Crowns & Causes

I have been in a few pageants in my life time. People have all sorts of opinions they like to voice about pageants. all sorts. really. Some pageants really are so drama they give other ones bad names. I love pageants that have either a scholarship or a cause associated with them. The pageants, such as Miss America, are for younger women and give away millions in scholarship prizes each year. (I have served as a director for Miss America in Maine.)

Pageants for married women, such as me, often have causes associated with them, for example, this year's Mrs International, Shannon Devine, promotes adoption for families and Go Red for the American Heart Association.

I may have won some pageants, but I am not a crown collector. While the crown is what everyone always wants to try on when they visit my home, everyone who knows me well, knows that my crowns always come with a purpose and cause associated with them. It is the purpose that motivates me.

When I was Miss Iowa National Teen-Ager in 1988, for example, I spent a year and then several years that followed speaking to schools and producing an ad campaign for "Think, Don't Drive and Drink".

Fast forward a few thousand years now, and I find myself Mrs Maine International 2011. I will be headed in July to compete for the title of Mrs International in Chicago. I love this pageant and all that it stands for. It is affiliated on the national level with Go Red, but also requires each contestant to have a platform that they live and breathe. Not just something made up for a pageant purpose, but something substantial that has meaning in your life.

This goes far past crown collecting and into the real lives of women. I love this pageant because it is everything my company, Best Ever You stands for and then some.

Since 1998, I have lived with life or death food allergies. I have been resuscitated now a few times and have had many many allergic reactions. I am allergic to all nuts, shellfish and lots of other foods. As a result, I have been a member of MedicAlert Foundation since 1998 and have worked as a spokesperson for their organization since 2006.

MedicAlert isn't just for people with allergies., however. If you or a loved one has a medical condition, it would be an excellent idea to join. My company has joined together with MedicAlert to offer a discount to join. http://www.besteveryou.com/bey/medicalert-foundation

I am also very dedicated to heart and stroke awareness, as many of our family members have died from these issues and my dad is a 6 year stroke survivor. More on this will follow in the next few months.

All My Best,
Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino