Pitch book Party!

Mrs Minnesota 2010 Susie Overvold hosted a get together at Archivers at the Eden Prairie Mall. We worked on our pitch books which are basically scrapbooks capturing our year as a titleholder. It's fun to reminisce about all of the people you've met and helped along the way.

They are getting ready for the Christmas season so we took advantage posing in front of the tree in their entry way.

Regions On Call

Sexual Offense Services (SOS)

I was on call for SOS from 5am-5pm on Sunday. It was an active day due to activity on late on Saturday night. I was called to see two rape victims at Regions hospital. My role as an advocate is to be there for the victim as someone who's not a Dr or nurse and won't be prodding or poking them. Someone who, if they feel comfortable, can talk with about anything that has happened or will happen while they are in the ER. I explain the services we offer at SOS (651-643-3006 24/hr line) which are individual counseling, group counseling, help with court dates, help with order of protections, and more. See their website http://www.co.ramsey.mn.us/ph/yas/sos.htm

I handle the phone, respond to Regions hospital to work with the victim, policy and the nurse examiner. I arrange rides home if they have no way to get home from the hospital. I will also arrange shelter if they have no where to stay. I went through training spring of 2000. I encourage anyone to consider this type of volunteer work if you have a big heart, good sense of listening, and in some case, a sense of humor! Every call I go on is different than the previous one..each visit is an opportunity to be there at what could be the person's worst day in their lives. I am honored to be that person.

Pilot Knob Elementary School

It was Internet safety night at Pilot Knob Elementary aimed at parents. Earlier in the day the kids had their session about what information could be dangerous to share online. Karina Berzins from the BAC in St Paul was there to help parents understand the latest technology that kids have access to these days.

Did you know that Facebook has over 500,000,000 users now? Imagine how many of them can cause problems. Don't discount the huge weight of cyber bullying either.

go to http://www.netsmartz411.com/ for more information on how to talk to your kids about the dangers of internet predators and what to do if they come across anything inappropriate.

Imagine!

At Imagine! Pring Solutions I was able to talk to employees, most who have children, about the dangers of internet predators. I handed out brochures from Netsmartz http://www.netsmartz.org/index.aspx and the importance of being educated about where their children are going online. Anyone can download information from their website and teach others how to be safe. Spread the word and we will have a safer world for our children! (adults too!)

Online Safety Panel with Amy Klobuchar

Being MEA and Claire having home from school, I took the opportunity to have her come along to a panel discussion featuring Senator Amy Klobuchar on "online aggression." Topics of discussion were online bullying, stalking, online harassment, and preditory behavior.

Serving on the panel were Kristin Chamberlain, Associate Proffessior of Communication Studies at Augsburg College, Lynn Midland, of Northfield, a mother of a child who was a victim of cyberbulling, Nicole Jackson Colaco, public policy manager at Facebook, Brian Hill, computer forensics investigator with the Anoka County Sherrif's Office.

I found this to be a very informative forum. Did you know that Amy Klobuchar urged Facebook to create a "panic button" application on their website to help protect children from cyber--harassment and allow them to report any instances of cyber abuse?

Klobuchar is also Senate author of the "STALKERS Act," bipartisan legislation to strengthen and update federal anti-stalking laws to protect victims and provide law enforcement with the necessary tools to address the new challenges of cyberstalking.
Pretty Cool to have someone like that working in the MN Senate!!

American Heart Association Gala

On October 16th, 2010 I helped volunteers like Becky Ringen set up the Minneapolis convention center for that evening's fundraiser! It was a lot of work getting everything from the chairs covered to the silient auction looking beautiful. I wasn't able to stay for the actual dinner that night due to it being my daughter's birthday. I hope they raised a lot of money because heart disease is the #1 one killer of women. Know your numbers and sign up for the Go Red For Women movement at http://www.goredforwomen.org/

Get your free red dress pin and learn more about how to live heart healthy! I myself had heart surgery on Halloween in 2000. Take care of yourselves!!

Setting up the convention Center

Look at how pretty it is so far!

A Great Cause

On Friday, October 15th I volunteered at the 6th annual benefit gala held at the Sofitel Hotel in Edina which helps disadvantaged people gain lifestyle skills. I sold light up necklaces which then allowed you to play "heads or tails" game for the chance to win a cash prize and also was a live auction spotter after the dinner was served. I have volunteered for this event for four years and am grateful that such an organization exists. Other ladies from the pageant system were there to volutunteer along with me. I hadn't met them before so it was a fun night in many ways!