maybe it would be better to investigate various ACORN sights before making the hasty decision of refusing all the government money. Or maybe it is better to just refuse them and let them have the burden to prove they are not doing anything wrong, or clean up the sites that are and then reapply for the federal monies. Hmmmm it is important to look at and see both sides of a story which we dont always hear in the media.

NISP Northern IL Scholarship Program - A pageant with a purpose

So because Sheridan had to take a few years off from the local Mundelein pageant system we looked into other pageant programs. One we found that was both local and affordable was Northern IL Scholarship Program - a pageant with a purpose. What is the purpose you ask? Community service.

We love this group of girls and women because you don't have to compete in the pageant to be in the program. You can pay $40 for a crown/sash and t-shirt and be a Community Ambassador. this is also great for girls who dont want to be in the pageant or are in other pageant systems and can't hold other titles but want to participate. It is a great way to be involved with so many different community service programs.

Sheridan competed with 5 girls. She was first runner up which is a title of Princess Ambassador. We have been involved for the past year, the next pageant is this November 1, 2009 where Sheridan will compete againt to win her division and if she doesn't win or place we will pay to be an Ambassador b/c we like the system so much. The women are great and so are all the queens. Anyone from age 3 + can compete. Yes older women too, there is a classic division for women I believe over 35.

This year we have helped at a blood drive, (by the way, I say we b/c mom, that is me,always has to go to, or at least to most of the things, sometimes other moms will take Sheridan or we carpool), anyway, we bowled for brain injury, we fund raised for the food pantry, we stocked and shelved and sorted food for Stomp out Hunger at the Beth Am Food pantry, we welcomed veterans visiting the Washington DC WWII memorial with Honor Flight Chicago, we greeted people at a nursing home, we decorate bulletin boards at two nursing homes, we Walked for Cancer and Helped fix up a Waukegan School Park and there are so much more things we did or could have done. Just a great group and all is affordable.

This pageant has 3 optionals you must participate in with a total of 6 if you wan to compete in al optionals as well as having to answer two questions on stage - a change from last year when they were individually interviewed. They all have to give a speech on a topic based on their age range and for a specific amount of time depending on age as well. They model their gown too.

The optionals include Essay on a choice of 3 topics, Poster board on Community service topic, submitting a photo for photogenic, performing a talent, performing a modeling routine in a fashion outfit and performing a modeling routine in a sports outfit.

Sheridan will do all optionals again this year.

There is a special if you buy/pay for all optionals.

You are eligible for at least two crowns, the title in your age range and princess and then possibly elite if you pay for that option. there is also a friendship and hostess title you can be eligible for if you have at least two people who you bring in, they say you recommended them or advised them of the program, or if you sell two full ad pages at $100 a page - but you can sell in increments to make up the $200.

Of course if you dont win or dont want to compete you can pay to me a community ambassador. At the end of the year before the pageant, upcoming in October, we have a Tea and there you may win other titles as well as special awards.

We love NISP and if you are looking for a good starter pageant or one with a lot of community service or a local pageant or one that is just fun and less political then this is a great place to be. NISP will let you hold other titles as well which other systems may not.

If you decide you want to be in NISP comment or email me or look up http://www.nisprogram.com/ . Please mention Sheridan recommended you. We would love any girl or woman to join.

State Representative Kathy Ryg Resigns

To all who dont know, State Rep. Kathy Ryg in district 59 resigned as of the 31 of August. There were many people interested in being appointed to that position, including myself.

The Lake County Democratic party leader along with the Northfield Township Dems representative, as well as the Wheeling Township Dems and a person representing the Vernon Township dems and lastly a representative from Speaker Madigans office all were available for leading the interview and had a part in the decision.

I was one of seven candidates who interviewed along with the village "mayor" Elliott Hartstein, and the Buffalo Grove Park District board member Larry Reiner. Also one of the Vernon Township trustees also applied along with myself. We were each given 10 minutes to present our case, why interested, our goals, political beliefs, and how we can fundraise to name a few things to discuss.

I had concerns about some of the people being looked at, including a new, but well known trustee from Buffalo Grove who has been causing many problems at their town meetings. She was also being considered by the GOP so that even disturbed me more, you need to pick a side and stay with it or be an independant.

Glad to say a decision was made and although I was not chosen, I fully support and am happy with the person they chose, Carol Sente. See article
http://www.pioneerlocal.com/northbrook/news/1770300,vh-sente-091709-s1.article
I wish her much success.

I have to add that State Senator Terry Link was kind enough to call me today to thank me for interviewing and appreciated my concerns in having the best person selected. I made sure to let him know I am here to help the Democratic party in Lake County and would like to be considered as other opportunities arise.

Sheridan first pageant competitions.

Day two of my "new" blog. Wow, where to begin. Sheridan, my now 10-1/2 year old daughter started pageants when she was 7 years old. Her first pageant was running in the 6-8 year old division in Mundelein, IL. In Lake County, IL community pageants are a big thing. Most communities in Lake county have a gown pageant. They all used to lead into the Lake County Fair pageant which then leads to the Illinois state fair pageant. However a few years ago they changed the town pageants so that now all the local town queens compete in a Lake County Pageant in Waukegan, IL in November. Only the local queens can compete. In the Lake County fair pageants anyone can sign up and compete.

At Lake County Fair the age ranges are 6-8 little; 11-13 Junior; 16-21 Miss. Mundelein follows those age ranges. In other towns they follow the age ranges of the Lake County pageant and they are as follows; 6-9 little; 10-15 (I think) Junior; 16-21 Miss.

Because we are in Mundelein, Sheridan competed at age 7 and did not place, in fact she was horrible and it really stressed me out. She was fidgeting, holding her dress and she was talking with a girl on stage who kept talking to her. She didnt want to be rude and tell her to be quiet but that is exactly what she should have done. She learned a lot from age 7 to 8, after we watched the video the week before the pageant when she was 8. That year she was amazing and made 2nd runner up - I was so proud and happy for her. I have to say that you are not judged by the when you are off stage and I wish these girls were because some are very genuine, nice kids and others when they are off stage are beasts and should not be holding a crown.

When the girl giving up her crown was wishing all the girls good luck, one girl in particular said "I dont need luck because I am going to win". Needless to say she did, but I thought that was the worst comment, and wished a judge had seen that. It was so inappropriate. Things like that are so upsetting in the pageant world and what gives the pageant systems a bad reputation. All girls are not like that, in fact most aren't but that is what we often see and it gives the public a bad taste of what pageantry is about.

What I really like about the Mundelein pageant system is that all the girls, the queen and the runners up are used in the parade and in various volunteer programming. They all win awards. Sheridan as first runner up won a $75 check from the city as well as many gift cards and little gifts. These were added bonuses and a great surprise. In other communities, like Vernon Hills they do not use the runners up nor do they win prizes. Mundelein happens to do an excellent job.

Because Sheridan now had to take a two year break from Mundelein, I looked into other pageant systems for her to compete in so she can stay fresh and remember what she needs to do. We then found NISP, Northern IL Scholarship Program - a Pageant with a purpose. I will explain about it on a separate blog.

Re-Starting my blog

So the past few days I was thinking what is my life most involved with and realized I am so busy with my daughter and Pageants and myself and Politics. Therefore I will be talking about both in this blog. I realize that politics includes being political and we all have to be political to function in society, in most groups including pageants as well as in a political role. How cool that the two can be linked together. Therefore in the next weeks you will learn about my road into politics and my daughters role and life in pageantry. Since my daughter is young it is our life in pageantry I guess you would say.