Well, it seems like just yesterday we were gathered in Arkansas for Ms. Wheelchair America. Thanks again to Ida and her amazing crew for a terrific job. Ida sent this note and asked me to share with all of you, so here it is:

The National Host Board of Directors in Arkansas wish to thank everyone for your encouragement, support and prayers before, during and throughout the National Pageant. We were truly delighted and blessed to be your host state for Ms. Wheelchair America 2007.

We extend an open invitation to each one of you to visit us again one day very soon. People are still talking about the event here in Little Rock. If you ordered a pageant DVD, they should be sent out by the end of October. Again, we appreciate each of you and look forward to seeing some of you next summer. Until then…May God’s blessings always be upon each of you. Again, thank you.

Ida and the Arkansas National Host State for MWA 07.

MWA 2007 in Little Rock Wrap-up

Congratulations to all of the women who participated in the national pageant. And congratulations to all coordinators for the work they did to get their titleholders to nationals!

At festivities held Saturday, August 5, Autumn Grant, Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts, was crowned the new Ms. Wheelchair America 2007. Autumn’s has chosen a platform of “Independence through Education” for her year of service.

Other finalists were:

1st runner-up: Becca Bierwolf, Utah
2nd runner-up: Ranita Wilks, Kansas
3rd runner-up: Emily DeBray, Alabama
4th runner-up: Phaedra Marriott, Missouri

In addition, the following awards were presented:

Ms. Congeniality: Stephanie Crenshaw, Georgia
Nicki Ard Achievement Award: Wendy Wolf, Arizona
Spirit Award: Kelly Woodall, North Carolina
“Extra-ordinary Leadership Award” in honor and memory of late Arkansas Lt. Governor Win Rockefeller: Emily DeBray, Alabama*

* Note from Ida Esh’t, Host State Coordinator about the above award:

In August 2000, I contacted Pat O’Bryant, the MWA ED at that time, about being an ID for AR or creating a MWAR, if there ever was a MWAR. After learning I did not qualify as an ID because I had previously held the title of MWOH ‘87, I applied to become the state coordinator. I began creating a board of directors and started putting together the first MWAR pageant. From the beginning, Arkansas’ late Lt. Governor Win Rockefeller was a wonderful encourager and supporter for the MWAR program. Then in the spring of 2004, I discussed with him about bidding for MWA to possibly come to Arkansas. He became as excited as I, and began expressing his strong encouragement for me to pursue this dream. We both hoped and prayed that MWA would increase positive awareness towards the skills, abilities and accomplishments of people with disAbilities. And each of YOU helped us accomplish our goal. I am so delightfully pleased that Arkansas was the 2007 Host State for MWA. Unfortunately, Lt. Governor Rockefeller did not live to see the national pageant in Arkansas. We created this award in his memory, to be given to the contestant that displayed exemplary leadership during the week of MWA. This award recipient was selected by votes cast by the staff of the host hotel, the Peabody Hotel Little Rock. This is the first time to ever present such an award. However, the award will be incorporated as an annual award presented each year at the Ms. Wheelchair Arkansas pageant. I have been told that his family members were honored by the award and their invitation for participation in MWA. Thank you for blessing us and allowing AR the ability to share his spirit with each of YOU. Please come and visit Arkansas again.

Planning Ahead….Ms. Wheelchair America 2008 in Maryland!

In case you haven’t heard, next summer’s Ms. Wheelchair America pageant will be in Maryland. The dates of the pageant are July 23-29, 2007.

The schedule for deadlines for the national pageant will be as follows:

Last weekend to hold a pageant: April 15, 2007
First half of entry fee and paperwork due: May 18, 2007
Second half of entry fee and paperwork due: June 18, 2007

This will be the first time two states have joined forces to host nationals together. For Maryland, this is the second time Robert Watson has served as host state coordinator, with Judy Hoit from Iowa assisting for her second time as well. If you know these two, you know that we will all have a great time in Maryland next summer! Look for more updates each month as plans are finalized.

Coordinator Updates

Congratulations to our two newest coordinators, Denise Woodilla and Tammy Wilbur. Denise and Tammy were Independent Delegates who participated at the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant and who now begin the job of organizing a successful state pageant. Denise is the coordinator for Connecticut and Tammy is the coordinator for Washington. We wish them good luck in their first attempts!

We also have a new coordinator for South Dakota. Lorelei Hodges is organizing her first MWSD pageant, which will be held in October. We are happy to welcome her aboard and glad to have an active program in South Dakota once again.

Unfortunately, we have lost a state coordinator for Missouri. Elysse Power has moved to Arizona and has resigned as the state coordinator. This means we are actively seeking a new coordinator for Missouri. If anyone has any leads or connections in this state, or any other state that does not currently have a coordinator, please forward them to Denise.

News from Autumn Grant, MWA 2007

Wow! What an experience the national pageant was! I am so honored and humbled to have been selected as Ms. Wheelchair America this year. I would like to congratulate all of the coordinators on recruiting and crowning the amazing women of strength that competed in Arkansas. The pageant was a life changing experience and I made several friendships that I hope will last my lifetime. I am still settling into my new role as MWA 2007. August was marked by interviews with a variety of media sources. I am very much looking forward to my appearances in September. These will include trips to Florida, and New York, with stops in Rhode Island and Massachusetts. I know I have a very busy and exciting year ahead of me. I plan to embrace every opportunity that this experience will allow!

Swap and Share

Before the national pageant, the Swap and Share question was “Who is coming to Little Rock?” This month’s question comes from Denise DiNoto:

When and where are you hosting your state pageant?

As soon as you have your pageant scheduled, please send the relevant information to Denise so it can be put on the calendar. Remember, the last weekend to host a pageant to select a titleholder to participate at MWA in Maryland is April 15, 2007.

Finally….a note from the ED

So here we go, starting off a brand new year for Ms. Wheelchair America. On behalf of all of the Ms. Wheelchair America Board of Directors, thank you for your support this past year. We appreciate your confidence in us by electing us to another year of service. We value all of your feedback and your opinions. The lively discussions that we had during the Annual Meeting at the national pageant gave us lots of ideas. We will be discussing many of these at our yearly meeting this fall.

If you haven’t already received your pageant survey, you should be very shortly. Please take a few minutes to give us your honest feedback. We really do read each and every survey that is returned to us. Your ideas and comments often are the basis for changes and modifications in our practices. Without that feedback, we have no way of measuring our progress towards our goals of advocacy, achievement and opportunity for all people with disabilities.

I’m looking forward to another great year!