Macy's "Shop For A Cause"

For the past two years, I have been involved in Macy's “Shop For a Cause”. It is a fun event that takes place in Macy's stores across the country, that benefits numerous charities. The Macy's at the Holyoke Mall invited me back to their store and I was booked to be in Auburn, MA too.

At the Auburn Mall, I was well received! I had an autograph table set up for the first part of my appearance. For the second part of my appearance in Auburn, I got to walk around the store and chat with costumers. There were all sorts of activities set up throughout the store including face painting, a finger print station, and video games. I even had my blood pressure checked, which was quite an event for me because I am deathly afraid of having it done. I am glad to report that my blood pressure is normal and that I met many amazing people, who made my visit worthwhile.

I quickly left and headed to my second appearance of the day, which was Macy's “Shop For a Cause” at the Holyoke Mall. I was very excited to be greeted by my cousin Toni and the Manager at Macy's, Tanya. I changed into a royal purple dress that they let me borrow for my appearance and met with local titleholders from Massachusetts.

I got to walk around the store meeting customers, tasting food, signing autographs and even got to hangout with Cinderella and Elvis! :) A Ray of Elvis is a local Elvis impersonator who participates in numerous charity events that I attend. He was very entertaining and even called attention to me every time I walked near is stage. It was a lot of fun dancing and signing along to his tunes!

The Macy's “Shop For A Cause” event was a perfect way for me to exercise my title of Miss Massachusetts for a worthy cause, have a little fun, and spend a day of quality time with my family before I leave for LA in the morning.

Love, Alicia

Massachusetts Day at the Big E

I went back to the Big E today to help celebrate “MASSACHUSETTS DAY”! I was thrilled that I was representing my STATE at my city's local fair. When I arrived, I set up my CMN table outside of the Massachusetts State Building. The table was outside this time... which presented some challenges! It was freezing and very windy where we were, but Auntie Josie, Mema, and I sat at the table hardly able to chat people up for donations!

Within an hour, things began to warm up. I spotted an old friend Gloria Tuperkisis, from “Dance Capers”, which is a dance competition that I used to compete in. She introduced me to her dancers and even let me take over her stage for a few minutes to speak about the Miss America Organization and the Children's Miracle Network! That prompted people to come over to my table and talk. For most of the day, I collected donations and got to know the wonderful people of my community a little better.

In the early afternoon, I had the opportunity to meet a very special guest and to see a few familiar faces, as well. While greeting visitors to the MA State Building, I met with Massachusetts Governor, Duval Patrick! We had the chance to chat a bit about what was going on in our lives and the state. I also ran into State Representative James Welch again! I met Mr. Welch at the Massachusetts State House this summer and since then feel like I have been bumping into him everywhere.

After the meet and greet of guests, I was running to catch my car for the Massachusetts Day Parade. Parades are a lot of fun for me because I love smiling at people and seeing their reactions. Even when I am crownless, I always smile at strangers. It brightens my day when someone smiles back and makes me laugh when they don't! :)

Love, Alicia

West Springfield Day

Today was the day that I have been waiting for... WEST SPRINGFIELD DAY at the BIG E! The Big E is a fair in my hometown that has fantastic opportunities for shopping, meeting new people, riding a Big Yellow Slide, and eating some of the most delicious food that New England has to offer! Each day at the Big E is designated a “state day” and since it is held in my hometown of West Springfield, MA there is a West Springfield Day too. I thought that I wouldn't be able to attend the Big E this year due to the filming schedule of the Miss America Reality Show. You can imagine how excited I was when I heard that the filming was pushed back a week and I would be able to go! I can remember waiting to be let out of school, free attendance ticket in hand, and rushing to the gates of the Big E to enjoy West Springfield day with my friends and family. This year it would be even more special...

The people at the Big E were very supportive of the Miss America Organization! They allowed me to set up a table in th Massachusetts Building where I could accept donations on behalf of the Children's Miracle Network. I spent the morning greeting and talking with individuals about both the Miss America Organization and CMN. The vendors in th Massachusetts Building were generously offering me delicious food for my fundraising efforts! I met many wonderful individuals who truly touched my heart with their generosity and encouraging words. One elderly woman called me to her side and kept pointing at my face. She motioned for me to bow my head and I thought that she wanted to take a closer look at my crown or to see how I kept it on. Instead, she pulled my head closer and kissed me blessingly on the forehead. It was a beautiful gesture and made me realize that I am affecting people young and old.

After lunch, I made my way to line up for the West Springfield Day parade. While there, I was thrilled to see the Pee-Wee, Junior, and Senior Cheerleading Squads from West Side! Being a former cheerleader, I enjoyed catching up with the girls and having photos taken. It was almost surreal because not too long ago, I was one of them and never in my wildest dreams would I have thought that I would be “Miss Massachusetts” going on to compete for “Miss America”... During the parade, I was lucky enough to be accompanied by my Mom, Dad, and Mema in a gorgeous light blue Mustang. I could tell that they were having a blast waving and talking to the crowd!

When the parade came to an end, I was allowed to walk around the fairgrounds wearing my crown and banner. I was amazing to see so many people that I knew well or had gone to school with... It is so inspiring to talk with old friends and it keeps my feet planted firmly on the ground. I'm a small town girl who has been blessed with amazing opportunities and I will never take that for granted.

Love, Alicia

"Walk In The Park"

Yesterday, I had the privilege to act as an Ambassador for the first annual Six Flags “Walk in the Park”. The event was a Walk-A-Thon to raise funds for “Cure Kids Cancer”. I arrived in the early morning and skipped my usual 67 cups of coffee... uh oh. I was relieved to find out that Dunkin' Donuts was a sponsor of the event and had a booth set up to caffeinate those involved! My task for the day was to act as a motivator for the volunteers. I gave out many high fives along with encouraging words. A definite highlight of my day was meeting Justin Kie-Burdick. Justin is a young man with an amazing spirit who also served as the “face” of Six Flags New England's event. He told his courageous story and had everyone hanging on his every word as they fell in love with his charm.

I also had the chance to meet Jerry from "Ben and Jerry", the President of Six Flags New England, and Chris Kellogg from 94.7 WMAS! The event was a great success for all that were involved and I am thankful to have been a part of it.

For more information about “Cure Kids Cancer” visit: http://curekidscancer.org/

After the event, I was surely caffeinated.... but starving! My chaperon for the day was my local director, Nikki Pajer. Her family owns a wonderful Italian Delicatessen in Agawam, MA. We decided to pay her family a visit and get lunch.It was great to stop into a local eatery and see the response of onlookers. I signed some autographs, took photos, and noshed on an ENORMOUS turkey sub. A fantastic way to end an appearance!

Love, Alicia

LA Prep

The time is getting closer... I will be leaving for Los Angeles on September 21 to film the Miss America Reality Show. I am excited to see all of the girls again, but a little anxious to see what is in store for all of us. All that we know is that we are all flying into LAX on September 21st and will be flying home on October 9th. That's it... Not knowing what we will be doing leads to some stress. I am trying to keep an open-mind and stay positive. I will miss my family, but when will I have the chance to be on a reality show again? This is a blessing.

This past week, I have been busy packing and shopping for the required wardrobe for my stay in L.A. Today I went to visit to the Miss Massachusetts clothier, “The Crowning Touch” in New Bedford, MA. My dad came with me to help me pick out cocktail dresses for my three-week stay in L.A. Every dress is beautiful at “The Crowning Touch”, but I think that Maria picked out some versatile pieces for me to wear, which is key because we don't know exactly what I will be taking part in. I even tried on a few gowns for Miss America... Nothing is decided quite yet, but I felt like a million bucks in every dress that I tried on! I am very excited to pick out my evening gown for Miss America! You will have to tune in to see...

Thank you to the Crowning Touch in New Bedford, MA. for providing me with lovely wardrobe options and words of confidence!

P.S. Happy Birthday to my Beautiful Mother and Darling Danny~

Love, Alicia

Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant

I just returned home from the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant in Orlando FL... and what a week it was! I must begin by congratulating Taylor Kinzler, "Miss Massachusetts Outstanding Teen". Taylor did an incredible job of representing Massachusetts. Throughout the week long competition, she was always poised, gorgeous, and friendly every time that I saw her both on and off stage! We could not be more proud of you, Taylor!!

The Miss America Organization had quite the week planned for the Miss contestants jam packed with activities... I must mention that there were over 40 Miss America contestants present. It was a treat to be able to meet everyone!

We arrived in Orlando on Tuesday afternoon, where I met my roommates for the week, Ashley Fairfield - Miss New Jersey and Emily Cox - Miss Kentucky. We checked into our room and then met our Directors for lunch. That evening, we attended the first night of Miss America Outstanding Teen preliminaries. During intermission, I had the opportunity to meet Miss America 2008 for the first time!

After the preliminaries, I had the chance to catch up with a few of my good friends who were attending the pageant, Cherise LeClerc and Amanda Kelly. They are Miss Massachusetts contestants who also came to the pageant to support Taylor! We all had a late dinner and turned in for the night.

My roommates and I awoke very early the next day to make an appearance with the rest of the Miss America contestants at the "Daily Buzz" television show. It was early, but the crew greeted us with open arms (and coffee!) We all had a blast being in the studio! Thank you to the "Daily Buzz"! That afternoon, we attended a Miss America Workshop where we were all moved by the motivational speaker Brendon Burchard. Brendon is the author of "Life’s Golden Ticket." His speech reminded us that we all have a purpose in life and that we need to always act "on" and "alive" because every day that we have is a gift. After the workshop, the Miss contestants attended a fundraiser for MAO. The fundraiser was a "mix and mingle" event at the home of David Seigel. We were delighted to talk with supporters and dine on food from area restaurants. All of the girls were in awe of Mr. and Mrs. Seigel's home, family, and support of the Miss America Organization.

Thursday was another early morning because the Miss contestants went to Disneyland! When we arrived, we spent most of the morning filming a promo with Mickey Mouse! The afternoon was spent riding rides (SPACE MOUNTAIN!) and getting to know eachother in a fun atmosphere! The fun continued into Friday when we went to Sea World... I saw Shamu for the first time and fed dolphins! On Friday evening, MAOT arranged a special event for both the Teen and Miss contestants... a Sock Hop! We dressed in out 50s best and danced the night away!

On Saturday, we had a meeting for the Miss America Reality Show where we learned a little more about what we will be experiencing in September. Most of it will be a surprise for us, but it was nice to receive some clarification. The show will be filmed from Sept. 21 - Oct. 9. That evening the Miss contestants had an autograph signing and attended the final night of the MAOT Pageant! Congratulations to the new Miss America's Outstanding Teen, Taylor Fitch! Everyone did a phenomenal job and I was blown away at how much talent and poise these young women possessed.






It was a week that I will never forget! Thank you to everyone who made it possible!


Love, Alicia

Dairy Queen Miracle Treat Day and Glamour

What a dream... On August 9th, I had the chance to attend "Miracle Treat Day” in Milford, MA. For those of you who don't know, “Miracle Treat Day” is an event sponsored by Dairy Queen where all of the proceeds from Blizzards sold, go to the Children's Miracle Network. I was super excited for this event not only because I love Dairy Queen... but also because Jim Hall, the CEO of the Children's Miracle Network, would be in attendance!

I was lucky enough to be accompanied to this appearance by my Mema and Executive Director. When we arrived, we were introduced to Jim Hall, the Dairy Queen staff, and Max – a CMN “Miracle Child”. Shortly after our arrival, Jim, Max, and I were brought behind the counter and each learned how to make a Dairy Queen “Blizzard”! I have to say that I may have found my calling after my reign as “Miss Massachusetts”... I can mix and blend the “Blizzards” like it's no one's business! :) We also had the chance to work the drive-thu window and personally thank customers for contributing to CMN.

I stayed at Dairy Queen for longer than expected because I became engaged by talking with customers and eating icecream! Nothing beats good conversation and DQ soft-serve...
When I returned home, I was ecstatic to learn that I was featured in September's issue of Glamour Magazine! There was an article about my involvement with Kmart's Style Showoff contest!

Thank you to Jim Hall, the staff from CMN, and to the wonderful staff of Dairy Queen in Milford, Massachusetts for preparing me for the swimsuit competition at Miss America by feeding me desserts! I will be sure to visit again soon!

Love, Alicia

Paperwork.... and Spontaneity

I have been busy finalizing my Miss America paperwork... late nights and early morning meetings with Directors to brainstorm about my platform make me realize just how quickly the Miss America pageant is approaching. Time really does fly by!

I have also been busy making appearances to promote my platform. Yesterday I participated in an event in Holyoke, MA entitled Holyoke's “National Night Out”. I had been looking forward to this event for quite some time because I would be appearing with Bill Cosby! Shortly before the event, I received a call that Bill Cosby could not make it to Holyoke, therefore I would be the keynote speaker for the evening! I rushed off and as soon as I arrived, I was shuffled on stage to say a few words. This cemented the idea that with a job such as “Miss Massachusetts” you need to be ready for anything that is thrown at you... whether it is a little boy telling you that “You are sweating like a man” (which has happened! HAHA) or having to speak at a prestigious event at the last minute, you need to know how to respond accordingly and with ease.

While taking part in media interviews, a man handed me the phone. Still trying to take everything in stride, I said “hello” and could not believe when the man responding said that it was Bill Cosby! We talked about summer bugs (ew!) and the wonderful cause that we were all gathering to support. Holyoke's National Night Out was an event that brought together Holyoke's Fire Fighters, Police Officers, local organizations, and citizens to take a stand against violence. It was a night where everyone came together to meet the courageous individuals who were protecting their city.

I had a great time and must say THANK YOU to the city of Holyoke and to Lorraine Gorham for helping to arrange my participation in this event.

Love, Alicia

Smiling and Waving in New Bedford

Today, I was in my first parade as Miss Massachusetts! The parade took place in New Bedford, MA. and I was ecstatic to find out that some of the local Massachusetts titleholders would be joining me for this event! I had not seen these girls since winning Miss MA, so I was very excited to see how they were doing. I spent the day with Chantelle Pavao "Miss Fall River", Marissa Louro "Miss New Bedford", Alyssa Setera "Miss Mayflower", and Alyson Levy "Miss Bristol County". We met at Executive Mitsubishi, where Bob provided us with cars for the event. Once we arrived, we found "Miss Massachusetts Outstanding Teen", Taylor Kinzler! We talked with her about her preparations for the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant. She is ready and excited to represent Massachusetts on a national level! I look forward to traveling to Orlando to support Taylor! :)

Thank you Bob at Executive Mitzubishi and the amazing women who spent the day with me in New Bedford. xoxo

Love, Alicia

Massachusetts State House

I have just returned from a visit from the Massachusetts State House in Boston! My father was very excited when he heard about this event. He came with me, which made my day even more special.

We were greeted at the State House by Mary Riley who formally introduced me to Senator Stephen Buoniconti. Senator Buoniconti and I have a special bond... He is from my hometown, West Springfield, MA. and every time I have been in the newspaper, sends me a laminated copy with a personal note! Senator Boniconti gave me a tour of the State House and told me some quirky facts. Did you know that the distance to Boston, MA. is measured by how far away you are from a certain chandelier in the State House? I thought that was interesting!

Before breaking for lunch, I was introduced to the Senate by Senator Buoniconti and to the House of Representatives by State Representative James Welch (who is also from my hometown). I looked over at my Dad as I was being introduced and he was there with tears in his eyes as his little girl was receiving a standing ovation from the Senate and the House of Representatives. I will never forget that moment...

As I was leaving the State House, people got such a kick out of someone walking around Boston with a crown and banner. Duck Tours drove by yelling to me and waving, people came up to me during lunch asking for photos (I hope I didn't have anything in my teeth...) and people stopped me on the street for autographs!

I enjoyed meeting everyone that day and I am so thankful for the amazing opportunity!

Special Thank you to Mary Riley, Senator Stephen Buoniconti, State Representative James Welch, and everyone at the Massachusetts State House for making me feel like a Queen.

Love, Alicia