May 4 , 2012
» GOING AWAY TO MISS USA (+ TEEN USA) SOIREE
The
first event of a very busy pageant weekend saw our two favorite events of the
year combined into one as our 8th annual “Going Away to Miss USA
Soiree” celebrated both Miss Florida USA 2012 Karina Brez and Miss Florida
Teen USA 2012 Sydney Martinez. As Miss USA is only a few weeks away and our
Miss Martinez is competing in late July we thought we would take advantage of
the busy preparation schedules to get them together for one fantastic evening.
With well over one-hundred and fifty attendees on the soundstages of The Hollywood Production Center this was by far the biggest turnout for this annual event. The highlight of the evening was the heartfelt speeches from both Ms. Brez and Miss Martinez as they welcomed the Miss Florida USA Pageant Family. Then we all enjoyed a catered dinner from our friends at Pollo Tropical for some of the best Chicken plus their world famous black beans and rice. Everyone left full and having a great time celebrating the friendships that makes Miss Florida USA + Teen USA so special.
Ms. Brez poses with some of her friends from her Horses Helping Hands charity
Ms.
Brez was presented with several going away gifts / Miss
Martinez addressed her adoring audience
Miss Florida USA Pageant Producer Mary Lou Gravitt is flanked by Team Florida USA 2102 /
Ms. Santiago, Ms. Villa and Ms. Conn
An overhead view of the evening
» IN THE AUDIENCE:
Just
like the weather it’s heating up in the race for Miss Florida USA + Teen USA
as it’s only two months until state. This past weekend we visited Tampa and
Daytona Beach as it was time for their state championship qualifiers. On a
beautiful Saturday morning we ventured north on I-75 to the historic
neighborhood of Ybor City for the Miss Tampa USA + Teen USA competitions. A
lively audience celebrated the beginnings of our “Spring Break I-4 Tour”
as we celebrated one of our Original Six. For the first time under the
direction of Tel-Air it was a great new beginning in the 813. The venue was
stunning as the Italian Club of Tampa Theater was built in 1896 as was quite
the host for this event. We were greeted by a large and vocal audience for
this Hillsborough County tradition.
Sunday
we headed east to the Race Car Capital of the World with another tenth
anniversary event as Miss Daytona Beach USA + Teen USA took their turn at
announcing new members of the Class of 2013. The pageant changed locations as
The Museum of Arts and Sciences Root Auditorium proved a unique and fun venue
and our loyal fans cheered on the delegates onstage. It was an afternoon of
traveling titleholders as our Central Florida friends came out to support the
new titleholders. Next up on “The Road to Hollywood” we visit the Florida
Panhandle for qualifiers in Pensacola, Ft. Walton Beach, Moore Haven and the
island of Palm Beach for a rare four pageant weekend here in the Sunshine
State.
TAMPA
Front row with one of our adorable Little Sisters
Miss
Florida USA 1999 Melissa Quesada Lazare takes a pose with the new Team Tampa
USA
Group
shot onstage
Ms.
Day and her sorority sisters were are all smiles after the pageant
Representing
the 813 and Tampa Bay
DAYTONA BEACH USA
Group
Shot!
Ms.
Eschbach and Ms. Cruz / Miss
McFarland and Miss Martinez share a photo after the pageant
Mrs.
Saunders and Ms. Conley take a picture with our Miss Jacksonville USA Little
Sister / They
are going to Hollywood this July!
» MISS FLORIDA USA IN THE NEWS: Texas Girl Does Good in Florida Pageant
Lumberton (Texas) native Jennifer Crocker has participated in pageants since she was a young girl growing up in Hardin County. The 2002 Miss Teen Village Creek will be challenging other girls from the state of Florida as she competes for the Miss Florida USA title in July in her quest to capture the 2013 Miss USA crown. Crocker graduated from Lumberton High School in 2004. She was on Homecoming Court during her senior year and was voted "Best Hair" by her class. She was head cheerleader for 2 years and ran track for 2 years. She was a member of the Student Council, French Society and Web Club. Since her pageant days when she was younger, Crocker has always dreamed of becoming Miss USA someday. After graduation, she didn't participate in many pageants, but always held on to her dream. This year will be the final year she can compete for the crown due to age restrictions, so Crocker decided to take that final chance. She doesn't want to miss out and later regret having not participating. Crocker moved to Houston after High School and met her boyfriend, Erik Ustruck. He is a professional soccer player, a sport she never really played but has learned to love. When he was picked up by a team in Austin, the couple made their plans to move to the capitol city. The team, however, moved to Orlando, which resulted in Crocker moving to Florida to be with her man. Crocker sees herself as a normal person. She waits tables at a restaurant in Orlando and is completing her studies online through Lamar University. She will earn her Bachelors of Applied Sciences Degree in December. She plans to attend Valencia to study dental hygiene and then to dental school.
"The pageant is like an extracurricular activity," she said. "It is something that will help me get to my future goals. It looks good on a resume and its fun to play dress-up and get up on stage. It is more of something for me to do than something that defines my life." Crocker said what she misses most about Lumberton is her family, their puppies, her friends, and, most of all, the food. She admits Texas definitely has the best food. "I also miss the small town feel where I can go out to the grocery store and run into people I know," she said. "Here I don't know anyone. It's nice to have my own private area, but it is comforting to go somewhere where you know everybody. Its home." When answering questions for her upcoming competition, Crocker was asked what the funniest thing she ever did. Her reply: "When I was in the 6th grade and my hometown had a talent contest in which I participated, I insisted on singing Reba McEntire's 'Fancy.' I had no idea what the song was about or why my mom begged and begged for me to sing something else." Crocker said the song was the only song she knew all the words to, although her 12-year-old mind didn't really comprehend the actual story behind the song. Nonetheless, she said she had a great time at the talent show. Crocker is excited about the opportunity she has to compete in the Miss Florida USA competition and looks forward to advancing to the National competition. She hopes to gain friendships and memories that will enrich her life forever as a result of the competition. For girls participating in pageants, Crocker offers this advice, "Stay true to yourself. Pageants help you define yourself and help you set goals for what you want to do in the future. Be true to yourself and prepare, prepare, prepare."
» KUDOS & DID YOU KNOWS:
- Kudos to Miss Panhandle USA 2013 Caitlin Harrison who was a special guest and presenter at the 4th annual Panacea Rock the Dock Fishing Tournament held this past weekend at Rock Landing Dock in Panacea, Florida. The tournament drew almost 100 more anglers while hundreds of spectators came out to watch the weigh in. All proceeds went to youth charities in the Panacea region as over $50,000 was raised during the fish-off. Way to get a little fishy for a good cause Caitlin!
- Kudos to Miss Jacksonville Teen USA Elise Lobb who along with her Miss Jacksonville USA Little Sisters were dignitaries in Jacksonville’s annual parade to celebrate the opening of summer. The Jacksonville Beach parade thrilled crowds of thousands onlookers. There were Pirates, Ronald McDonald, school bands, police, fire engines, the famous Shriner's with their midget cars and clowns. This was all in celebration of beach season on the first coast. Way to represent Jacksonville in such a traditional event Elise!
- Kudos to Miss Hollywood USA 2013 Yanet Brunet who volunteered her Saturday morning to support the Hollywood’s Diamonds in the Rough Youth Golf Program Tournament at Orange Brook County Club. Diamonds in the Rough esures that all youth, regardless of social/economic background, have an opportunity to learn and play golf. In coordination with golf skills, the program seeks to instill the game’s inherent positive values. It’s a great cause in support of a great game for personal growth amongst our youth. Way to donate your time for such a good cause Yanet!
» THIS WEEKEND ON FLICKR
We
have found a great host for all of our pictures before they are formally
posted here on our home page starting on Monday. Visit our new channel at http://www.flickr.com/missfloridausa/.
We are always trying to stay ahead of the communications curve here at Miss
Florida USA!
This
tripleheader weekend we will have postings from Saturday’s Miss Tampa USA as
well as Miss Plantation USA. Pictures that evening then will follow up with
images from Sunday’s Miss Daytona Beach USA qualifier. Picture’s garden
fresh only from your friends at Miss Florida USA!
»
PICTURES
& STORIES WANTED!
If you enjoy reading the stories of our Miss Florida USA Family and want us to know what great things are happening either during or after you reign please email us at telair@aol.com. We love touting our sorority of outstanding Florida women. Please send us a paragraph (or two) on your appearances, awards or community service and include pictures. We want you to have all of the support of this great lifestyle we call Miss Florida USA!
»
ALUMNI NEWS WANTED!
If you know of any Miss Florida USA alumni in the news please drop us an email to feature them in future articles. Email all info to info@missfloridausa.com! Until next week here to good pageantry!
PICTURE OF THE WEEK!
In a very international competition as all our entries this week seemed to
arrive from overseas as it’s time to announce the winner of our Picture of
the Week Competition. Ladies and gentleman, the envelope please! This
week’s winner is this beautiful almost gothic like portrait of Miss Czech
Republic Tereza Fajiksova and the countryside of her homeland. Once again
another award winning week of images from our POTW Committee,
congratulations Miss Fajiksova on this prestigious award.
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