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!

Fundraising at Wal-mart!

Hello again! So... this is not going to be the post promised but I have an event too special not to share with you ASAP! I "canned" outside of Wal-mart Quincy this week for two days. I know what you're thinking, "canning isn't an event." Well I don't necessarily disagree!I had seen other people canning, mostly high school kids for their sport teams and I just felt kind of silly just sitting there all day with a can asking for donations. I knew it would bring in a lot though so I couldn't pass it up without giving it a try!

So I MADE it an event. I grabbed a TV tray table, tapped a poster with our logo to it. dressed an empty coffee can with some blue construction paper and our logo also, laid out brochures and a picture of myself in my crown and sash ( I know I was already there and dressed like that but people ate up the professional shot of me!) and set up outside the exit door. I never once asked for someone to donate. I just sat and waved. That seemed to get people to stop....and give!

My first day I arrived about 11AM and stayed until about 5PM. I thought for sure that by 2ish I would be so bored! Not true! I had so many people stopping to donate and ask questions the day just flew!By the time my ride got there at 3 I wanted to stay longer due to my success!!Luckily he was willing to stay with me!

My second day started at about 9:30AM. I knew I was in for a long day but I was motivated! If I needed a break I had the Subway (sandwich shop) to stop in if needed.This time I stayed until 7:30PM.

Among all the people I met was two former Ms Massachusetts USA contestants. It was exciting to talk to them. They are beautiful but there was more to them than that!They were both very nice, smart and very hard workers!It was interesting to discover that they are also judged on simply their looks. Not by the judges I mean but by the rest of us!!And to boot not a whole lot of us have sat down and watched a competition!

All kinds of people donated!A few Wal-mart associates also!My favorite donors were the mothers. Each child would get a dollar to put in my can. You could see the twinkle in the little girl's eyes when they looked at my crown! There was one girl that really stole the show for me though! I am broken hearted that I don't remember her name. She had down syndrome her mother had explained to me. The little girl had asked just that week "what was a wheelchair?"!I was more than happy to be a part of such a lesson! I hope down the road they will remember me because I will never forget them!

Once in awhile things got slow for me but that was ok. I had Wal-mart associates spending their breaks hanging out with me. That meant the most to me! I didn't expect such an interest!!!The crown and sash seemed to open up people that must have had questions for awhile!I am glad I got the chance to talk to them!

Well that's it for now!Lots to do in the coming weeks!!!Nationals is coming faster than I could have ever imagined!!!!Stayed tuned!

Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts 2011!!!!

So, it's been about two months now since the Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts 2011 Pageant. It has been a crazy two months but I now get to tell you about one of the most important days of my life this far!!!

Pageant prep started first thing in the morning with Mom and Pam (my PCA). Mom got there first and we started right away with hair and make-up. I knew mom would do my hair perfectly and I am still learning about make-up so she was a big help!I have to say, getting all done up with mom is my favorite part of the day even still!

Pam arrives and outfit selection is finalized. Now we are on our way to the Pageant with just a quick pit-stop at DnD's for coffee.

The event then kicked off with check-in and set up. This wasn't hard for me seeing as I know alot of the behind the scenes stuff from being involved previous years in one way or another.

I quickly found my table and set up my display. I felt kind of bad setting it up and leaving it to mingle but that feeling didn't last long. Conversation I was having with the crowd quickly turned from "tell my more about you" to "whose that girl over there showing off your board" I was relieved and so proud!!

I had invited my mentee from PYD's Mentor Match Program. I figured she would love it but I would have never guessed she would have so ready to promote me!!!I was loving it to say the least!Mingling also gave me a chance to meet some of the wonderful vendors we had that I didn't already know. We had many great vendors this year!

Things were not all fun and games though!There were private interviews for each contestant with a panel of three judges. Personally this scared me the most. Don't ask me why, smaller crowds just always did. Too intimate I guess! I was in luck though, we also had an interview session infront of everyone in attendance that day. Both sessions were nerve-wrecking because you never know what the judges will come up with so you can only be so prepared!

Then lastly (this was before being crowned of course!) and the most important part! The platform speeches! Even without a win I have been waiting for these two minutes for my entire 30 years of life!In these two minutes I get to tell my audience who I am (as a person NOT a wheelchair), about the things I have done and most importantly of course what I hope to do as Ms Wheelchair Massachusetts 2011.Giving that speech was a dream come true!

Now the moment has come!They are about to call the runner-up! It had been just me and one other contestant for the whole pageant so I know this will be quick. My mind was racing with a million things all at once!There could have been ten different girls up there with meand I wouldn't have been half as nervous as I was competing along side this one girl! We had met a few years ago when I first became involved with Ms W/C Mass. She is smart, passionate and has done so much that would qualify her for this and she had run before!As involved as i have been in the past this was my first time running.

So you can imagine my shock when they call her as the runner-up! After that things seemed to be in slow motion. They called my name then and there was a sudden rush of commotion all around me. The sash is pinned on me, the crown is placed on my head and flowers are laid in my arms. Hugs and kisses are coming from everywhere. I see the flashes of a camera I never knew was there all day come from somewhere behind the crowd

Lastly I gave my thank you speech. This is not something I wanted to overly prepare for fear it would jinx me.On the spot I feel is more heart felt anyways.

I rode home with Pam who had gone through the entire day and all the prep with me. We drove into my neighborhood and I noticed everyone looking at me. After 30 years as a disabled person I am used to people looking at me but this was different. People normally looked away when I caught them staring. Some even pointed!I just hope they went home and googled it!

In closing I would just like to thank everyone that was and is a support to me. Everyone that listened to my speech a million times. Everyone that were part of a memory that built my board. Everyone that was there in person or spirit. I thank all of you so much!!!

Well that is all I have for now. I hope you stay tuned!I have alot to fill you in on about the past two months and just when you think we are all caught up, I will have new things to share!