East Hamilton Welcomes MWA Jenny Adams

I found out in October that MWA Jenny Adams was going to be in Huntsville, AL the first week of November. I immediately wanted to plan something for her to do in my hometown. She couldn't be this close to Chattanooga and not come for a visit. 

I instantly thought that my sister could help. She is a teacher at East Hamilton Middle/High School, the largest school in Hamilton county. Michelle arranged for Jenny to speak to the ENTIRE middle school. We are talking one thousand plus students. What an awesome opportunity!!

The week before Jenny was to arrive, she called me in a panic. There was an issue with her transportation to Chattanooga and she now had no way to get here!! I have been working with Jeromy at Mobility Works in Chattanooga about  acquiring my own transportation. I knew if anyone could help last minute, Jeromy could. 

I called Jeromy and explained the situation to him. Without hesitation, he said no problem I will send my driver Steve to pick her up in Huntsville and bring her to Chattanooga....and all at NO CHARGE!!!  I was so excited I could have done cartwheels across the floor (well, not really, but you get the point).

Just as promised Steve picked Jenny and Carmen up this morning in Huntsville and dropped them off at East Hamilton. 

We started off with a tour of the school given by three high school students. East Hamilton is HUGE and super nice. We toured the middle and high school, looked in on the media center (it was called the library back in my day) and the band room and stopped to chat with the choir class. 

We finished up back at Michelle's room for lunch. Her and Margay fixed all kinds of homemade yummies for us. Michelle thought of everything. The table was decorated in red, white, and blue for Ms Wheelchair America. Michelle tried to get some rhododendrons (Washington's state flower) for the table but since they weren't in season, Margay was out late one night with a flashlight gathering pine cones.  Jenny and Carmen went home with a bag of Moonpies since they are made locally here in Chattanooga.  There was also a pic of Jenny and me from the MWA pageant. Jenny and Carmen really enjoyed our southern hospitality.  (I told you Michelle thought of everything!!)

After lunch, Jenny went downstairs for a special visit with the CDC kids. They thoroughly enjoyed spending time with Jenny. Michelle and I headed to the gym to finalize all the details for Jenny's speech with the middle school students. 

At one o'clock, the kids began pouring into the gym. They kept coming and coming!!  I was so proud of my home town and my sister and her school for so graciously hosting MWA. I knew what a positive impact Jenny would have on these kids. I was blown away when the PTA president came in with a gift and a donation check for Jenny and the Ms Wheelchair America organization. So thoughtful!!

Jenny's presentation was absolutely wonderful! She shared her life story with the students and told about all the struggles and triumphs she has endured along the way. Jenny spoke about what a great experience elementary school was for her. She also shared that the same was not true for her middle and high school years. Other kids picked on her and spoke unkind words to her. As hard as these years were for her, she has had much better years since high school. College was a fabulous experience where the other students embraced and encouraged her. 

Jenny told the students at East Hamilton that words have power. I hope each student was able to walk away from today knowing that their words could build someone up or tear someone down. I think Jenny made them realize the right choice is to use your words to build someone up.  After the program, everyone wanted to have their picture made with Ms Wheelchair America.  

Thank you so much East Hamilton for welcoming my friend Jenny Adams, Ms Wheelchair America!!  Thank you Jenny for coming back to Chattanooga!!  Thank you my sweet sister, Michelle Bettis for making today happen!!  Thank you Margay McGee for helping with all the details today!!  Thank you so much Jeromy and Steve from Mobility Works for getting Jenny from Huntsville to Chattanooga and back to Huntsville!!

Three Crowns Come Together

Chattanooga had the honor of a visit from the reigning Ms. Wheelchair America, Jenny Adams on Wednesday, October 9th.  It was wonderful to spend some time with Jenny, Ann Eubanks (Users First), and Jean-Marie Lawrence (MWTN 2012).

Jean-Marie wrote a great blog that was placed on the Users First sight about our day together.  Follow the link below to check it out.  

YOU GOTTA FIGHT....FOR YOUR RIGHT...TO A WHEELCHAIR

By: Jean-Marie Lawrence, Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee 2012

Mirror, Mirror

While in Houston at the Ms. Wheelchair America pageant this summer, I was asked to be apart of a show that is filmed locally called 'Mirror, Mirror'.   I just watched the episode again.   It is so good!!  I promise it is well worth the 8 minutes it takes to watch the video.  In those few minutes, you will learn so much about each contestant and how they over come their disability everyday.  I encourage you to take a few moments to watch the episode and learn about some of the Ms. Wheelchair America 2014 contestants.  Click on the link below to view Mirror, Mirror.  I promise you won't be disappointed.  :-)

Mirror, Mirror: Ms. Wheelchair America 2014

Media Coverage of MWA

News Channel 12 was on hand to cover my airport homecoming.  News reporter/anchor Erik Avanier was at the pageant in March when I was crowned Ms Wheelchair Tennessee, so it was quite fitting that he was at the Chattanooga Airport to welcome me home after being Ms Wheelchair America First Runner Up.  Thanks so much to Erik and News Channel 12 for letting me know that Chattanooga cares.  :-)

Watch the coverage here.  News Channel 12 Homecoming


The Chattanooga Times Free Press also had an article in the paper on Monday.

Read more here.  Chattanooga Times Free Press Article

There was also an article on The Chattanoogan.com website on Monday.

Read more here.  The Chattanoogan.com Article 

If there are any other articles that you have seen, please let me know.  I would love to add them to the list.

I hope in the next few weeks there are several more in-depth news articles and interviews.  It is important for others with disabilities to see that there is WAY more to life than their disability.  I want to help show the 54 million Americas with disabilities that have a disability is NOTHING to be ashamed of.  We can accomplish anything we put our minds to.

MWA-Saturday

Day Six
July 20, 2013

What an incredible night!!  What an incredible week!! What an incredible last four months!! 

Since most all of you already know how the evening turned out I will not wait to say.....

I am honored to be Ms Wheelchair America 2014 First Runner Up!! 

Congratulations to Ms Wheelchair America 2014 Jenny Adams!!!!  

I can not wait to follow her year as Ms Wheelchair America 2014. I have no doubt that she will touch the hearts of everyone she comes in contact with. I am excited to watch her live her dream. It will be an honor to have her visit our great state of Tennessee. Let's plan something super special for her because she deserves it!!  

I have to confess that I arrived on Monday with the hopes that I would make it to the top five. I knew there were going to be 26 other amazing women and there was a good chance I would not make the top five. Of course I dreamed of taking the crown home because that would have been a first for Tennessee. I am sure each of the other girls had the same dream. 

(Top Five)

As the week progressed and I learned more and more about each girl, I began to wonder if I would even make the top 5. Each girl came with her own unique physical struggle that she had successfully triumphed and some girls had overcome even so much more than that. 

I often wondered if even belonged in the same ranks as some of these girls. So accomplished, so strong, so independent, so determined to make the world a better place for those with disabilities. I was just a small town girl from Tennessee with the desire to sprinkle a little bliss around the country. My life didn't tragically change in the blink of an eye. I don't experience any chronic daily pain like some of the girls. I am just weak; no pain and no tragic loss. 

I have said many times I feel like I hit the lottery when it comes to having a disability. I now know what to expect in the future and I have time to prepare. My weakness is a slow gradual process that will continue as I age. I have time to adjust to these changes as they don't happen over night. And I know there is a foundation that is solely searching day and night for a cure. I have no doubt they will find something in the very near future to help me. I have high hopes that my weakness will not progress much further due to the advancements in science.  (Now back to the blog.....I got a little side tracked.)

Each one of us will return home to continue representing our wonderful states. I am only 4 months into my year as Ms Wheelchair Tennessee. Y'all know what all I have done in those 4 months. I can't imagine what the next 8 months will hold!!  

I can honestly say that this has been one of the best weeks of my life. I would not change a moment of it.  I know I'm a winner because I had the love and support of each one of you reading this blog.  Y'all have been the best cheerleaders a girl could ask for. 

Thank you so much.

MWA-Friday

Day 5 
July 20, 2013

I was up earlier than normal this morning. At 5:30, the alarm was the last thing I wanted to hear!!  I had a lot to accomplish today!!  I still needed to meet all the other girls. 

Our breakfast gift was an adorable boot glass, a bottle of Dr. Pepper, and a note explaining the history of how it came to be. Texas has been such an incredible host state and why won't they? Everything is bigger and better in Texas!! Many thanks to all the Texas peeps who have worked so hard to make this such a memorable experience. This southern girl really appreciates it. 

I had what I feel was my best (and also my last) round of judges interviews right after breakfast. I know that regardless of the outcome tomorrow night, I was myself and always will be. 

We had four more sessions covering Advocacy and Communication, Public Relations, Disability Policy, and Legislative Advocacy. All of the sessions will help me be a better titleholder for Tennessee when I return home. 

During lunch, I was pulled out to give an interview for a television show filmed here in Houston called Mirror, Mirror. I will post the details of when the show will air when I have them. It is televised but will also be found online. 

After lunch, we attended a mini disability expo. It was nice to have one on one time to talk with the vendors and try out some of the equipment they brought. I was able to thank Todd Novack the Houston Permobil rep again for providing me with a power chair to use during my week. He is an absolute sweetheart!! I meet Annie Kennedy who is with the MDA. We have a mutual friend. I think the world just gets smaller every day!! 

I had to cut the expo short so I could make it to my hair appointment at 2:15. Volunteer hairdressers where brought in to fix our hair for both nights of the pageant. News channel 2 interviewed me while I was getting my hair done. And it turned out quite fabulous. 

Annabelle was due to arrive soon with Mamaw (my grandmother) and Kathy (my mother-in-law) at any time so we headed to the room to wait on them. I couldn't wait to see her!!  It has been a long busy week without her but she has always been in the front of my mind. There was a knock at the door and I thought for sure it was my baby. It wasn't my baby but it was a delivery man with an absolutely beautiful bouquet of flowers for me!!! 

After the hype and excited of the flowers died down, there was another knock on the door. This time I was for sure it was Annabelle...and it was.....with a surprise visitor!!!!  My sister!!  I was so excited she was able to make it!!  She is the reason I am here today!!  

Now once all that excitement was over, it was time to get pageant ready. Mom and Michelle helped me get into my dress and shoes. Annabelle was on the hotel phone. She is too stinking cute!!  We taught her to say room service. So she would pick up the phone and say hello??  Room service??  Hello?  Lol!!!

Dress rehearsal was simple because of the wonderful volunteers and Angela's planning. Everyone was giddy and ready to get the evening going. 

After dress rehearsals we all headed up for dinner. I'm not sure any of us girls at much. Our minds were else where. 

After dinner it was show time!!  There was some time to mingle and take pictures before the show started. 

It was time to line up. Thank goodness the platform speeches were given in reverse order. I got to get mine out of the way early!!  Yay!!  

Each and every girl did AMAZING!!  We all gave a piece of our heart and soul to the audience. There aren't many people that can do that. I hope everyone is proud of theirselves because they should be!!  I wish we could all go home Ms Wheelchair America 2014!!  Could you imagine 27 of us rolling around the country with our huge crowns?!?!  

 

MWA-Thursday

Day Four

July 19, 2013

It's Thursday already!!  How can that be.?  It's seems like we just got here. I was up bright and early again this morning. Can you guess what time?!  That's right, 6:30. I had a special visitor stop by and help me get ready this morning. My mommy. :-)

Yesterday was so jam pack, I forgot to tell you about my gift. It was a cute fiesta box with chips and salsa, mini maracas, and a festive necklace. 

Today's gift was a bag with a bluebonnet flower, a poem about the flower, and a yummy cupcake. I could totally get used to this whole gift at breakfast routine.   ;-)

Today was a 'laid back' day for me because I didn't have a judges interview session. We had morning work shops that covered leadership, SSI benefits and laws, disability education history, and how the ADA came to be. For those of you that don't know, the ADA is the Americans with Disabilities Act. This was a civil rights act that was signed by George Bush on July 26,1990. The ADA helps put individuals with disabilities on the 'same playing field' as able-bodied (AB's) individuals. 

Lex Frieden was our final speaker before lunch. Mr. Frieden was instrumental in making the ADA a reality.  I'm still amazed at all the incredible people that God has placed in my path.  Mr. Frieden's story is one of great strength and determination. He encouraged us all to be better advocates for the greater good of those that will come after us.  What an honor and a blessing to hear his story. 

After lunch it we enjoyed a panel discussion with several key people in the disability community. We were all told to shine bight and stand up for what you believe in. The United States has come a long way but there are still MANY improvements to be made for individuals with disabilities. 

Ms Wheelchair America 2013 Mariah Kilbourne shared her platform and pieces of her year of reign with us. I have no doubt she positively impacted the lives of thousands and thousands of people. What an honor it was to learn from Mariah. 

Adaptive Zumba was next on the list. And let me tell you it was fun!!  My physical therapist Rebecca will be glad to know I got some exercise in this week and that I wasn't a complete slacker. Sadly, I realized that any coordination that I used to have is now officially gone.  Oh well, at least we all had a good time. 

There were just a few minutes left for a wardrobe change and then it was back downstairs for the pajama party. Pizza, ice cream, games and giggles were had by all. 

I must admit that I am completely exhausted. I have to be up bright and early in the morning. My final judges interview will be around 9:00. And tomorrow night is the first night of the pageant, which means platform speeches!!  Where has the week gone??  I haven't had a chance to connect with all the girls yet.  Looks like tomorrow will be a busy day of interviews, connecting with all the girls, and platforms!!  

If you are interested in watching the pageant, please check out the info below. I would love to see pictures if you have a viewing party. :-)

Thanks for all your love, support, and prayers. 

Below is a link that you can watch the Ms Wheelchair America from your computer.  Just click on the link at the times that each evening will start and it will be streaming on this website. There are no other instructions- this page will be dedicated to MWA and no login is required.

Friday, July 19th, 7:30pm

Saturday, July 20th, 7:00pm 

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/dnawebs