A Colorado Adventure!

Hello everyone!

I have something extra special to share this time! Taking a trip out to Colorado has turned out to be an even more fun and rewarding trip than planned! I had the opportunity to volunteer at a great event last night with Miss Colorado, and today I had the amazing opportunity to visit the Lincoln Meadows Assisted Living Center! I have met so many amazing people on this two-day journey and I want to share the pictures!

Miss Colorado and I! 

The Beach Ball was a blast!

With my parents..

With my brother-in-law Christian!

Some of the kids, they were so much fun!

My performance...

Sisters!

The kids were all so great!

My biggest fans!

Today, I had the opportunity to visit the Lincoln Meadows Assisted Living Center (They loved that i was Miss LINCOLN!) :)

This is the piano player at the Assisted Living center, he played "There She is, Miss America" as I walked in! It was so great!

As I said before, this trip has turned out to be even better than I had planned! I am excited to eat dinner with family tonight and head home tomorrow! I have more events coming up in the next few weeks and I look forward to my next trip, Florida!! I will be in Florida for a collegiate twirling competition Friday-Monday of the coming week!

Until next time!

Rachel

Miss Lincoln

Avery Vasa Fundraiser

Hello all! 


I want to share with you some photos and stories from my most recent appearance. On Friday night, I had the opportunity to join Kim Brennan (Miss Heartland) and volunteer at a wonderful event at the Starlight Ballroom in Wahoo, NE. The event was held as a fundraiser for a very special little girl, Avery. 

Her Story:

"On April 12, 2011, the Vasa Family joyously celebrated the birth of their daughter Avery Noelle. Avery’s parents, Jake and Tiffany (Warholoski) and brother Peyton (4 years old) were thrilled to finally hold their baby girl!

Shortly after her birth the doctors shared heartbreaking news that Avery could not hear. Avery attends appointments with specialists at Boystown Research Hospital as well as Children’s hospital where they take a mold of her ear to produce hearing aids. What a miracle moment when they placed the first hearing aid in Avery’s ear and she made a noise and smiled. Avery also attends specialty appointments in Omaha on a weekly basis. A portion of all appointments and necessities, such as ear molds, are not covered by insurance.

Avery will receive bilateral cochlear implants in April 2012, which is approximately $100,000 for each ear. At this time, insurance will not cover this expense.

On September 14, 2011, the Vasa’s learned that Avery has macular scarring on her left eye with a good possibility that this will result in blindness in her left eye.

We are reaching out to our friends, family and others who may not even know the Vasa’s to help us soften the financial burden the Vasa’s have encountered and will continue to struggle with as Avery meets with doctor’s and has procedures to improve her quality of life.

We hope you will join us at this event and share your love and support with the Vasa Family."

Kim and I were asked to come volunteer at the event. We greeted people as they arrived, cleaned off empty plates, trays, and cups when people were finished with their meals, got up on stage to dance with Elvis, and had time to talk to the family about Avery and her future. It was a wonderful experience for both Kim and I.

Upon entering the event, there was a set-up that showed both a picture of Avery, and an explanation of the surgery she is going to have done.

Avery was such a cute little girl, I can't wait until she can hear!

Kim and I with Tiffany, Avery's mom.

Both the live and silent auction were filled with wonderful prizes! It is so great to see so many generous auction donors for an event like this!

Kim and I got to meet The King! The event had an Elvis impersonator who ended up pulling us up on stage to dance with him! It was so much fun!

There were also clowns at the event making really fun balloon animals (among other things) for the kids, so we stopped for a picture! (Kim and I got turtles!)

The event was a blast for everyone who attended, which was a lot of people! I was so happy to see the support from Avery's family, friends, and those who attended who may not even know Avery or the family. I look forward to hearing how Avery's surgery goes and hopefully meeting her again someday. 

Until next time,

Rachel

Miss Lincoln

The Beginning of a New Year..2012!

Hello everyone!

I haven't posted in quite some time and I have much to update on! Back in December, I volunteered at an amazing event, the DECA Central Region Leadership Conference! This event brings in high school students from 13 states that are involved in their school's DECA Chapter. I volunteered both as a chaperone for the 2,000 kid DECA Dance, and I was also a "Clue Agent" for a very fun scavenger hunt that took place at the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo!

Desert Dome Clue Agents!

My Brother Ryan and I with our DECA Adviser from High School, Tracy Hinchcliff Smith

With State Officer Aleah Peters and Millard South Chapter Officer Michelle Goodman!

With the DECA Mascots..

 Bringing in the new year was exciting as always! I was in Florida for the Capital One Bowl with the UNL Marching Band! We were there for 4 days and had a great trip! The game didn't turn out as we wanted, but the rest of the trip was wonderful! It is always fun to take trips with the marching band!

Game day! Waiting for the team to come through..

Waiting for the parade to start..

After being back in school for 4 days, it was time for anther vacation! The Miss America Pageant took place January 14th and I had the pleasure of attending with my mom, sister, brother-in-law, and brother! It was a great experience! It was my 4th time attending a Miss America Pageant, but my first time since the pageant had been in Las Vegas! It was so much fun to cheer on Miss Nebraska, Kayla Batt, and also visiting the trade show, trying on dresses, and exploring Las Vegas for the first time!

My mom and I at the Miss America Gala

Finally got to see Kayla!

It was great talking to Katie Stam, one of my favorite Miss Americas!

The wonderful Teresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011!

Mindy and I before the final pageant!

Family..

My mom and I just before the pageant started!

With Danae Couch, a fellow twirler and pageant friend!

Now things are finally starting to settle down, but not for long! I have three more trips planned for this semester including a collegiate twirling competition in Florida, a fire-twirling performance in Denver, and the World Baton Twirling Championships in Switzerland! In between all of this (and of course going to school full time) I will also be busy with appearances for the Children's Miracle Network, The American Heart Association, and much more! I will also be promoting my platform, speaking to numerous different groups about the dangers of texting and talking on the phone behind the wheel. It will be a busy semester, but a great one!

Until next time,

Rachel Foehlinger

Miss Lincoln