In the Christmas Spirit

Hello Friends!

As Christmas time is approaching I have absolutely loved how I have been able to play Christmas music at most of my appearances, which really puts me in the spirit! I cannot believe how fast the time is flying before Miss America; it definitely feels like there are not enough hours in the day to fit in everything!! Nonetheless, I have been blessed to participate in many great appearances including some of the highlights below starting in the City of…

Faribault
I began the morning at Bethlehem Academy, my mother’s high school alma mater, speaking to over 300 students from 7th-12th grade. From there, I went to the Faribault Rotary to perform and speak about my platform and how it ties in so well with the Children’s Miracle Network. After sharing stories about families who have overcome adversity, I had a great conversation with a member from the rotary about people who have inspired them. It really made the afternoon so meaningful. However, to top off the day, I was able to spend it with my grandparents, who I don’t see often enough, at their assisted living facility where everyone joined together to throw a party for me! Check out the beautiful cake they had made for me. It says, "Welcome Kathryn Knuttila, Miss Minnesota!" They let me perform and speak for over an hour. Plus, they asked some great questions, which always helps for interview preparation! It was an awesome day!

On to the City of…

Frazee
The very next day I drove up to Frazee where I was the honorary guest for a Christmas Gala! It was the most beautiful night! They had decorated the Event Center so attractively with lights and trees, and they even built a stage for the grand piano they rented! I put on a concert for everyone and invited some inspiring talent to join me, so it was similar to my Night of Inspiration Concerts. This time, however, the concert served as a fundraiser for Sacred Heart Catholic Church where I am still the music director. Being close to home in so many ways from the physical location to the people attending, this event was so moving for me. I sold over 60 cds that night and had people offer wonderful words of support and encouragement! I am truly blessed to have such supportive people in my life who really believe in me! Now, to the City of…

Detroit Lakes
The next night I had a similar event at Holy Rosary Church where I gave another concert and spoke about my platform. Once again, I was overwhelmed by the support, which comes at a perfect time with the Miss America just a few weeks away. The church members prayed a blessing over me to allow my heart and mind to be at complete peace while I am at Miss America. This was such a great reminder for me that when I am on that stage and in the interview, I am there for them…it is not about me; it’s about all of these wonderful people who believe I can be a fantastic Miss America. If I start to feel nervous or overwhelmed, I just need to close my eyes and remember all of the people rooting for me…a sure recipe to push me to persevere! Next up, the City of…

Maplewood
Yet another fun Christmas Gala night! This event presented a new audience of people for me, which means I had the opportunity to educate on how awesome the Miss America Organization is! Lately, I have been able to showcase the unique aspect of MAO through the talent portion by sharing my gifts and talents at all these events! At last, we’re back to the City of…

St. Paul

I had two other really fun events this past week. One was selling cds in the St. Paul Skyway in front of ProActive Chiropractic, my new favorite place, where I have been getting help to realign my back! They have been so gracious to fit me in any time I stop by so they offered to have an event for me where I sold cds and did a meet and greet with people walking by. The other event was a Christmas Party at a beautiful home of a gracious host. She invited me to be the guest performer to entertain her guests and I had an opportunity to again share about my platform, CMN, and what the job of Miss Minnesota entails. I love the positive feedback that everyone gives when they understand what Miss America offers young women and they can see the benefits through me!

After all of these great Christmas events, I am ready to have some good old Christmas joy with my own family who I am heading to see in just a couple of days. But, before I go…I have to give you the update on my CD sales because I have some exciting news!! With the deadline for the Children's Miracle Network fundraiser fast approaching (December 30th!), I have made a big push for cd sales this month, and….drum roll please…I have sold out!! This means I have raised $10,000 for CMN in CD sales alone (which doesn’t include all of the donations that have come in through the concerts and other generous donors)!! Now, if you haven’t purchased your CD yet, not to worry…a new order has been placed!! Many thanks to everyone who has bought a CD! I hope it has brought you much joy and peace when you listen to it!

Well that was a lot to share in only two weeks time! And, now Christmas is just days away with my sendoff parties following right after! What a great season this is! Happy Holidays to you and I hope you will be able to enjoy them with family!

Kathryn Knuttila
Miss Minnesota 2010

One Month to Go!

It has been a while since I last blogged! I can’t quite believe I leave for Miss America in one month! I have dreamt about the possibility of competing for Miss America ever since I can remember, but now that it is becoming a reality; it’s hard to believe!

I have had some great appearances during the past week or two, but the majority of my time (as you can imagine with Miss America being only a month away!) has been spent preparing for Miss America with mock interviews, performances, practices with talent and walk, fittings, shopping, and the list goes on. It’s amazing to think how much goes into 14 days at Miss America! One of the ways I have found most beneficial in preparing is to seek as many “real” opportunities as possible…everything from talent, to community service, to speaking…the more my skills are tested in the public, the more confident and comfortable I become. This has been something I have practiced and learned to be true over four years of competing, so if you’re a competitor looking to improve don’t be shy about seeking opportunities for yourself.

Speaking of opportunities, I recently performed the National Anthem for the Women’s Gopher Game. I had a lot of fun writing my own arrangement of the National Anthem, and hope I can do it again! It’s not often that the National Anthem is just played on piano with no vocal accompaniment, but it sounded really cool!



I also had the opportunity to improve my bowling skills…not that this will help me for Miss America, but it might come in handy some day! For those who know me, you know I am not the best bowler whatsoever! But, this Sunday presented the chance to be a part of the Bowlathon Fundraiser for Gillette where I was honored to be a part of Team Davis. Emily Davis was an inspiring American we recognized at the Maplewood Night of Inspiration Concert. is an incredible trouper and her family is not only so supportive of her, but also a lot of fun! Lucky for me, Emily must have sent a little luck my way because I bowled a 132! (Now remember, for me that is really good so no making fun if that seems low! We all have our own gifts!) With over 20 teams participating in the event, I know it was a success for Gillette and a very fun night for us all!


I also put my stage skills to test at the “Night of Inspiration” concert in Coon Rapids this past Saturday night. As always, we left inspired by individuals who have overcome such adversity with the most positive attitudes. I am so thankful for those who took the time to nominate the individuals who have made a difference in their life so more people can be positively impacted by these inspirational men and women. The stories will be posted on whohasinspiredyou.com very soon, which I am working on updating it, so check it out to read some of the inspiring stories that will be posted soon! We also highlighted talent from a previous Miss Coon Rapids and Miss Minnesota as well as some local talent. I must say, I think we found a future Miss Minnesota—she is an 11 year old dancer, Miranda, who impressed us all with her technique and grace! It is so much fun to witness all the incredible talent and humbling stories of the people of Minnesota!

It’s hard to believe but this was the last pre-Miss America concert!! If I am honored with the job of Miss America, I look forward to continuing the Community Concert tour across our great Nation, but if I return as Miss Minnesota, no doubt we will continue the tour across our great state of MN!

Although the concerts are on hold for awhile now, the website nominations are not! We are still looking for your Inspiring American’s story! If you haven’t nominated them yet, now is the time to do it! With Christmas just around the corner, this is your opportunity to bless someone letting them know how much of a difference they are really making. All nominated individuals will receive a certificate recognizing them as an Inspiring American--what an awesome surprise you could give someone in the mailbox, in the midst of bills and other junk mail, to receive a personalized certificate honoring them for their inspirational ways! To honor the unsung heroes and the person who has made a difference in your life, just click here!


Speaking of Christmas, don’t forget to order a copy of my original piano CD entitled, “Blessed Beyond Measure,” featuring 12 compositions featuring one with violin. It makes an awesome Christmas present for the listener and for CMN with all proceeds directly benefiting the local hospital! I have diligently raised funds for this inspiring cause and am so close to my goal! The CD is only $10, and can be ordered at whohasinspiredyou.com. Help me make a difference in the lives of the families that are treated at Gillette Children’s Hospital. Please share with your friends and family and give the gift of music!

Have a beautiful Christmas season!
Kathryn Knuttila
Miss Minnesota 2010

Revelations

From Friday at noon through late this Sunday evening, my weekend as Miss Minnesota was jam-packed with events—literally every minute when you include the travel time—but unlike other blogs I have shared, this blog is not going to be filled with all of the fine details from my events at the Muscular Dystrophy walk, the Miss Mankato pageant, and the Night of Inspiration in St. Peters, MN. Rather, I am going to take this opportunity to bear my soul to give you a greater understanding of the woman I am today as a result of past adversity. This weekend, I performed and spoke at Compelled: The Road Less Traveled, a retreat to inspire youth to pursue excellence and the path of righteousness. It was in this venue, filled with talented musicians and encouraging testimonies, that I revealed the depths of my inner most struggles and the strength that has carried me through to minister to many young people so they could experience their own revelation. Upon leaving this event, where I left more changed than I ever thought possible, I now feel ready to share my heart with you. While I have shared my personal testimony at a purity retreat prior to becoming Miss Minnesota and in several high schools, I have not shared my story with many individuals who I personally know. I guess I am finding that it takes more courage to speak face to face about this with people who I know really love and care about me than it does to share in a larger group setting where I can use my experience to inspire youth to be strong even in the midst of life’s most difficult moments. I know I certainly could have used someone being raw and real with me three years ago when I hit rock bottom.

I will begin by saying I am blessed…I always have been. With a family who has done nothing but support me to the utmost and beautiful gifts that God has bestowed on me, I really feel blessed. But there was a time in my life where I didn’t feel as blessed, though I can now reflect back on that period and know that everything happens for a reason and out of the worst the best can arise. That dark moment in life came three years ago when I was a victim of rape. This adversity dealt me a significant blow that I can’t even begin to describe. After this happened, I admittedly fell into a more destructive path having no self-worth or value and feeling completely used like a disgusting piece of trash. Fear prevented me from initially telling anyone, but I mustered the courage to tell my sister Kari who helped me tell my parents. If I hadn’t told her when I did, I can’t even imagine where I would be today. I may have never told anyone, which likely would have caused this secret to eat away at me and perhaps even lead me further down the path that so many youth find themselves on today-the path of self-destruction and regret. Instead, with an unshakable faith and immense love and support from my family and counseling, I slowly started to put my life back together and heal. But, it wasn’t until I dove in heart first with my platform where I was meeting inspiring people who had been nominated on whohasinspiredyou.com that I began to realize the blessing that could come from this horrible dark point in my life. After listening to story after story of seemingly awful situations, I realized that some of the most amazing people have gone through the worst of the worst but their strength and attitudes in overcoming their tragedy or adversity has allowed them to be so inspiring. These are the individuals, the real heroes among us, that allow others who are experiencing similar situations to begin to realize a sense of peace knowing that a light does exist at the end of some of the darkest tunnels--“If that person can get through it, I can too.”
I know that God does not want bad things to happen to us, but He allows them so we can grow closer to him and to use those situations for good- to be a light in the world and to those He has placed in our paths. Thus, it became clear to me that Inspiring America is what I must do with my life. This is MY experience…not an experience that I asked for, not an experience I would wish upon my worst enemy, but it is now mine, and it is my responsibility to use it to create hope and peace.
I have healed my pain by honoring and sharing the inspiring stories of our unsung heroes across Minnesota, and, almost three years later, I can truly say the Miss America Organization has changed my life. It has provided me this opportunity to use my crown as a symbol of America’s strength. I am stronger than I ever have been and I owe it to so many things: God’s healing grace, my family, my platform and this organization. I was given a great responsibility this year as Miss Minnesota and I am so grateful for this opportunity; I just never realized how much it would touch my heart and change me more on the inside than the outside.

So, that is my revelation. I feel a greater sense of healing even writing this, just as I felt that deeper sense of peace after the youth retreat this weekend. I really hope the students were changed in some small way, but I know that I benefited in a greater way than I bargained for. I left changed…every time I leave an appearance, I am changed, sometimes in small ways and sometimes in big ways…thank you, Miss America, for providing constant opportunities for change. If you are a contestant in this organization, buckle your seat belt because if you really go after it, you stand to gain so much more than just a crown. You stand to gain the greatest sense of fulfillment, peace, and beautiful revelations in life day after day. My advice, take the risks…be courageous in sharing who you are, be raw, be real…you won’t regret it! This weekend, I felt the Lord by my side starting at the retreat and going all the way through to the Night of Inspiration Concert in St. Peters on Sunday. I am ready to seize every opportunity to share my story and work on my platform to the largest degree possible, whatever that may be.
I encourage you to help me continue this network of inspiration and pay it forward to someone else. Whether that is volunteering, nominate your inspiring person, or just telling them that they inspire you, it is a small way to help us realize all the amazing things that are happening around us every day amidst the negative we see on TV. This Tuesday is Give to the Max day. If you feel you can contribute financially and give to a charity, go to givemn.org.

Thank you for allowing me to open my heart to you and reveal the person I am on the inside not just the outside.

Give To the Max

While at Miss Minnesota in June, I remember hearing about a tornado that had devastated the city of Wadena, MN. Being that I pass through Wadena every time I travel home to Detroit Lakes, I am quite familiar with the city’s landscape and can certainly attest to the fact that this tornado caused irreversible changes to the aesthetics of the town. But, the amazing thing is that this same irreversible change did not happen to the hearts of the Wadena citizens; in fact, I think it caused their hearts to grow larger. In these times of strife, the town has come together with remarkable strength to volunteer time to clean up debris while bringing the community back to some sense of normalcy. So, I was honored to do my part by hosting a Night of Inspiration Concert right there in Wadena this past Saturday to celebrate all of the good that is happening there. The concert took place at the Memorial Auditorium, which has the most stunning 9 foot Steinway grand piano…as you can probably imagine, this was a dream for me to play on and certainly for the other gifted piano players who shared their talent that evening! A 12 year old boy named Joey played Beethoven’s 3rd movement of the Moonlight Sonata. To give you an idea of how gifted this young man is, this was a piece I played when I was 16! Another Inspiring American named Irma Allen (who is over 90 years old!!) has taught piano for 70 YEARS inspiring students to love music. Irma performed at the concert and the piece she selected was the same one she played 71 years ago on the very same stage for her senior piano recital…all I can say is, WOW! It was such an enjoyable night, but also a night to remember that, in the words of Mayor Wayne Wolden, “in times of great despair there are many reasons to be thankful and to have hope.” What an honor it was to recognize Mayor Wolden as an Inspiring American for all the work he did to bring back the city after the tornado. Despite all of the turmoil the residents of this town have faced, I felt honored that over $800 was given to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network that night. The people of Wadena are truly a shining example of how life’s adversity has the power to create strength, connectedness, and an immense desire to serve and bless others in need. True to course, I left another concert being inspired and blessed beyond measure!

In addition to the concert, the last couple of weeks have also been filled with school visits, talent performances, fundraisers, and other cool events. Have I mentioned before how much I LOVE being Miss Minnesota!!

My school visit took me to Hudson High School (this is an appearance I have done every year I have served as a titleholder) where my sister, Kari, is a choir teacher. It is the students there who inspire me to come back year after year because of their heart and commitment to music. It is also such a thrill to see my sister, who served as Miss Minnesota 2001, live out her platform of music education every day as their director. It just goes to show how remarkable and life impacting the Miss America Organization is! The personal platform component of the Miss America Organization has defined the long-term career and service path that so many young women have taken in life over the past 20 years. And now, you add the incredible commitment that women around our nation are showing to the national partnership of the Children’s Miracle Network--as much as we’re helping to change lives through the money we diligently work to raise for CMN, our lives are being transformed as we develop a deeper and stronger commitment to service.

It has been an absolute joy for me to work tirelessly to raise money for CMN through every Inspiring America event, and I had another great experience in Perham putting on a fundraiser dinner/performance at their golf club. Over the course of four hours, I performed, presented and socialized with over 180 guests. Can you believe I sold 50“Blessed Beyond Measure” CD’s that night? By the end of the night, we had raised more than $500 for CMN! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of the generous people across Minnesota who have given to this worthy cause!! I continue to be humbled by the generosity of the people of Minnesota!

Speaking of being humbled, every time I do an event for Gillette Children’s Hospital I walk away changed. The most recent event I participated in was a fundraiser called “Shop and Sip” at CSM in Minneapolis. My duties were simple, meet and greet people and draw raffle winners, but these fun appearances are so awesome because they showcase the great support people have for Gillette. (And, it certainly doesn’t hurt when their donated money for CMN goes towards raffle tickets for great drawings and prizes!)




During my first four and a half months of service, I have traveled from one end of the state to the other and one side to the other. With one-third of my reign over, I have learned from every appearance and every person I have met that life is too short to not give…to give of ourselves in whatever way God has blessed us with, be it our talents, our time, or our money. I recently had the great opportunity to be a part of a promotional video for “Give to the Max Day,” which will occur on November 16th (the video will be forthcoming). This day presents the perfect opportunity for each one of us to take part in the Nation’s largest giving day blessing hundreds of charities. I encourage you to go to givemn.org on November 16th and donate to your favorite charity. Even by donating a simple $10 you can be a part of this great day that has already raised over $19,000,000 for charities! And, if you can’t give monetarily, create your own version of “Give to the Max Day” by volunteering your time to one of the many organizations in need. With the holiday season fast approaching, this is our opportunity to look for even more opportunities to inspire and bless those around us. You just never know how monumental of an impact your small sacrifice can have.

Be blessed!
Kathryn Knuttila
Miss Minnesota 2010

Miss America is less than three months away! The days are flying by and have been filled with appearances, workouts, practicing piano and much more Miss America prep. In addition to preparing for Miss America, I have continued to keep busy with several appearances across the state.

Congratulations to Aja Majkrzak and Lauren Johnson who were just crowned Miss Capital City and Miss Twin Cities. I had the great honor of giving my farewell to the local title of Miss Twin Cities that I proudly represented prior to becoming Miss Minnesota, and also crowned the new titleholder. I reflect back to where I was a year ago…preparing for Miss Twin Cities without knowing that one year from then I would be preparing for the job of Miss America. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! Thank you so much to Kathy Shellum and Judy Register for being such wonderful directors by not only encouraging me, but also pushing me out of my comfort zone so that I would be prepared for this once in a lifetime job. You two will forever be my friends!

Prior to the pageant, I teamed up with the organization “Cheerful Givers” for the National Make a Difference Day. The mission of “Cheerful Givers” is to provide toy-filled birthday bags to food shelves and homeless shelters so that parents living in poverty can give their child a birthday gift. In one hour, we bagged over 1,900 birthday bags to provide for families in need. As I participated in this event, I couldn’t help but feel so blessed for the life I have been provided and to feel encouraged by the smile these gifts will provide to a child. What a humbling experience. Volunteering with this organization only takes an hour or two of your time, but can make the world of a difference to a child. Check out their website at Cheerfulgivers.org to find out more information about volunteering!

On October 15th, I had another Night of Inspiration Concert in Cambridge, MN at “In His Steps Ballet Studio.” This was a unique night of talent with the dance students from the studio performing to my piano music! This was also a great night with more inspiring stories. I’d love to take a moment to share the story of Grace, who was the Gillette patient we recognized as an Inspiring American.

Grace was born 16 weeks early weighing barely a pound. Like many premature infants, she has cerebral palsy – a form of brain damage that, for Grace, affects her ability to speak. Until two years ago, life without words was 6-year-old Grace’s reality. But, this strong little girl persisted and overcame her major life obstacle. To read more about how her mother never thought she would hear her daughter say “I love you” and the talker she now uses, check out Grace’s Story on whohasinspiredyou.com!

On October 17th, I joined my two friends Kaylah Dockter and Aja Majkrzak in St. Cloud to perform at a benefit concert for a high school’s orchestra program. With budget cuts taking a toll on schools across the country, this St. Cloud School’s orchestral program made the decision to fundraise through numerous concerts. With music being an integral part of my life, I was thrilled to be a part of the concert! I have to say their orchestra was superb, AND, I will be writing a piece for them to perform at a future concert; as you can imagine, with a love for composing music, I am very excited for this task! I would not be who I am today if my parents had not put me in piano lessons at the age of 5. No matter what was going on in my life, I could use music as an escape or even a way to deal with my emotions. I can’t imagine that being taken away from a student so I was honored to help them out!

On the 21st of October, I had a fantastic appearance in Vergas, MN! I was invited to the beautiful home of The McGrady’s who hosted several of their friends for an Evening of Inspiration with Miss Minnesota. They welcomed me as a dinner guest (which was probably the best four course meal I have ever had!), and then I had the opportunity to perform on a beautiful grand piano while also sharing about the Children’s Miracle Network and my platform of Inspiring America.

Their generosity and graciousness was absolutely remarkable. This group of 20 individuals gave over $2,500 in donations to CMN! What a night; I felt so honored that they would so graciously and generously give to this great organization on my behalf! With their help, I have now raised over $10,000 for CMN!!! At this rate, I know I will far exceed my goal of raising $15,000 throughout my year of service as Miss Minnesota, and hopefully as Miss America!

The next two weeks are jam-packed with appearances so I will try to blog a bit sooner to keep you updated! Thank you again for your time and support. I hope that you are inspired to make a difference in your community!

"I am the Queen of the World"

Now, before you jump to the conclusion that I have grown rather conceited over the past four months since becoming Miss Minnesota, please read on as you’ll see the title of this blog is not my words or thoughts…I promise! But, it is a great line so I just had to include it!



Last week, I visited Small Blessings Preschool in Detroit Lakes. I began by reading my favorite book, "The Giving Tree," and then I read their favorite book about a king who wouldn't get out of the bathtub (children’s literature has such interesting premises, but it certainly captures the attention of these little ones!). After storytime, the teacher asked the kids what I was the queen of. They were quick to shout back, "The whole world!" I laughed and gave them a second guess by providing the clue that I am the queen of the state where we live. So they replied with, "Detroit Lakes!" (Considering they are preschoolers and that is the town we were in, that was close enough!) The giggles and awe from that moment transferred to the piano performance I gave as they couldn’t believe how fast my fingers were going. I really enjoyed this appearance because it reminded me of sweet innocence and to not always take myself too seriously. Oh... and that it is also okay to believe that I am the "Queen of the World" for a day! :)

From the simple yet important inspiration provided by the preschoolers to the deep inspiration I receive from my concert tour, it was such an honor to bring the Night of Inspiration Concert into another community. Last week, the Maplewood community hosted a Night of Inspiration at Redeeming Love Church. One of the nominees, Stacie McBride-Cox, is a great friend and mentor of mine. Stacie has not only inspired me throughout the years, but so many others with the strength she has shown in overcoming her sister's tragic murder. She has shaped many young women into confident and well spoken individuals in the Miss America system, and has certainly played a major role in helping me prepare for the job of Miss Minnesota and Miss America.

The concert also showcased other touching stories like Emily, a sweet girl from Gillette Children’s Hospital, who was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at 13 months old. Although her speech is affected by her condition, she communicates well, which certainly provided great inspiration for all of us. She is such a trooper! Another story was the Mayer Family who lost all three of their daughters in a car accident as the girls drove to their brother’s wedding. While I am not a parent and thus cannot fully understand or even imagine how that could feel, it hurts my heart to even think about it. Debbie Mayer has become a symbol of hope with her strength and has a whole platform and website in honor of her daughters: www.eternalbrideministries.com.


Be sure to check out the complete stories at whohasinspiredyou.com; they will be posted in the near future! All of the unsung heroes recognized at the concert had such powerful stories of strength, which I believe provided life perspective and a blessed feeling. These concerts never cease to amaze me from the constant inspiration I feel to the incredible talent that is showcased providing continued motivation to keep using our God-given gifts. I am so excited for my next Night of Inspiration concert taking place this Friday in Cambridge!


On a short note, I also had the opportunity to speak and perform for the sisters and almuni of the Sigma Alpha Iota Chapter. SAI is a sorority for musicians so I felt very much at home and welcomed as a fellow musician.

Finally, we added another title holder just yesterday who will compete for Miss Minnesota 2011...Miss North Metro, Bethany Beniek! Congratulations to her! She has worked incredibly hard and I know she will represent the North Metro with passion and drive. Congratulations also to Bailey Wachholz, the new North Metro Outstanding Teen! She truly is an outstanding teen who has shown incredible devotion to her platform of Alzheimer’s Awareness! Next up…Miss Twin Cities on Oct. 23rd. This was my local title heading into Miss Minnesota this year. I can't believe how the time has flown by! It is remarkable to think how much has changed since this time last year when I was preparing to compete for Miss Twin Cities. At that time, I could only wish and hope that I would have the opportunity to represent our great state and to compete for Miss America…it is still so surreal to be experiencing that dream!


I hope you are all enjoying this beautiful fall with our summer-like weather! I always love driving to appearances with the beautiful view of colored leaves on trees; it is simply breathtaking. Less than breath-taking, however, is the flu bug that can accompany this season (I just recovered from the flu myself), so stay well this season! I am sending healthy wishes your way!

Kathryn Knuttila
Miss Minnesota 2010

"A Fall of Inspiration"

This past weekend was a perfect representation of the versatility of my platform with it naturally fitting any event or appearance on my schedule. I have received many nominations lately on
whohasinspiredyou.com of inspiring people, which makes me thrilled! Some were from the 7th graders I recently visited at Detroit Lakes Middle School, and others were from individuals who are eager to have their inspiring American recognized at an upcoming
“Night of Inspiration Concert.” Among the most interesting nominations was for a woman to be recognized at a family birthday party. So, on Saturday, I drove 3 ½ hours into Wisconsin to highlight an Inspiring American named Gloria. It was her uncle’s birthday party, but Gloria’s niece, Jacquie, nominated her and wanted to surprise her while the whole family was there. I think she found it a bit odd when Miss Minnesota showed up in WI to celebrate a birthday, but she was so welcoming anyway! It was great to share my platform while also talking about what being Miss Minnesota entails. As I spoke about the vision of Inspiring America, it was such an honor to share Gloria’s story with the family. By the end we were all in tears because of the incredibly touching moment, so it was time to bring on the entertainment. I brought my keyboard along so I could inspire with some original music; they were a great audience! After leaving, it really sunk in how it doesn’t matter whether I am speaking to hundreds of students, or to a group of Rotary members, or even a family celebrating; my platform can touch the lives of so many and as a result, my own life is touched! This job continually produces abundant blessing in my life! You can find Gloria’s inspiring story on the
Inspiring Stories link on the website.

I want to also recognize a wonderful young lady, and a great friend of mine, Bethany Beniek! She put on a fantastic CMN fundraising concert in St. Josephs with Tonic Sol Fa and another a capela group called Johnnie Blend. Both groups were awesome! I also had the honor of kicking off the concert with my piano music. Bethany put in months preparing for this concert and found great sponsors to donate wonderful prizes including a complimentary manicure, pedicure and up-do for me before the concert! The concert drew in a great crowd so I know the event was a great success!

Speaking of concerts, I will be hosting another “Night of Inspiration” this coming Saturday, October 2nd, in the Twin Cities suburb of Maplewood at Redeeming Love Church. If you haven’t made one of these concerts, please come to this one! We have some great talent of titleholders in the area as well as dancers and musicians from the community. If you have heard “Quintessence” on the
Beyond Measure CD , you have to come to this event and hear me perform it with two violins! The stories we will be sharing will truly touch your heart, so be sure to invite your friends and family out to Redeeming Love Church this Saturday at 7PM. For more information, check out
'Calendar Events' on the Inspiring America website.
As always, thank you for taking the time to read my blog! Also, many thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes! I had a wonderful birthday on Wednesday that included horseback riding, dinner with friends and some karaoke! I sang, “It’s Raining Men,” one of my favorite classics! I’m certain that anyone who heard me sing is thanking God that my talent for Miss America is not singing…but it was a blast to use my pipes nonetheless!


Until next time,
Kathryn Knuttila
Miss Minnesota 2010

From Here to There, I’m Everywhere!

This was a busy week for me so I apologize in advance for this being a long blog!

Let’s start with 6:30am on Tuesday the 14th! On this very early morning, I started my day by serenading the Detroit Lakes Morning Rotary club followed by giving a presentation. This group was so supportive and encouraging with contributions of $260 to CMN through 26 CD sales! Thank you to Kathy Dretsch for inviting me to be her guest there!
The next day, I traveled south for 3 hours to Coon Rapids where I met up with another civic organization, the Coon Rapids Lions Club. While I was there, I shared the vision for my platform, the Children’s Miracle Network, and my fundraising CD. And, in the mix of all of that, I was honored to recognize a very important member of their club, John Leggate. Six years ago, when John was diagnosed with cancer, he was told he had only a few months to live. He planned his funeral and spent his last few months with his family. Here we are today, and I was able to share his story and recognize him as a ‘miracle’ Inspiring American! He is healthier and happier than ever. To read his full story, check out whohasinspiredyou.com!
Then came Thursday, which presented a very full day in my hometown of Detroit Lakes! It started out at the Detroit Lakes Middle School where I spoke to 160 7th graders. I will admit I was a little worried that 7th graders would feel ‘too cool’ to listen or ask questions, but boy was I wrong! They were so much fun! They were very attentive and asked some great questions. The best part was when I asked them, “Who has inspired you?” They shared some wonderful stories and some of them even nominated their inspiring person on the website!

From there, I went to Emmanuel Nursing home where I gave a small concert of the original music from my CMN fundraising CD Blessed Beyond Measure, which you can find on the Inspiring America website. They are planning on having a Miss America party at the nursing home and they told me they are sure that I am the next Miss America. Let's hope they are right! Either way it feels wonderful to have so much support and encouragement from every appearance I have done!

After that, I ran over to the D.L. pavilion center for the “Community Celebration Day,” which was a fundraiser for United Way. I had a booth available to sell CD’s, sign autographs and meet people. And, I was able to perform on stage, which is always a thrill for me!






To finish off the day, I went to the Detroit Lakes Mall and did a fashion show with Maurices, which was a fundraiser for the Humane Society called “Rescues and Runways.” Rescues & Runways is a national campaign created by maurices, in partnership with the ASPCA® American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. In its second year, the goals of this program have remained the same: to increase awareness of animal shelters, in turn, increasing pet adoptions through pet-themed fashion shows. More than 750 maurices locations across the U.S. are hosting the fashion shows along with raising supply and cash donations for our forever friends!By the time I left Detroit Lakes for the St. Paul parade on Friday evening, I had personally addressed 160 autographs to each 7th grader and got a case of writer’s cramp! With all the typing we do nowadays my hand kept cramping as I was writing their cards! They were all so excited to have their own personalized card so the cramps were worth it; I hope it is something they keep for awhile!

On Sunday morning, I was at the Mall of America for the Midwest Special Services Walk and Roll Fundraiser! There were over 500 people there to walk or roll around the mall in support of MSS. Being a part of all of these fundraisers never gets old…I love playing any role to help support these worthy causes.
Later that afternoon, I entered “pageant mode” attending the Miss Twin Cities Orientation. It is going to be a great competition with some outstanding talents; I can’t wait for it! Admittedly, it will feel a bit sad to officially hand over the title to someone new even though I surrendered my Miss Twin Cities role when I became Miss Minnesota (I think it was a good swap)! Miss Twin Cities/Capital City Pageant is Oct 23rd so mark your calendars!
While I was in pageant mode, we just kept going with it on Monday for the Miss America lottery to determine my competition group! Talk about exciting and nerve-racking!! This lottery dictates the order of my preliminary competition, and I was 47th to be picked. As you can imagine, after 46 other girls had selected their position, there wasn’t much left to choose from. But, I was thrilled to land a spot in the Alpha Group so I can perform my talent on the first night of preliminaries. I will be contestant three on each of the preliminary nights with competitions as follows: Monday Afternoon – Interview; Tuesday PM – Talent; Wednesday PM – On-stage Question; Thursday PM – Swimsuit and Evening Gown. My imagination is running wild as the reality of competing for Miss America is really sinking in!!
But, I had no time to savor that daydream because I had to immediately head to the Ivey Awards. My sister Kari accompanied me, which made the night all the more special for both of us! We met so many talented people around Minneapolis/St. Paul who are singers, dancers, choreographers, composers and designers. We were in great company!
See, I told you this was a busy week, but so much fun! It really does make the time fly!

Thank you for taking the time to read what I have been up to. God Bless you!

Kathryn Knuttila
Miss Minnesota 2010

An Afternoon of Inspiration!

I am writing this blog feeling overwhelmed with emotions from Sunday’s “Afternoon of Inspiration” concert in Moorhead. I literally get goose bumps thinking about it. It was the most beautiful uplifting day I’ve had; I am so deeply reminded of God’s wonderful grace and the presence he has in my life. He has truly blessed me beyond measure with this opportunity to serve Minnesota this year and to take the focus off the crown I wear and on to the people it represents. At this "Afternoon of Inspiration," we recognized five Inspiring Americans from the Moorhead area, whose stories left not a dry eye in the house, including myself (I have learned to wear waterproof mascara for these concerts)! (The picture above was one of our Inspiring Americans, Alyssa, a survivor of leukemia and the 2010 ND CMN Champion. ) All of the stories are incredible and I wish I could share them with you but you will have to read them on www.whohasinspiredyou.com. In between these remarkable stories, the new Miss Moorhead and Moorhead’s Outstanding Teen Organization were showcased with their talents and their service work. Congratulations to Tiffany Shulstad Peterson, the new Miss Moorhead and to the Red River Valley Outstanding Teen, Brianna Drevlow, who were crowned Saturday night. Savanna Tate Snyder, a past Miss Moorhead, absolutely captured the audience with her vocal talent. More impressive, however, was her ability to overcome a very challenging week with the passing of her grandfather and still be able to perform with such grace and heart at this concert. (I know he was at that concert, Savanna, and he was smiling down on you!) Another hit was the St. Joseph's Mens Choir who not only color coordinated perfectly with the colors of Inspiring America but entertained the audience!
We raised over $750 at this concert for the Children's Miracle Network so thank you so much to everyone who helped make this day happen and be a success!

If you have not been to one of these concerts yet, I encourage you to make one in your area. The next one will take place in Maplewood on Oct. 2nd and we are looking for nominations of individuals in the Twin Cities area. Please take the time to nominate someone who has inspired you on whohasinspiredyou.com. You probably don’t realize what it would mean to them and how their story could inspire others. The stories from today’s concert will be on www.whohasinspiredyou.com along with pictures. I am planning to post some video from the concert on Inspiring Americas Facebook so become a fan and you can check that out, too!



Outside of being enormously inspired this past week, I also kept busy with the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon on Labor Day. I was at the Treasure Island Casino answering phones and taking donations…. And no, I didn’t gamble! This year, the MDA TELETHON ACHIEVED $58,919,838!! If you made a donation, thank you for your contribution.



I met quite a few youth who had some form of MD and they were so encouraging. They were similar to the amazing children at the Children’s Miracle Network hospitals--full of life and an energized spirit...precisely what I strive to take with me everywhere I go! I will be needing it especially this week with lots of traveling every day for appearances. I have a busy but exciting week planned so I look forward to sharing that with you next time!

Have a wonderful week,
Kathryn Knuttila
Miss Minnesota 2010