Well, it has been a busy year preparing for this week! I'm exceedingly excited to see everyone again, and as always, wish everyone the best of luck!

Here are a few more words from the previously published letter:

"From my own personal experience, it is not just the people of Iraq benefiting from this, but most soldiers are developing a much greater appreciation for life back in the States.

A phrase I use quite often is that I can’t wait to get back to the good life
again. This deployment truly opened my eyes to all the blessings I have back
home, particularly the people. I now realize I took for granted all I had. Two things in particular made
me conscious of the good life: the quality of life the Iraqi citizens currently live, and the lack of
freedom that comes with living here. Back home I could take a 15-minute shower and not
think twice; and here the people are happy to have water suitable for drinking. I
used to be able to hop in the car and drive to the next town and not even think
much of it, here I have to throw on 50+ pounds of body armor and hope I don’t
get hit with a roadside bomb."

I received some statistics recently regarding how blessed we are here in the United States; if there
were one hundred people in the world, one would attend college.  One more would have a computer.
Six of those one hundred people would control 50% of the world's wealth ... and all six of those would
be from the United States.  Whenever I'm feeling upset about something, I remind myself of this and
am thankful for all the blessings we have here.

Again, good luck to all, and I am looking forward to seeing you all to tomorrow!

~Amanda

Miss Midwest

Hello again, this is Amanda! It has been exciting getting ready for the Miss Minnesota pageant! I have been working on many activities and preparations, and am excited to share some of those with you! I had the opportunity recently to attend a family readiness group meeting, and I have to say, these families are some of the bravest out there - they sacrifice so much for us, and I am truly grateful for all they do. Also as part of my platform work, I have been compiling a book of letters from soldiers and their families, which I am undeniably excited about! Once published, this will be an invaluable resource for all of us, and it is my hope that we will have a deeper appreciation of the service our troops and their families offer us. I wanted to share this picture of my friend in Iraq, as well as share an excerpt from a letter he sent for the book. He writes as follows:


Dear Fellow Americans, I wanted to write this letter because I think it’s important for the people of the United States to hear a deployed soldier’s perspective of the war. Amidst the horror of bloodshed and violence depicted throughout the media, success and good are getting accomplished daily, not just for citizens of Iraq, but for the soldiers as well.

What’s sad is that the only depiction of this war has been negative. Before the United States sent troops to Iraq, Saddam’s Regime wreaked havoc throughout thecountry. I’ve heard locals tell stories of family members and/or friends getting killed for taking an opposing view of the regime. People weren’t just killed though. Torture was also another common epidemic Iraqis dealt with. Tongues, hands and ears were cut off—just to name a few methods of torment—when people talked badly of Saddam or the government. Women, children and those with handicaps had even less freedoms than the other populace.

I can say with confidence that a silver lining has started to emerge since our boots first touched ground in March of 2003. Women are now able to start showing their faces in public and dress more westernized. Men and women can vote, hold jobs, and even advance in careers that were once dead-end. Children are going to school, ensuring a more educated and successful future for Iraq. Just in the past few months since my unit started its public relations missions, a schoolhas been built, an irrigation system for farms has started construction, medical supplies have been handed out, and a generator project has been put into theworks to bring electricity to local citizens.

To think that the Iraqis don’t appreciate our presence would be a misconception. I was blessed with the opportunity to become friends with an Iraqi interpreter. I had expressed to him how hard it is to continue to stay positive about the war when constantly bombarded with negative footage and stories. He told me on nights I go to bed and doubt the work I did that day, I need to remember that what I did was help bring hope of a brighter future, a future once downtrodden by Saddam. Another great example of the support shown by the Iraqis is one that comes from a small town that my unit visits. The Sheik of that town told my company’s leadership that he would be willing to sacrifice his town’s safety by stepping up its police force to stop insurgents who pass through. He said his people would be willing to give their lives to help our cause and protect U.S. soldiers.

My appreciation for the good life is not the only part of myself that’s grown throughout the 20 months of this deployment. I have come to find a deeper, more profound relationship with Christ and the Church. What brings me comfort is that God didn’t leave me when I entered the combat zone. God has been there with me every step of the way and has never left my side. I’ve come to realize that God puts us through hardships so that we have to rely on Him, so that we have to put total faith in His words."


I will share more of this letter later in the week; I just feel that the insight it provides is so valuable. I would also really like to encourage you to take time sometime this week to write a letter to someone you know serving in Iraq, visit someone in a local Veterans' Hospital, or bring cookies or a meal to the family of a soldier. It may seem like a simple thing, but the support it signifies can mean so much more.

I'm excited to see everyone again next week! Good luck to all as we prepare for this exciting week!

Miss Brainerd Lakes

Hello again! As my year of reign comes to an end and I make my last couple of appearances as Miss Brainerd Lakes, I am even more excited about the Miss Minnesota pageant!

A few weeks ago, I worked with the Brainerd branch of the League of Women Voters to register 18 year olds to vote, at our local high school. We were able to register approximately 25 fresh voters for the upcoming elections. We also handed out registration cards for those who will be turning 18 in the next couple of months. It was a great opportunity to talk one on one with high school students about the rights and responsibilities of being active citizens in our country. In addition, it was great exposure for the Miss Brainerd Lakes program!


The next week, I was an honorary guest at the League of Women Voters annual statewide conference at Breezy Point Resort. I was invited by Judy Duffy, the state director of the League of Women Voters Minnesota, who I had previously met at the press conference for Kids Vote in February. While talking to her and her husband, I discovered that they had volunteered with the Miss Minnesota pageant while it was held in Austin, Minnesota and actually housed contestants. What a small world!

Over Memorial Day weekend, I was blessed with an incredible opportunity to participate in the annual Freedom Celebration honoring our veterans. Over 200 veterans of all ages were given gifts from several local businesses as a way of thanking them for their service. It was a very moving ceremony that honored the veterans from all five branches of our country's armed forces.

With final preparations in place, I'm excited about all the scheduled events during pageant week and the chance to develop a closer friendship with all the other contestants. I wish the best of luck to everyone!!

Until then,
Mackenzie Ross, Miss Brainerd Lakes

It's Almost Time!!

Hi again everyone!

It's me - Miss Twin Cities 2007, Cindy Neseth. I wanted to write one last time before we leave next week for check-in day. It's really down to the wire now - last minute shopping and preparations are going on for all of us I'm sure! The past 3 1/2 months since I was crowned have been a whirlwind of preparations, with everyday having some sort of pageant activity included. Sometimes I wonder how all of us local titleholders do it, but we do, and we love it!! We love our busy schedules, rhinestone-studded clothing and of course, our fabulous crowns! I am so excited to be with all of the contestants for a whole week, because it's one whole week of your life where you are surrounded by people who truly understand you. Because let's be honest, most of the world doesn't understand what a "pageant girl" life is really like! But all of us, while completely different and wonderful in our own way, understand the life of a pageant contestant and that's really neat. And it's one whole week which is 100% focused on pageant activities and glitz and being fabulous, and who wouldn't love that? To all of the contestants - I wish you all luck and I am so excited to get to know each of you better!! See you in a little over a week!

Take care everyone!

Cindy Neseth
Miss Twin Cities 2007

Greetings From Miss Marshall County--Meghan Kuznia

Hello everyone...finally! (My dad finally gave in to the pressures of re-establishing our Internet connection! Yey!)

It's hard to believe that the big moment we have been waiting for is only two weeks away! I've had almost a full year to prepare for Miss Minnesota since I was given the title of Miss Marshall County, but it seems as if I were crowned only yesterday! I'm excited for pageant week's fun schedule and to catch up with each of the other 14 talented ladies I had the opportunity to meet at the contestant forum.
It has been quite an honor representing my county as this past year's local titleholder. Parades, special appearances, and promotions of my platform have kept my schedule as busy as ever. I also just completed my first year at University of Minnesota, Duluth, where I am on my way to attaining a master's degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. My career ambition is to become a speech-language pathologist specialized in a hospital setting.

My platform, "Give the Gift of a Lifetime--Make the Decision to Become an Organ & Tissue Donor," is a true passion of mine. With the realization that there are nearly 97,000 people on the national waiting list for a transplant, there is great need for more organ/tissue donors. By spreading donation awareness through education and by eliminating common misconceptions, my goal is to at least open the doors for others to the option of becoming a registered organ donor. One individual can help save or improve the lives of up to 5o people. Giving life to others is the greatest gift one can give.

My talent piece for the competition is a tap dance. This is the one reason I'm sure my parents will be thankful when the pageant is over. They won't have to put up with my "click-clicks" sounding through the entire house as I practice in the basement!

I wish all the other contestants the best of luck as the finishing touches of pageant preparation are put into place. It's going to be a great week! Who's excited for the Twins game?! Take care!

Tina Rosenthal, Miss Austin 2006

Hello everyone!

I’m Tina Rosenthal, Miss Austin 2006. I am so excited to have the opportunity to represent my hometown on the Miss Minnesota stage this year! The past few weeks have been full of pageant preparations and the hectic schedule that always accompanies the end of an academic year. Just one more paper to write and I will wrap up this semester’s work!

My platform, Adopt One Until There are None, is an effort that strives to raise awareness of and increase Foster Care adoption in our state. There are 10,000 children living in Minnesota’s Foster Care system and only one percent will ever find permanent families. I am so fortunate to be part of that one percent, and have spent years working to encourage others to consider making Foster Care adoption a part of their family.



Increasing Foster Care adoption is an effort that begins on many levels, and I have had the opportunity to spend some time the Austin’s classrooms educating students about my platform. I truly believe that if children are familiar with adoption, they are more likely to become adults who will consider adoption when they are adults with families of their own. As I have had a wonderful time reading stories about adoption and answering children’s questions! I highly recommend Jamie Lee Curtis’s book Tell Me Again about the Night I Was Born, it is a wonderful story about the gift of adoption.

Pageant week is fast approaching and I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to share the stage with the beautiful and talented women who also hold local titles in our state. It is sure to be a fantastic week and an exhilarating competition!

The Forgotten Generation: Connecting Youth and the Elderly

Miss Minnesota is a little over 4 weeks away! I can't believe it! I'm sure everyone is working on their final preparations just as I am:) My talent for the pageant will be a fun jazz piece on trombone and I cannot wait to perform it for everyone! My wardrobe is complete as well, just making the last few alterations.

My platform, The Forgotten Generation: Connecting Youth and the Elderly, is something I am very passionate about. My initial interest in this area came from when I was in high school. I worked at a nursing home and saw the impact that one single person can have on an elderly person who does not have many family or friends to visit. I currently am attending the University of Minnesota Twin Cities and have been motivated to move my volunteering from Waseca along to St. Paul as well. From seeing all of the smiling faces from the elderly that are being cared for to seeing how excited the children are to hear a story or make an art project for someone has been tremendous!

I have personally benefited from my participation in more ways than I could have ever imagined. It has empowered me to volunteer in my community in St. Paul, it has shown me that I can have great support from my community for something I am so passionate about, and most importantly it has shown me that a little time and a caring heart can change someone's life. With my platform I have been able to benefit by seeing people's opinions on the issue change as well as seeing how grateful the elderly are to have someone to visit. Everyone, including myself, the volunteers, and the elderly benefit in the end.