A Long Awaited Spring Brings Excitement!

Spring is here... and with spring comes Miss Minnesota workshop, which was this past Saturday. While I previously met all the contestants when they won their respective pageant, having them all together was really amazing. It is truly a fantastic group of women who speak so well! I really can’t wait for Miss MN week...I remember having so many awesome memories from my years of competing and now it is exciting to be on the other side of it all!

This weekend also brought the Miss Minnesota's Outstanding Teen Pageant. The young ladies competing did so well! Special congrats to the 2nd runner-up, Brianna, and 1st runner up, Bailey, both of whom I know personally! Claire, the interview winner, is from my home-town, so I was proud of her too. And, many congratulations to the new Outstanding Teen, Alexis Houlle, and now my 'little sister' for the last few months I have left! I have some great memories with Kat, the former Miss Outstanding Teen, so congrats to her on a great year.

I grew up in Detroit Lakes and went to Holy Rosary School from Kindergarten - 8th grade. One of my favorite teachers at the school asked me to write them a school song--not like a "rah rah, fight fight" type chant/song, but more of a song that encompasses what the school stands for like its faith. This is a song that will be performed at special events such as the 8th grade graduation. What an amazing honor it was to be asked to do that!! I knew it would be a great experience for me so I wrote it before Miss America and finally had the opportunity to teach it to a very cute and energized school of students last week. Once I get a recording of the kids singing it, I will certainly share it with you; they will, no doubt, sing it much better than I can!

On Wednesday last week, I went to one of my favorite places: Dairy Queen! They had their kick-off fundraiser for the Children's Miracle Network Hospitals. I gave up ice cream for lent so that was REALLY HARD for me to refrain from indulging (what was I thinking knowing I would be spending a day at Dairy Queen…I suppose that is all the more reason to give it up-a true sacrifice!)...anyways, I am looking forward to Miracle Treat Day when I can eat for an excellent cause! It is appearances like this that make me so happy about the Miss America and CMNH partnership. It perfectly ties together the service component of our Organization, and continually makes me so grateful to be able to help out in big ways or small for such an incredible organization.

Next up, another "Night of Inspiration"Concert in just a week! I have not hosted one since December, so I’m very excited! This one is on Friday April 15th at 7pm at the Tornstrom Auditorium in Brainerd, MN. I only have two concerts left this year, so please join us so you have an even greater understanding of the mission and vision I have devoted my year to. It is going to be a great night of talent and inspirational stories!
Hope to see you there!
Kathryn Knuttila
Miss Minnesota 2010