Megan Drummond's Blog
Posted by Megan Drummond
Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania is currently looking for contestants for the 2010 pageant!
The pageant will be held on November 14, 2009, at the Masonic Lodge in Bradford. The entry fee is $100.
The day will consist of several disability-related workshops and individual judging. The day will end with the pageant itself, where the contestants will be given the opportunity to present their platforms to the judges and take part in on-stage interviews.
As Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania, the winner will have the opportunity to travel throughout the state to educate the public and to advocate for people with disabilities. She will also have the opportunity to give media interviews, visit schools, churches, governments and more, all while acting as a positive role model.
Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania will also have the opportunity to travel to Long Beach, CA, in July 2010 to represent Pennsylvania in the 2011 Ms. Wheelchair America pageant.
If you are interested, please visit the website for more information.
Posted by Megan Drummond
The busy week of competition in Rapid City, South Dakota, didn't leave much time for Lynda Miller to keep me updated by email. I was able to surmise the goings on, however, with the few emails I got from Lynda and by reading other contestant's blogs.
The women arrived in South Dakota on Monday. They set up their state boards and attended a "get acquainted" dinner where they met the other contestants and learned their schedules for the week. Tuesday was a fun day of sightseeing at Mt. Rushmore and other points of interest in Rapid City.
On Wednesday, the real work began. Contestants began their workshops and personal intervies with the judges. As far as I can tell, this was the schedule through Friday - workshops and judging. Each of the contestant's delivered her platform speech Friday night.
Saturday was basically a free day, allowing the women to prepare for the big night. The top 5 were announced and had to give their platform speech again. After that, they had to answer two questions from the judges.
After some deliberation, the judges crowned Erika Bogan, a single mom from North Carolina, Ms. Wheelchair America 2010. I hope to bring you an interview with Erika early next year.
Rounding out the top 5 were:
4th Runner Up - Kimberly Yeoman, Utah
3rd Runner Up- Amber Marcy, Michigan
2nd Runner Up - Alyson Roth, California
1st Runner Up - Janette Saxton, Washington
Posted by Megan Drummond
Beginning next week, Disabilities @ Suite101 will be featuring a series of "Live From" articles from the Ms. Wheelchair America national competition in Rapid City, South Dakota. The articles will be written by our guest writer Lynda Miller, Ms. Wheelchair Oklahoma, as she competes alongside 26 other women from across the country for the title of Ms. Wheelchair America.
Stay tuned!
Posted by Megan Drummond
When my younger brother, who is working toward his teaching certification, was home to visit last time, he told me a story about one of the kids he met while working in a school.
He had noticed a little kindergarten girl in a purple electric wheelchair around the halls several times. He guessed that she had cerebral palsy combined with something that also affected her breathing because she had a trach. He had also noticed that she was usually only accompanied by her aide. The other kids, even the older ones, and the teachers tended to avoid this little girl because they did not know how to approach her, what to say, etc.
Rob went up to her one day and told her that she had a really nice wheelchair, that his sister used to have one like it only hers wasn't purple. He told her that he used to get in it and spin around until he was dizzy and when he stood up, he fell right down. His story got the desired effect; it made the girl laugh. But he also felt bad because he could tell the girl was embarrassed. She had laughed so hard that a small piece of phlegm dislodged from her trach.
The girl's aide approached Rob at the end of the day and thanked him for doing what he did. She told him that the little girl was still talking about having a stranger come up and talk to her. I bet she went home and told her parents, as well.
I guess no matter when we go to school or how much we think things have changed, we are still going to be treated differently.
And remember, a few kind words can brighten someone's day immeasurably.
Posted by Megan Drummond
Let's start with the smallest number first. As of July 12, I have been married for one year. It hasn't been the greatest of years, but it hasn't been the worst either. We moved back in with my parents when my husband started culinary school. So we are dealing with being apart so much during the semester, falling deeper into debt and hoping to get into our own place soon. When we get into our own place and things get back to normal with the division of chores and such, the years will continue to get better.
The day before my anniversary was my 15 year high school reunion. i didn't go. the excuse was that my husband had to work that night, but the reason was that I simply didn't want to go be treated the same way I was all through high school by the same people 15 years older. That should be the key word - older. And more mature. They probably were but that doesn't mean that they would miraculously like me. In my experience over the years, if they didn't like me because of my disability back then, they won't like me for the same reason now.
And lastly, the day after my anniversay marked my 25th year of being in a wheelchair. I was 7 years old when I suffered a stroke. I was too young to think that my life was over and by the time I got to the age where I woulf be tempted to think that life was over because I was in a wheelchair, I was used to it and it was just normal to me. Yes, my life has been difficult at times. But I wouldn't have it any other way.
Posted by Megan Drummond
A year and a half ago, I started trying to get appointed State Coordinator of the Ms. Wheelchair Pennsylvania program. I applied and waited. I contacted nationals and was told that the board had changed and I should apply again. In January, I was told that someone else had been appointed. At the end of May, I got an email from them saying that the woman they had appointed quit and asked if I was still interested. I jumped at the chance to plan the pageant and everything that goes with it.
I was so excited, for about two weeks. I started working on it immediately. Then I opened Facebook one day and found a page set up by a former titleholder recruiting contestants and giving her contact information. When I politely asked her to change it to my info, I got this in response, “I am the President of the organization and the company is in my name. That's why the contact information and website refer to it.” I was devastated. I immediately forwarded it to the national secretary and she said she would straighten it out. Now I’m just waiting to hear from her.
I applied because I thought I would be in charge. Now it turns out I may not be and I am majorly conflicted. On one hand, I don’t want to answer to this woman and work within the constraints I know she’ll set forth. On the other hand, I really want to do it and I don’t think it’s fair for those who are interested to have the program be idle for another three years. What should I do?
If I end up doing it, I want to chronicle my journey and possibly get someone else interested in doing it in her state.