Forgive thyself little, others much.

It's official: I am the worst blogger known to man. I want to sincerely apologize for dropping off the face of the planet and leaving you all in the dark! I created this blog with the intention to keep everyone up to date with what I was doing during my reign as Miss Greater Cleveland and to use it as a means of communication with the community. However, I failed... miserably, and I want to say I am sorry and I am going to do my best from now on to update! So, I am hoping you can all find in it your hearts to forgive me and read on about all the fun things that have been keeping me SO busy!

First, I started my Junior year at Baldwin-Wallace College! My schedule this semester was jammed packed with classes ranging from Legal Environments of Organization to Dance in America, with everything else in between! As I am sure you can imagine it's a ton of work and I feel like I always have an Economics test or a presentation in my Business and Professional Speaking class. On top of that my involvement in my sorority, Alpha Phi, and my on-campus job as a tour guide keep me really busy!

However, just a few short weeks into school I participated in a fashion show at Catan Fashions! I had such a great time chatting with the other girls, laughing with Meggie and of course, trying on clothes! Down below are a few pictures from the day!

All the models in our fun outfits!

Erica!

The lovely Erica Gelhaus was in attendance and entertained the Catan's crowd while "Sylvia's Girls" were the models for the day. In addition, all the profits from the ticket sales went to help the Miss Greater Cleveland and Miss Cuyahoga County Scholarship Program's future show! We all had a fabulous time and it was really nice to spend a day with some of my favorite people showing off great clothes!

Next, Meggie Wittman, Miss Cuyahoga County/ Partner in Crime/ Sister Queen and I had the opportunity to speak with Alison Nottingham, a former Miss Ohio Local Contestant turned Cleveland.com journalist. She asked us questions on all types of different subjects. She mainly focused on fashion but did ask us our opinions on Toddlers and Tiaras! (Click in to see our responses! http://blog.cleveland.com/seasonal-cle/2009/10/miss_ohio_hopefuls_share_fall.html ) Alison also asked us to wear a typical, everyday outfit, a cocktail dress, and an evening gown. Down below is my favorite picture from the day, Meggie and I in our cocktail dresses!

So once all the glitter had settled from all the fashion shows and interviews I decided it was time for me to re-focus my energy and start helping the community!

First, I started by helping my sorority with our annual Cardiac Arrest philanthropy event. We raised over one thousand dollars for our foundation that supports women's cardiac care! Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America so it was really important to me and my sisters to educate women our age, and older, on the importance of cardiovascular care. It was also great that we were able to raise money for the continuation of research in this field.

Next on my agenda was to assist another fabulous sorority on campus with their philanthropy event! The sister's of Phi Mu decided to hold an event entitled, "BW's Best Dance Crew" in order to raise money for the Children's Miracle Network! As soon as I caught wind of this fantastic idea I asked to be involved in every way possible. So, the Vice President of Community Service appointed me as one of the judges for the event! I had such a great time watching the teams compete (most were fraternity men with no rhythm!) and interacting with the other members of the judges panel. The women of Phi Mu did such a great job with this event and I am proud to say that they raised over five hundred dollars to go towards the Children's Miracle Network and even graciously contributed fifty dollars to my efforts! I am truly honored that these women asked me to be a part of their event and it was really great to see every one's hard work pay off in the end!

So, now that I have brought everyone up to speed with what I have been doing these past few months I think it would be important to add what I am currently working on!

Recently I have been in touch with the Berea's Children Home and after discovering their need for common goods and fun little treasures I am working on putting together tote bags for some of the main residents of the facility. I love children and I am SO looking forward to surprising the little ankle biters with some treats around the holiday season.

In addition, I have been working on creating a leadership activity coloring book that I can take into schools and facilities like the Berea's Children Home to help kids get a better grasp at what being a leader is really all about. It's in the process of being produced right now and I cannot wait to see the final product!

I am going to leave you now with two photos. One depicts the true joy I feel every December 2nd, the day of my birth. The other should remind everyone to eat and be merry during the holiday season!

"Happiness is the experience of living every minute with love, grace and gratitude."

Ashley Warholic