Ms Plus America Woman

"I love pageantry and every aspect of it. I never got a chance to compete until I was too old for the majors like USA and America, so when I found out about Miss Plus America I thought - now here's one I can do! "

Rose's Diary

Entry #1

August 21st - Headed out of Montgomery at 9:30 for what I thought would be a short 4-5 hour drive. I make these all the time so I just relaxed and drove my normal foot-to-the pedal speed. I came around a curve at the Alabama-Mississippi line on U.S. 80 only to be stopped by a little man in the middle of the road with a stop sign. My progress toward MPA was slowed to a crawl as I stood waiting with about 60 cars and trucks until the "escort car" came back to take us up the road. I was there for 45 minutes in the heat. I made it into Monroe at 3:45 tired, excited but glistening from the heat!
I made my way into the hotel lobby and was greeted by some of the most terrific "pageant sisters" I have ever had the pleasure of meeting! We took pictures for the group photo, hugged each other as we were introduced and I met my roommate Hansi Holloway (an old pageant friend), whose generosity I will not soon forget!
 
Later that night we had Orientation and swapped gifts in the ballroom. It was a lot of fun. We each had to go around the stage and place our gifts in the bags they had made for us and then the staff introduced themselves and showed off the fabulous crowns and cape. I have never seen prettier crowns in all my days of pageantry and when Melissa Stamper told us that her mother had made the cape, we were all surprised and excited to receive something made with so much love and attention! We had to get up one by one from our tables and tell about ourselves, where we were from, what we did and then we received our gift bags, filled with presents from the other girls and had our pictures made with Melissa's sister and then by ourselves. This part was really funny because some of the ladies are natural actresses and spared no time or effort in cracking us all up!
 
After this element of the evening, we were treated to a fantastic, sumptuous Cajun-style buffet prepared by the hotel. The rolls were to die-for, but then being an Alabama girl I know good bread. after all The Sister Shubert Headquarters is in Alabama! The dips and shrimp, fruits and cheeses,  everything, and I do mean everything, was excellent. I was full and ready to go up to the room but....we had to rehearse. I had the pleasure of meeting two of my "Pageant Diva Heroes" at MPA - Dr. Diana Santoro (The current Mrs. Galaxy 2003 and the Official Hostess for MPA's sister Pageant - Tournament of Champions) and that firecracker from Cuba - Mrs. Florida Galaxy, the one, the only Ana Urbano. I have seen these women on the web and I have to tell everyone reading this that I was impressed by their professionalism, support they gave to each of us, and the genuine pride they took in their part of making this first Miss Plus America Pageant a success!
 
Finally - It was time to hit the sack. It's 11:45. I've already lost 2 and half hours!

Entry # 2

 
Friday Morning, August 22..... Interviews and Rehearsal Day!
 
Interviews were first and after last night and all the partying and exchanging gifts, most of the girls were tired. I am an early riser after 22 years with the Air Force and getting up at 5:00 am was a small thing for me to accomplish. I ached all over but after a warm shower, I got dressed, got make-up on (a Queen NEVER goes out undone!), had a breakfast bar and some juice and headed downstairs to go around and back up to the conference room where they were supposed to take place. I waited with the ladies in my competition group and then about five or six more ladies showed up to wait for their turn. I had decided that when I walked in for my interview that I would opt to stand while answering questions. I was nervous but this is how we do it in the Miss Alabama program at home, so - Go For It!
 
I walked in and introduced myself and there sat the 1st runner-up to Miss America 2001 - Faith Evans! I had watched the pageant that night and really thought that she was it but, she lost to Miss Hawaii. I have an autographed picture of her on my Winner's Pageant Wall at home. The judges were all very friendly and I got a chance to see Penny from TFTJ! The questioning was intense and so was I but I think I talked a little too much and got only three questions out of the five people.
 
After interviews I ran upstairs and changed into a T-shirt and pants for rehearsal in the Banquet Hall. Ana had promised to work us into the dirt if we were not down on time! When I walked through the door of the hall I saw what was left of our mess and the hotel staff trying to get things in order for the day's activities. This is also the night for Optionals and we had that rehearsal as well.
 
A few girls started showing up with their shoes, to work on the stage. I had stretched out on two chairs and my roommate Hansi showed up about the time I got comfortable. Ana and Diana came bouncing in all chipper in matching sweats and t-shirts! Even without makeup, these two looked terrific and they had smiles on their faces. 
 
We ran through the opening number, sportswear and eveningwear routines four times and then those ladies who were going to be in the Optionals had to rehearse. I asked Anna and Diana if I needed to be there for this since I already had rehearsed my part and knew it so I was told no, and left to take the afternoon off.
 
A lot of girls stayed around to watch. I needed my sleep!
 
I showered and changed after a short nap and got ready for the opening number and Optionals. I wore a long gray jacket over a black knit top and black pants with my banner for the opening number. I was the first one out in every event so I could get my part over. I changed for the Spokesmodel competition and wore my favorite chiffon and crepe dress. I remember getting on stage and walking to the mike. I opened my mouth and out popped something about "Sweet Home Alabama" as part of a Sales/Travel pitch. I swear I made the whole thing up! Since I became a member of Toastmasters three years ago, my extemporaneous speaking skills (better known as talking off the top of your head), have improved ten-fold! I won "Spokesmodel Competition"! I was delighted and so were my Toastmasters club members when I got back home. The evening ended with a bang as a lot of ladies went back to their rooms happy!
 
I crashed around 11:30 pm!  More coming soon!

Rose H. McCall  

 Ms Plus America Woman 2003

ENTRY #3

Greetings Ladies,
My apologies for not having something for you to read or check out since the last entry I posted but here it is. Since last September I have been hard at work on our sorority fundraiser, Crème de la Crème, where we introduce several young ladies to Montgomery Society and provide scholarships through a series of fundraiser events which are part of their efforts toward the final totals. My assigned task was to make arrangements for our special guest, Miss America 2004, Ericka Dunlap to come this year and make a presentation. I worked with MAO for 7 months before they would even give me a definite confirmation on a date and appearance cost.
 
January brought the Alabama State Junior Miss program to the Civic Center and one of my students was representing Butler County. She was terrific but the girl from my home county, Montgomery, beat everybody out with a fabulous voice! I only wish I could go to Mobile in June to see her compete again. I took time later in the month to judge the Miss Auburn University Pageant and had a great time. It's the first chance I have had to do this program and looked forward to the booking for almost 8 months.
 
In February I was asked to sit as "head judge" for the first time at the new Miss Montgomery Pageant, a franchise for the Miss Alabama Pageant. The winner was Alicia Lewis, a student at Auburn University. I have taken Alicia on as a student of mine through my mentor program and am working with her on platform development for the "Quality of Life" book she has to do, refining interview skills and helping with finding sponsors for her wardrobe. The very next night after "Miss Montgomery", I sat as "head judge" again at the Miss Maroon and White Pageant. I live in Montgomery in the center of the state and Alabama A&M University, where this pageant was held, is a 403 mile round trip. I know this because I drove it in one day! I left Montgomery Sunday morning at 6 am and drove back 1:30 am on Monday before day break. I had about three hours sleep before I had to get back up and go to work.
 
March brought rehearsals for Crème, meetings with the girls (all 17 of them) and more e-mail and phone calls to MAO about Ericka's visit. Pageant season for me was over for a few months but rehearsals, script writing, rewrites and more rewrites took control of my life. I have been gone every Tuesday and Thursday for three months so I was more than glad when Crème came to a conclusion in May. My team raised more than $3500.00 for our contestant but we lost out to the team that won last year and the year before that. That's three in a row for my Soror Ercile Jelks' team! On Thursday April 29th I took half the day off and met Ericka's plane at the airport. Her chaperone Bonnie is the coolest woman on the planet and has the job I want to do someday when I have no kids and can be gone 6 months out of the year traveling! I had a dinner planned for a relaxing evening with my chapter president, several of my students and their mothers. It rained cats and dogs but everybody showed up on time. Dinner was Grilled Chicken Breast on wild rice, Steamed Vegetables, Sister Shubert Rolls (They're fabulous) and Cheesecake! The evening was relaxed and conversation flowed. Ericka pulled out her trademark crown and went around the room, "crowned" each of us and we all took lots of pictures. I will add the one a mother took of me as soon as I get a copy. I forgot to hand one of them my camera so that I could get a copy for my files.
 
Miss America 2004, Ericka Dunlap is a wonder example of a young woman who has found her mission and achieved her goal. She told us about the struggle involved in making it to the top of pageantry and what needs to be done by others to get there. She is pleasant, warm and very intelligent and from a judge/coach point of view - very, very pretty! Her photographs do not do her justice. If you, my new sisters are ever afforded the chance to meet this wonderful young lady, PLEASE DO SO. I have lost of pictures and articles in my scrapbook and some stories to tell so ask me about them at MPA in July!

Rose H. McCall  

 Ms Plus America Woman 2003