Ms. Wheelchair PA

Posted by Megan Drummond Jul 4, 2009

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.