RSD Orthodontics Ribbon Cutting

            On Monday afternoon, my father and I drove to El Cajon for the grand opening and ribbon cutting for RSD Dental Group. When we arrived I was excited to see that there were already two queens there: Miss Rancho San Diego Teen and Miss Teen El Cajon along with the entire El Cajon Chamber of Commerce. When I went in, I was introduce to Cheryl Tran who is the Main Owner of the Dental group. She took Miss Rancho San Diego Teen and I on a short tour throughout the new business and I couldn’t believe how updated and clean it was! Every room had computers and TV’s and even a machine that used water and drills to create a new crown for your tooth in a little as 8 minutes! I can’t believe how much technology has improved from a few years ago, when I had braces. Later on, after the ribbon cutting there was a raffle and I was shocked because my dad and I actually both won! I won a t-shirt that said SMILE and a water bottle, while my dad won a free whitening service that was worth around $500. I was so happy because normally I have terrible luck when it comes to raffles. But the luck didn’t stop there-the dentistry team decided to give all three of us queens free whitening services so it didn’t matter that we didn’t win originally. I have never been toa ribbon cutting where the people were so giving and thankful for the support I gave by coming. This is why I absolutely love doing events in El Cajon-because the community is so warm, welcoming and thankful. They make you so happy that you took time out of your day to come to their community. I am very excited for my next event, so that I can once again have a similar experience; and make my reign as queen even more memorable.

Heritage Days Parade

            On the cold and windy day of February 26, 2011, I got up and ready for the Heritage Days Parade down in San Diego. The weather was already quite cold and rainy by the time I was ready to leave and I had this feeling deep down that it would not be clearing up. And I was right. When we arrived down in Imperial (my parents and Aunt) the check-in booth announced that it would most likely be sprinkling the entire afternoon, so we would have to improvise. My mother decided to put the signs on the inside of the windows with some of my past delegate sashes on the front glass so that I had a title on the front as well. When the misty weather calmed down a bit, I got of the car to go talk to a few of the other parade participants including the fire and police departments, hip hop group, nurses, and some men for the scholarship program. They took pictures with me and I handed out my cards to many of them to stay in touch and also send them the pictures we took. When it was finally time for the parade start, I went back in the car and went through the parade just like I had in the Mother Goose Parade, with my head and hand out the window, waving at all the passersby’s. Even though there weren’t that many people along the parade route, just seeing the looks on the people’s faces that were out there in the cold, made the entire trip worth it. I really am glad I went, because now I have just continued growing my social network as well as being able to experience another day of being a queen.

Doctor’s Express Ribbon Cutting

Yesterday evening, I went to the ribbon cutting of Doctor’s Express in Oceanside with my sister queen Miss Regional California Teen Achieve Rebekah Burger. This was Rebekah’s first event as queen and I was so happy to be able to open her eyes to the pageant world and be there to help her experience what being a queen is all about. We arrived at around 3:45 roughly, which was 15 minutes before the event actually started and this way we could meet the employees and Rita Harper who was the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce ambassador that had invited me to the event. But I had no idea just how much fun this ribbon cutting would be! One of the nurses, Lisa, took Rebekah, my mother and I on a tour of the new office. There were 5 exam rooms, a X-ray room, a lab, two offices and a break room. I was so intrigued by everything that she showed us because I, being a human biology major, need to be internship at a clinic, or urgency care center like Doctor’s Express and so everything in the lab and exam rooms were things that I will be working with soon. Lisa let Rebekah and I try on the X-ray lab coat and see the equipment and tools in the laboratory. Then I made a fascinating discovery! When I was explaining to Lisa why I found this so interesting (because of my major) and how I want to be a cardiac surgeon, she turned and said that she was going to be a cardiac surgeon herself until she was in a terrible accident. She told me how she has worked side-by-side with cardiologists and surgeons and had seen so many things that had made her want to forever work in that field. I was in shock-this amazing woman had started the path in life that I want to follow! I wanted to talk to her more, but then we were all ushered outside for the ribbon cutting with the chamber of commerce. Miss Oceanside Princess Elise Cruz had also arrived and was able to take the pictures for the ribbon cutting with all of us. It was so much fun to meet all of the guests and to introduce myself to them and learn about how them. Later on, Jonelle Guy, Miss Teen Oceanside Princess arrived and was able to take pictures for the ribbon cutting put on by solely Kari, the woman who owned the actual clinic. I was able to talk to her about a possible internship a Doctor’s Express and she said that Yes they actually have one and I just needed to contact her and we could talk about it. I was thrilled! Before we left, later that evening, Lisa gave me her contact information and told me that she would be able to help me to meet that I needed to meet. It seems to me that finally the doors are being opened and that this might be the greatest opportunity I have ever been given.

With the Oceanside Chamber Ambassadors and Elise Cruz-Oceanside Princess

With Rebekah before the ribbon cutting

Modeling for the camera ;)

With Jonelle Guy, Miss Teen Oceanside Princess

With Lisa, the most amazing nurse

In the X-Ray Room ;)

The New Patient :)

Messing around in the Lab!

Ribbon Cutting!

Being silly!

Gotta Love Edible Arrangements :)

New Song Community Church American Red Cross

Yesterday, I met up again with an old place I had once had an event at. It was the American Red Cross blood drive at the New Song Community Church. My mom and I arrived at around 11 o clock and were surprised to find out that there had already been around 20 people at the blood drive. It was neat to know that there were already people working hard for the blood drive and that people were so willing to help save others’ lives by giving up only 30 minutes of their own time for it. Because it was so incredibly windy, my mother and I covered ourselves in blankets and made sure to push the desks out in the sunlight so that the guests coming in would be able to stay warm while they waited. I also made sure to consistently offer food and beverages to them so that they would not be faint or dehydrated when they went in for testing. We had several mothers and fathers bring their small children to the table, who wanted a picture with me and it was so cute to talk with them, find out their names and hear the cute little sayings they wanted to tell me. I absolutely love little kids and how eager they are to discover people and/or things that are new to them. For example, when it came to one of their parents giving blood, a little girl came up to me and asked me how long her mommy would be giving blood and if it would hurt and how old she would have to be until she was able to do the same thing. I think that’s how a lot of goals are made. When you are younger you see someone that you want to be like or someone that does something you want to do and you set your mind to do it and that’s how often you get a goal in your life. That’s why it is important to be an example for younger generations today because you just might be their inspiration for something they want to pursue when they are older.

Pacific Marine Credit Union Ribbon Cutting

Last night, I was invited by the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce to come participate in the ribbon cutting for the brand new Pacific Marine Credit Union headquarters in Oceanside. When I drove up, I was instantly surprised at how beautiful and huge the building was! It looked like a mini hotel, with its shiny windows, modern look, and a caterer truck out front. I had never been to a ribbon cutting with caterers before. I met the Chamber of Commerce that had already arrived and quickly introduced myself to the manager, and several employees of the credit union. They showed me around, and I was surprised to see just how big and spacious the inside of the Credit Union was. The caterers had set up all the food around the main room and people who had arrived were grabbing bits and pieces and just casually talking. Miss Vista Princess and Miss Oceanside Princess Elise Cruz arrived and the three of us were instructed to sell raffle tickets for the prizes being raffled off by the Oceanside Chamber of Commerce. I put my “business cap” on and went around to “working the room”. People were very generous to buy my tickets and even those that said they would come back, DID in fact come back. You have to be persistent, professional and poised when at a company event like this, selling something.  People are very friendly and they want to know that you are comfortable to be around before they feel as though its okay to give you their money. When it was finally time to call the ticket numbers, around half of the people that won their prizes were people that had bought tickets from me! I was very excited to see them win, for they were all such nice people. At the end of the night, I was honored to be invited by the YMCA activities board to be part of their “Princess Camp” in May! How fun would that be?! The best part of ribbon cuttings is you never know just what you might encounter, who you might meet and what you might be invited too. Every event is a new adventure, and that is why I cannot wait until my next one!