The Rocky Horror Picture Show

As my first Charity Event I decided to do something fun and different! Of course since it was Breast Cancer Awareness month I wanted to donate to the Canadian Cancer Society for breast cancer research. And since I'm a huge Halloween fan, I wanted to do something Halloween related. I was thinking about it for a while and then the idea to have a showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show came to mind! For those that are unaware, it is an audience participation film. People dress up, bring props, and yell at the screen, it's a blast and a half! I had never been to one because of the lack of them in our community so I figured I'd throw my own to fill the gap!

As I've discovered though, planning an event is much harder then you'd think. There was so much to do and with all the stuff I had going on it was really hard find time. I first created a Facebook event. Then I created a flyer and printed it out at St. Clair (thank you St. Clair for having free printing!).  Then I hung it up around Tecumseh and Windsor. I also printed off the tickets at St. Clair by being very sneaky. I probably made about 15 trips to the Dollarama that month to get things for the night.

I was worried that we wouldn't get enough people at first but as the final week before the event came people started calling and texting in like crazy! The event was on October 25th at midnight at Lakeshore Cinemas. We had approximately 127 people attend and raised over $1140. I planned pre-show activities which two of my great friends hosted. Activities included a time-warp off, a trivia contest, a costume contest and more! I also set up a photobooth outside of the theater for people to pose in front of.

There are so many people that I want to thank for helping me out with this event and making it possible! My lovely boyfriend Keith for helping out throughout the event, my friends Jill and Miranda for running the ticket table, my friends Jessica and Kyle for running the pre-show activities, my friend Maria for taking photos in the theater, my sister Miranda for helping out throughout the night, everyone that stayed behind after the event and helped clean up, and Lakeshore Cinemas! The event couldn't have been such a success without all of you! The event was such a success this year that I think we are going to have it annually! Look out for it next year!

My poster

My lovely ticket table ladies!

My fabulous hosts

Time Warp Off

Photobooth fun!

Walk Through Milan Fashion Show

I know it's been forever since I've posted so i'm going to try and get up to date today. I've been so busy this month with midterms, assignments, a new job, planning an event and of course Miss Tecumseh Appearances. Now upcoming is final exams and then placement, it just never stops! Which is why I need to post today!

On October 16th, I had the pleasure of being part of Bvogue's Walk Through Milan Fashion Show. I was asked to MC the event. Ewa, the owner of Bvogue wrote out what to say about each collection on cue cards and also graciously offered me a beautiful dress from the store to wear. I've never been an MC for something before so it was definitely a new and exciting experience! What made it even better was seeing so many familiar faces. Miss Tecumseh 2012, Alley Biniarz, is the daughter of the owner and she was asked to do the entertainment. She has such a lovely voice and did a fantastic job, no wonder why she won Miss Talent her year! 1st runner up, Miss Congeniality, and Miss Interview, Jillian Parent was also involved in the show as a model. It was also great seeing the ladies from Bvogue again, they are so friendly and welcoming. They actually supplied the clothes for Fashion Wear portion of the pageant this past year.

I introduced every scene before the models came out and then at the end of the night I drew the raffle prize winners. Ewa's mother passed away from breast cancer at a very young age so she decided to give the proceeds from the event to the Canadian Cancer Society for Breast Cancer Research. Her story reflects my own which is why I was so happy to participate in this event. I had such a great time being the MC. I would like to say a big thank you to Bvogue for giving me the opportunity!

Miss Tecumseh 2012, Alley Biniarz and I

MC for the night in a beautiful dress from Bvogue

Ewa Biniarz, owner of Bvogue Boutique, and I

All of the people that helped make the event possible!

Exposure Fashion Show Pictures

As promised, here are some pictures from the VON Exposure Art & Fashion Show.

Posing before the show. 

Models with organizers, Dalia Mazhar and Emily Kiss

Clothing Bar

Clothing Bar

Chatty Collection

Models final look

VON Fashion Show from LiquidWild on Vimeo.

Keeping Busy

I'm so terribly sorry that I haven't posted in a while. I had 3 volunteer events last weekend, 2 exams, fundraising event planning, and I've been volunteering every night Monday-Thursday this past week. I don't want this post to be a mile long so I'm going to sum each up.

On October  4th I volunteered at the Pass It On Gala. Pass It On is a fundraising effort to raise awareness on organ donation. I sold raffle tickets with pageant director, Chelsae Durocher, while sporting T-shirts from Group Hug Apparel. Group Hug Apparel is founded by Andrew Banar. Andrew is a huge inspiration, even though he has down syndrome, he lives his life to the fullest and dreams big. Andrew has designed the T-shirts and gives the proceeds from the sales to various charities in the community. Chelsae and I were then part of the fashion show, modeling the T-shirts. When it was time for the raffle, Chelsae and I handed out the prizes. It is so important to become a donor, every three days someone dies in Ontario because the life-saving organ transplant they need is not available, yet less than 25% of Ontarians have registered their consent to be a donor. One donor can save 8 lives. Become a donor by visiting https://beadonor.ca/.  Also check out the Pass It On facebook page. Also check out Group Hug Apparels facebook page and visit their store to buy one of the Group Hug Apparel shirts.

Andrew Banar from Group Hug Apparel and I

Chelsae Durocher, Miss Tecumseh Pageant Director, and I modeling Group Hug Apparel shirts

On October 5th my sister and I went to Metro to sell pink ribbons for the Canadian Cancer Society for breast cancer awareness and research. In just two hours we were able to collect $85! Then on Sunday, October 6th, I went to the CIBC Run for the Cure by the Riverfront. When I arrived I got a volunteer T-shirt and headed for the stage. Once most of the runners had returned, I drew raffle names for the children and cancer survivors. Then the winners for the event came up to the stage. I posed with them and handed them their awards. Before I left the event I made sure to sign the Signature wall and wrote a little message for my mom. Check out the CIBC Run for the Cure Windsor facebook page.  Consider volunteering or running/walking in the CIBC Run for the Cure 2014, check it out here.

Signature wall at the CIBC Run for the Cure

Posing with "Booby Bear"

At the Finish Line

Drawing Raffle Prizes

From Monday to Thursday I was busy at the Tecumseh Fire Hall for Fire Prevention Week. They had so much going on and it was great to see so many kids out there. I remember going as a kid and having a blast. It's really grown since then though. They now have the police and ambulance involved. They have fire truck rides, a fire extinguishing station, you can try on the firemen suit, or test your strength doing the firemen training tools. I got to do a little of everything and I had a great time doing it. I handed out stickers to the kids. I loved meeting all of them, and seeing some of my day campers there. A couple of my Miss Tecumseh girls also showed up to help out. 

Fire Prevention Week Flyer

All dressed up for Fire Prevention Week at the Tecumseh Fire Station

Officer Miss Tecumseh

Handing out stickers

This weekend I had a well deserved break to spend time with friends and family for Thanksgiving before going back to another hectic week. I only had one event on Saturday at Devonshire Mall. This weekend there was a pink fire truck and rescue van. The Windsor Fire Rescue and Canadian Cancer Society partnered up to raise money for Breast Cancer Research. They had a ton of fire prevention stuff set up at the mall. I collected donations for people to sign the van. As you can see there were a lot of people that wanted to sign the van so a lot of money went to breast cancer research. What a fabulous and unique fundraising idea! I love that they put fire prevention week and breast cancer awareness month together! Well that's what I've been up to! I'll be sure to post what's coming up very soon!

Collecting Donations to sign the pink Fire Rescue van for Breast Cancer Awareness and Research

My signature on the pink van

Exposure Fashion Show and Showcase Your Talent Tecumseh

Sorry for the lack of posts everyone! I've been really busy with school. We're entering the that time of the semester where midterms and assignments are piled on so these next couple of weeks are going to be a bit crazy for me. I also have a ton of events coming up too since it is now officially Breast Cancer Awareness Month! 

Last Thursday night, I had the VON Exposure Fashion and Art Fundraiser. I was one of the models at the event. Youseff's sponsored the hair and makeup for the event. The theme of the event was 1920's so my hair and makeup was done in that style. After I finished getting my hair and makeup done, I went home to grab a bite to eat and then head to the event. There was such a great turn out at the event. For the first little bit we socialized and took photos. I loved meeting all the other models but I must admit I felt like such a shrimp standing beside many of them. Once the fashion show started it was crazy backstage with girls running back and forth to get changed. I wasn't up until the 4th scene so I had time to relax but once it was my turn I was non stop running back and forth for 4 scenes in a row. I've never walked runway so it was definitely a new experience but I tried my best. It's so different then pageantry because in pageantry your supposed to have a huge smile, look at the audience, and have lots of energy in your walk. While runway is more calm and relaxed. The runway was also pretty slippery. There were a couple times when I got to the front that I could feel my shoes slipping. I caught my balance but I hope it wasn't too obvious. I had a great time modeling and I would love to try it again. Now that I have a little experience I feel that I can do an even better job next time. I'm still waiting for photos but once I get them I will definitely post them!

Some of the models from the Exposure Fashion and Art Fundraiser

On Friday night was the first Showcase Your Talent Tecumseh event. Claire and I were in charge of handing out the programs to the guests. The event was free but there was a snack table that was raising funds for the skate park. When it was time to start, I took my seat to enjoy the show. Each act played a set of 3-6 songs. All the acts were very different from one another. We went from rock to classical to screamo. It was such a joy to experience a wide variety of genres under one roof. All performers were extremely talented and you could tell they were passionate about music. At the end of all the performances, I had the chance to talk to some of the acts. It was interesting to hear how they got into music and how they got to where they are now. I was surprised but honoured to receive a certificate of appreciation from the town for helping out. I really enjoyed helping out with this event and I'm looking forward to it next year! Who knows, maybe I'll even showcase my talent next year. 

Claire and I handing out programs at the Showcase Your Talent Tecumseh event

WonderBroads Fundraiser and 1812 Bicentennial Event

Last night I spoke at the WonderBroads Annual Steak and Chicken Dinner. The WonderBroads are a group of breast cancer survivors that compete in Dragon Boats Races. The event took place at the Lakeside Pavilion in Kingston. When I got to the event, I went around and mingled with the guests and I introduced myself to the WonderBroads. The turnout was great, there were over 200 people there. The first speaker was one of the WonderBroads, Arlene. She then introduced me to the stage. I spoke briefly about my experience with my mom going through breast cancer.  I felt so honoured to have been asked to speak at the event and I hope to work with this amazing group of women throughout the year. 

Speaking at the WonderBroads 3rd Annual Steak and Chicken Dinner Event

After I finished my dinner, I popped by the 1812 Bicentennial Event at Lakeside Park in Tecumseh. By the time I got there, it was starting to die out. There was a huge turnout though, over 300 people showed up throughout the night! When I arrived, there were some special guests telling stories. I then moved over to the fire pits to roast some marshmallows and mingle with guests. Even though it was a little later in the event, I was really glad I was able to make it. It was definitely a balancing act. And yet another busy week is ahead of me!

At the 1812 Bicentennial Event at Lakeside Park

Women to Women Movement

As Miss Tecumseh 2013, my platform is breast cancer prevention and awareness. I've joined the Women to Women movement to help promote my platform. Breast Cancer has affected my life deeply. My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer back in 2006. She put up a courageous battle but tragically passed away in 2008. Since then I have made it my mission to see the end of cancer. I can't do it alone however, which is why I've joined the movement; To get one step closer to that goal. As an ambassador, I will be giving public education on breast cancer and the importance of mammograms through social media, events, and conversations with other women. 

Mammography is the most reliable method of finding breast cancer and research has shown that women who have mammograms regularly are less likely to have a false positive (when the test results suggest cancer, but none is actually present). Also, if you do have cancer, it is more likely to be detected when you have mammograms regularly. If you are between the ages of 50-69, you should be getting a mammogram every 2 years. This can be done in two simple ways: getting a referral from a doctor, or calling the Ontario Breast Screening Program directly at 1-800-668-9304 to make an appointment. If you are at high risk, like me, then you should be getting a mammogram every year between the ages of 30 to 69. Women considered high risk for breast cancer are those who have genetic factors or a personal or family history suggestive of hereditary for getting breast cancer. Women in this group will need a referral from their doctor or nurse practitioner to book for these screening services.

Below is the Thingamaboob, a tool used by ambassadors to explain the importance of mammograms and early detection. The largest bead shows the size of a lump that can be felt by checking your own breasts. The next smallest shows what might be found through a physical exam by a doctor. The next is what would be detected through a first mammogram. The smallest bead is what would be detected when having regular mammograms. It is crucial to get mammograms so you can detect tumours when they're small. The earlier you can catch, the sooner you can get rid of the cancer and then there is less risk of the cancer returning or spreading.

Part of being an ambassador included fundraising. I am asking you to support me as an ambassador and  make a donation to breast cancer research. Go to my Women to Women Ambassador page to make a donation: http://convio.cancer.ca/goto/lesliefurlan. To learn more about the Women to Women movement go here. If you would like to be an ambassador, you can do so here.

Terry Fox Run

Today was the Terry Fox Run at Green Acres park. When I arrived I put on my sash and crown then went around to mingle. We started the event with "O Canada" sung by Miss Tecumseh 2010, Aimee Quenneville, who did a fantastic job! Then speeches were given by mayor, Gary McNamara, and event organizer, Jan Wright. Caitlyn the clown and I were at the front when we all got stretched out to "I Would Walk 500 Miles." After the stretching, everyone headed to the start line. I wished everyone luck as they started on their walk, run, or roll. I really like that the event is family centred and anyone can participate. You had the option of doing a 2k, 5k, or 10k and you could walk, run, bike, or roller-blade  I loved seeing so many kids participating! It's so nice to see young people working towards such a great cause. I even saw a few of my little campers!

After the participants started, I got my basket of participation ribbons which I handed out to all of the participants as they crossed the finish line. It started out slow but eventually there were so many people coming by that I could hardly keep up with handing out the ribbons! There were over 1100 participants which is such an amazing turn out! After everyone passed the finish line, I headed over to the face painting and balloon making station to hang out with the kids and volunteers. I also stopped by the High Jinks play area and got to talking with the lady that worked there. She gave me her business card with interest in setting up a charity event. After everyone left, I stayed to help clean up. It was such a fun event and I would absolutely love to volunteer for this event next year and help out throughout my reign. This charity is so inspiring and is really dear to my heart. I was really glad to see so many familiar people and also meet some new ones! I would say that it was a really successful first event. To learn more about the Terry Fox Run go to: http://www.terryfox.org/. You can follow the Tecumseh Terry Fox run through their facbook page: https://www.facebook.com/TecumsehTerryFoxRun or twitter: https://twitter.com/TerryFoxRunTec.  Watch the highlights of the event here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DoC7ZJ58-k&feature=youtu.be

Tecumseh Terry Fox Run

Handing out ribbons at the finish line

More Photos!

I was too excited to wait! Even more photos from the photoshoot with Chalet Studio. They are truly artists! I'm dying to see even more photos!

Photoshoot with Chalet Studio

After I was crowned, Chalet Studio reached out to me about doing a photoshoot. The owners, Alan and Janet Arseneault, are family friends. My sister and I actually got photographed by them before, when I was 6 and she was 2 years old. The photos still hang up in my living room actually. So when they approached me I was instantly thrilled. It was my first real photoshoot and they made it such an amazing experience. They were so excited to get started and they had so many creative ideas. We did 4 different looks, they actually wanted to do even more. The first one was the me in my evening gown and with my crown. The second look was with a red Jovani dress that I recently purchased. They added a dramatic headpiece and some red silk gloves. The third look was this cute pink dress that they provided. They wanted to go for a bohemian feel. They even made the flower crown for me. Not only are they fabulous photographers, they're also amazing hosts. From the moment I got there they made me feel so welcome! They carried my bags, got me tea, and they even ordered pizza later on. The pictures I've seen are incredible so far, I can't wait to see even more! I just want to give a big thank you to Alan and Janet! It was so amazing of them to do this for me, it was such a fun and amazing experience. You can see their other work at http://chaletstudio.ca/ or on their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/chaletstudiophotography.

As Miss Tecumseh 2013...

I feel so honoured to have been crowned Miss Tecumseh 2013! This is something I've wanted since I was a little girl and it feels amazing to have reached my goal. It was a long journey to get here but I have grown so much and gained so much through out it. I have several goals as Miss Tecumseh 2013, one of them being to share my experience with all of you! I will be posting about several things, including the pageant night, my journey to become Miss Tecumseh, and of course updating all of you on all of my efforts this upcoming year. I can't wait to see what this year will hold and share it with all of you!