The Ties That Bind

It has been quite a busy time for me since the Nationals. It is amazing how 28 women from 28 different states with 28 different platforms that point to the same goal can spend six days together and form everlasting bonds. The national pageant week is very hard to describe in words. It was a rigorous schedule that started early in the morning and ended at night. We attended four workshops a day with topics such as, "you can lead but can you follow," "person first," "the importance of language and how it impacts us," "using social networking as an advocacy tool,"   and "the ADA and accessibility." I am not quoting the titles of the workshops verbatim, but I am quoting the subject matter. After the first two days of the six-day week, I told my state coordinator that I was not the same person that arrived on Sunday. Mainstream society has a way of subtly breaking down empowerment little by little at times. This week was a great recharge for me. Multiply that by 28, and we could have lit up the entire city of Providence!

There were other staff members of each state foundation and past titleholders as well to support and guide us throughout the week. The night before the speeches we had a pajama party entitled, "This One's for the Girls." Stacy Scheifflin, a very empowering speaker and the owner of Your Best Friend Incorporated, spoke to us about the importance of our visions and goals as women. We had a DJ and we danced and sang and laughed. There was a masseuse, manicurists, and hairstylists to help further ease the tension that was mounting during that week.

Speech night was amazing. Each contestant had 2 minutes to describe her platform in front of the judges and a room full of family and friends. A formal dinner was also served and it was great to get to know everyone's families.

Crowning night was indescribable. We all wore beautiful evening gowns and lined up trying not to shake too much. Five finalists were picked and special awards were given out. I was given the Lifetime Achievement Award. The Lifetime Achievement Award is chosen by the judges to the contestant they believe has made the largest contribution and significant impact for people with disabilities. As I look at it hanging on my wall I am very touched and grateful for this honor.

Mariah Kilbourne, Ms. Wheelchair Texas, was crowned Ms. Wheelchair America 2013.  She is the perfect woman for the job! It has only been a few months and she has already taken this country by storm to spread her platform, "Inclined for Inclusion."

Everyone who participated in that amazing week came away a winner! It is so important that we continue to publicize the Ms. Wheelchair Foundation on both the state and national level. What many people do not now is that we as a whole are the driving force of empowerment, mentoring, and advocacy that makes this country a place where everyone can participate and contribute.

Strike a Pose......Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant Day One

This is the first of my six entries that will describe my experiences at the Ms. Wheelchair America Leadership and Training Pageant week. As soon as we arrived at the curb of the Renaissance Hotel in Providence we were greeted by Kelly Conners. Then I saw Ms. Wheelchair California, Mary Zendejas. We had previously spoken online so it was exciting to finally meet her in person. A lot of us had previously met on Facebook in the anticipation of pageant week. Upon checking in I was immediately involved in a really cool photo shoot with Ms. Wheelchair America 2012, Josie Badger. It was exciting to finally meet her and we made instant friends. Ms. Wheelchair Rhode Island, Katrina Horsch also joined us in photos. It was really fun "striking a pose" and meeting such great people. There was a reception followed by dinner and the bonds that we all shared and formed right from the start where amazing. After dinner we had orientation and we were all given our state sashes to be worn during the week. During orientation we all realized how serious and important this week was going to be, and we were all encouraged to rise to the challenge. We met the mayor of Providence, Angel Taveras. He even gave all of us his cell phone number! He is very warmhearted and personable and gave us a great welcome to Providence. There was a picture presentation of beautiful Rhode Island for everyone to enjoy.

I knew I had to get to bed at a decent hour but I was so wound up and excited it was a little difficult. Thankfully I slept well...................... stay tuned for day two!

You can see more pictures and more updates on my year as Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2012 at https://www.facebook.com/MsWheelchairMassachusetts2012

Greetings! It has been a week since the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant, but before I write about my wonderful experiences, let me describe my event on July 31. It was Disability Awareness Day at Fenway Park. I was invited to be recognized on the field. There were a few other groups of people with disabilities there as well. We really got VIP treatment! We were escorted all the way down to the field, and as we walked along the perimeter people waved at us and applauded as we went by. It was very exciting when they announced my name and my title as I went over to the pitcher's mound. It was amazing to see ourselves on that big screen!

I will be writing blog entries about each day at the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant. Stay tuned...........................

The Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant begins one week from today. I have been busy preparing for this and getting very excited. 

This past Wednesday, July 25, I joined the folks at the Spaulding Riders Club. They ride adapted cycles peddling either by hand or by foot along the Cape Cod Canal which is a beautiful 7 mile bicycle path. Riders ride for as long or short as they wish. There are people there to assist them and to be the with them along the way in case they need assistance. I took pictures with a couple of the members there and walked down the path for a little bit.

Thursday, July 26 was the 22nd anniversary of the Americans with Disability Act being officially signed into law. There were celebrations throughout our nation. I attended the city of Boston's celebration at Boston City Hall Plaza. I met the former Ms. wheelchair America 2008, Kristen McCosh, who is the Commissioner of Persons with Disabilities  in Boston. She and her board members have done so much to make the city of Boston more accessible. Mayor Thomas Menino made a very sincere speech. I especially liked hearing him say, "we want to send the message loud and clear: all people are welcome in the city of Boston, especially people with disabilities." You can see highlights of the celebration and his speech by clicking this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rNcgqWaGC0. I was also fortunate to meet him and get a picture with him.

One of the members of the Boston Commission of Persons with Disabilities who has been such a great advocate is John Kelly. Mayor Menino made a proclamation that from now on July 26 will be known as John B Kelly Day. There was also a ribbon-cutting for the new accessible path on City Hall Plaza.

You can see more photos of both of these events on my Facebook fan page:

https://www.facebook.com/MsWheelchairMassachusetts2012

You can also be informed of updates and information on the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant by clicking https://www.facebook.com/MsWheelchairAmerica2013Pageant

For those involved with pageant week I am very appreciative of your hard work. The best advice I can give you is what I'm trying to do myself, and that is BREATHE!

On June 6th I attended the Massachusetts Hospital School Commencement. It was amazing. I was able to spend some time with Megan Mamaty who is Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2011, and Susan Houston who is on the board of the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation. They are both alumni of the school and I was able to get a sense of the history of it and its progress over the years. Megan made a very empowering alumni speech. I was able to meet the students and some of the staff and alumni as well. The theater where the commencement was is an amazing example of total accessibility. Wheelchair users can sit in any row they prefer along with everybody else. Many entertainment venues could learn a lot from its design.

Last week I was interviewed by the editor of "Wareham Week." We talked about The Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation, what the Pageant consists of and what it was like for me. We also discussed my platform, "Creative Perseverance." We also discussed my eager anticipation to attend the Ms. Wheelchair America 2013 and Leadership Institute.

This past weekend I also attended a reunion from my years as a young adult attending an MDA sleep away camp. Even though this is not a Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts appearance, I decided to share it here anyway because it has to do with life as a person with a disability. From 1974 to 1979 MDA was able to use a camp in Rhinebeck, New York for their sleep away camp. I grew up in New York but I did not wear my sash and crown out of respect for the reigning Ms. wheelchair New York, Pam Hall. But I wanted to share it here anyway because I think many of you might have attended something similar. People who volunteered as teenagers to assist us folks with disabilities were at the reunion as well. We had all become very good friends and some of us had not seen each other in 30 years. Attending the camp was an amazing time in my life and is definitely part of what shaped me. The biggest thing I wanted to share is that at camp the line between people with disabilities and people without disabilities simply vanished. I remember as a young adult wondering why the world was not more like this. We have come a lot farther in present day making that line fade little by little. The Ms. wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation plays a large role in this. Is important for people with disabilities to participate in life as much as they can and educate people by their presence, advocacy, and mentoring. This July I will be making an appearance at the New England MDA camp. It will be great to see all those young faces experiencing what I did many years ago.

Many thanks to Sarah MacIsaac who is doing a "Tastefully Simple" fundraiser for me at the present time. I still need to raise some more money for the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant. You can go to the link www.tastefullysimple.com/web/smacisaac to order some delicious ingredients for some tastefully simple meals and desserts. Just be sure to put "Ms. Wheelchair" as the first name and "Massachusetts" as the last name.

I am very saddened by the loss of Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2009 Ashley Speicher. She was a wonderful young woman and advocate and lived her shortened life to the fullest. She was very kind to me the day of the pageant as she escorted me to my judging sessions. We spoke on the phone the other day and she gave me some encouragement and advice about my reign and competing in the nationals.

On May 23 I was invited once again to sing at another Triangle Gala. This time it was their Employability Employee of the Month award dinner. It was held at the Putnam Club at Gillette Stadium. I sang with Richard Mirsky again. I also sang a song from my band's album with my husband's guitar accompaniment, "The Way I See It." You can see additional pictures of this event on my fan page at www.facebook.com/MsWheelchairMassachusetts2012.

Wednesday night, June 6 is the Massachusetts Hospital School graduation ceremony. I will be making an appearance there. Ahe former Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2011, Megan Mamaty, will be making a speech. She is an alumnus of the school and I'm very proud and honored that she invited me to attend. That is where the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2012 Pageant was held as well, so it will be a walk down Memory Lane for me!

The National pageant date, August 6-12, is fast approaching. I sent in the first part of my application along with half of the fee. I am still short of my goal for the entry fee and hotel accommodations fee. If you would like to donate and have your name in the pageant program as a sponsor please go to www.paypal.com. I am really looking forward to meeting the other contestants and learning and sharing. Not only is it pageant week but it is also a week of leadership and advocacy workshops. I am also eager to meet Ms. Wheelchair America 2012, Josie Badger.

Within the next several weeks I am going to begin posting some YouTube videos talking about things of importance to me. I will post the link here once I start. I think it will be an interesting way to get the word out about the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation as well as the Ms. Wheelchair America Foundation. It will give you an "inside view" of what it's like to be Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2012. Feel free to comment under the videos as they are posted.

Remember, life has plenty of opportunities for you to exercise Creative Perseverance!

On May 9th I visited Triangle Inc. in Malden, MA. Triangle is a non-profit corporation that empowers and educates people with disabilities from youth to adulthood to be productive members of society and have a great quality of life. I was given a tour of the whole facility. There are different areas that I saw that work together to make Triangle a great organization.

Impact is a program that provides hands-on personal safety training.

Empowering People for Inclusive Communities (EPIC) prepares young people with disabilities to be actively engaged community leaders through education, leadership development and community service.

Ablevision is Triangle's national award-winning television and media program created and produced entirely by people with disabilities.

I also toured and met people at their Fulfillment Center. That is where employees create, assemble and package products for 60 American companies from Bed Bath & Beyond to Marshalls.

My tour ended with a television interview with Ablevision. They are putting a story together about me, my reign as Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts, and my singing and songwriting career in OLYPSYS, my band.

Speaking of the band,  I will periodically give updates of what's going on because as Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2012 I want to encourage people with disabilities to use their creativity and pursue their dreams. We just finished recording our first CD! It takes approximately 8 hours to record one song and it is amazing how a producer can take a song and make it into something that you hear on the radio! I am so thankful that my mother and father gave me piano lessons at age 6 because they thought it would be therapy to keep my hands moving. It was and it has turned into so much more throughout the course of my lifetime.

Yesterday I made an appearance at the Families of SMA Walk and Roll at Wompatuck State Park, Hingham Massachusetts. I was born with Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) type 2. Information about my disability was scarce when I was a child but my parents persevered and found creative ways to keep me healthy and active. There were 700 people at the fundraiser and, as I was getting out of my van, I heard them announce, "Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2012 has just arrived! Let's give her a round of applause!" That was pretty exciting, I must admit. I took pictures with some of the children and others. I provided toy crowns for the girls so they could be Princess for the day.

I spoke to a lot of parents with disabled children. I always make it a point to say my age, 52, because lifespan is always a concern to parents and young adults with SMA. I have never been a believer of statistics; I share my experiences with others with SMA so that they will live as full a life as possible while maintaining their health and well-being I try not to succumb to the fears and limitations some medical professionals may put upon me.

They have made more medical advances in present years. What amazes me is that the couple who started this Walk and Roll lost two young children to SMA over 12 years ago. They have been hosting this fundraising event for 12 years and last year alone raised $125,000. We are very close to a treatment; clinical trials in humans has just begun! I had the privilege of speaking with one of the scientists involved and I am planning to take a tour of the Woods Hole facility which is one of the places where they are making medical breakthroughs.

You can see more pictures of these wonderful events on my Facebook fan page at www.facebook.com/MsWheelchairMassachusetts2012 .

The past week has been very busy but very exciting! Saturday, April 21 I was asked to attend and sing at the Triangle 41st annual gala, "Treasures in Flight." It was held at the Renaissance Hotel in Boston. There were about 500 people there supporting this amazing organization.Triangle empowers people with disabilities and their families to enjoy rich fulfilling lives. You can learn more about the organization by going to www.triangle-inc.org and I hope that you do. They also have a TV station produced entirely by people with disabilities called Ablevision. they are taping a show about me and the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts foundation on May 9th. One of the members there, Richard Mirsky played the guitar and I sang the Jason Mraz rendition of, "The Rainbow Connection." Representative Ed Markey was there as well as State Senator Paul Donato. It was a black-tie affair and very impressive! I met so many wonderful people dedicated to this organization and great people that have had their lives changed by the organization. It was a really fun evening.

Monday, April 23 I participated in the MDA Boot Camp, which is a kickoff to the Fill the Boot fundraiser done by firefighters. There were about 300 firefighters there from Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, as well as staff and members of MDA. Since I have one of the 40 neuromuscular diseases covered by MDA, Spinal Muscular Atrophy, I gave a speech about what MDA has done in my life. It was held at the Uncas Ballroom at the Mohegan Sun. There was a great lunch, great speakers, a delicious dinner, and meeting many great people. Those firefighters are amazing; they risked their lives every day to save others and then they spend the extra time fundraising for MDA. the Chief of the Mohegans, Lynn Malerba, also attended this event and I had the honor of shaking hands with her and talking for a few minutes.


Visit my fan page at www.facebook.com/MsWheelchairMassachusetts2012PattiPanzarino. You will see many more pictures there of my appearances than I can fit on this blog. It was amazing to me that so many of the women that have won the state titles have been saying hi and posting on my fan page. It is very clear to me that in our own ways we share the same goals and I'm looking forward to meeting every participant. I started sending out sponsor letters as I must raise $3000 to cover the cost of my entry fee as well as hotel accommodations and travel expenses for the Ms. Wheelchair America 2013 pageant.

What an exciting week it has been! First, my husband and I spent a few days at Foxwoods Resort Casino for a little rest and relaxation, and of course, poker! I brought my sash and crown because you never know when an opportunity will arise to promote awareness, opportunity, and the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation. I spoke to my favorite poker room floor personnel Jimmy, Mike and Edmond about taking some photos with me. Well things just exploded from there! They contacted Terri, the director of poker, and she was so excited she contacted their photographer and we did a photo shoot! There was a poker tournament beginning and you can imagine the looks we all got from the players. I kept my sash and crown on for the rest of the evening while playing poker. Foxwoods is a very accommodating resort. It is a great place to go for dining, shopping, clubbing, listening to your favorite music played by great bands, and of course, trying your luck in the casino or playing a few hands of poker. The poker staff knows me well and allows me to have my personal assistant show me my cards and put in my chips. It is a great way to increase awareness and acceptance in this form of recreation. Every time we go there we are greeted with open arms.

Secondly, last night I had the privilege of doing a songwriting workshop with the young adults at a Partners for Youth with Disabilities meeting. I spoke about my life and my platform of Creative Perseverance. I asked them what creative perseverance meant to them. I had written a chord progression to accompany a melody and lyrics which were not yet written. I bought the CD I made of the chord progression on piano and drums. First, I asked them to pick a topic. They chose "Best Friends." Then I asked them to give me different sentences about best friends. They had some really great ideas. My husband wrote them on a board and then we formulated the sentences to become lyrics and fit the music. I then played the CD and sang the music with the lyrics they had written! It was really beautiful! Music plays an amazing role in all of our lives. It crosses the boundaries of race, creed, social status, and disability. Disabilities in that room last night quickly became abilities! It was amazing to hear people singing along as as we played the song several times and they learned the melody. People were connecting with each other on a whole different level. They then asked me to play one of my songs from the band and I did and sang along with it and surprisingly everyone else started singing along! There are a lot of talented people in that group and I had the time of my life. I am posting a photo here but you can see more on my fan page

www.facebook.com/mswheelchairmassachusetts2012

Carpe Diem! Seize the day!

Yesterday I had the privilege of being on WBSM radio 1420 AM on the "Mid-Morning Magazine" with Phil Paleologos. we spoke about what Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts means to me and what the day of the pageant was like. Since my platform is "Creative Perseverance," we discussed the importance of finding ways to pursue your dreams and empowering others to do the same. We also discussed the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation and my future competition in the Ms. Wheelchair America pageant. It was a great time! Radio is such an effective tool to empower others to share words of encouragement!

Well, things are certainly on a roll! This coming Monday, March 26 , I will be on live radio WBSM AM 1420 Mid-Morning Magazine with Phil Paleologos. Turn your radios on at 11AM and I will be on shortly after that. Friday, March 30th at 8 PM I will be speaking and doing a music workshop in Boston at a Partners for Youth with Disabilities meeting. I recorded an audition CD of me singing our National Anthem and I am mailing it out Monday. I am hoping to sing it live at Fenway Park at their Disability Awareness Day. I have put together my press kit and am very excited to have a date with Ablevision to tape a show about me and the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation that will be aired sometime over the summer.

I am also working on finding sponsors and fundraising for my participation in the Ms. Wheelchair America Pageant which will be held in Providence Rhode Island August 6th-12th. If you would like to make a tax deductible donation please go to www.mswheelchairmass.org.

Remember to always pursue your dreams!!!!!!

This is my first blog entry as Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2012. The excitement has not gone away and probably won't for the entire year! Today I had a photo shoot for my promotional picture. As soon as I get it I will post it here. Holding the title of Ms. wheelchair Massachusetts is an incredible experience, and it has only been a week and a half! I feel empowered to be the voice of others with disabilities and empower them. It is a win-win situation.

The day of the pageant began at 6:30 AM when I got dressed, did my hair and makeup, made three different breakfasts because I was too nervous to eat and kept changing my mind! I arrived at the Mass Hospital School at about 9:45 AM where I was greeted by past titleholders and board members of the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation. That day was filled with excitement, anticipation, and meeting instant friends. when there were two contestants left I literally held my breath. Winning was quite emotional for me but I was very conscious of trying not to ruin my makeup! The other contestants were so impressive and had such great outlooks on life that I sincerely hope that they remain involved.

There were so many people to thank it would take too much space on this blog. My advice to you is to go to the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts website mswheelchairmass.org and get to know the foundation as well as the people involved.

March 30th I will be speaking at a Partners for Youth with Disabilities meeting. Since I am a musician I am going to do a workshop that night as well with the members. I will be posting pictures of my events as I do them.

Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2012

Congratulations to Patti Panzarino Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2012! Patti was crowned on March 3rd at the Massachusetts Hospital School in Canton MA. Ms. Panzarino will compete for the title of Ms. Wheelchair America 2013 this August in Providence RI. Keep checking this blog as Patti starts her adventures as Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts 2012!