Gillette and Kathryn's Gown Showing.

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to tour Gillette Children's Hospital in St. Paul with Bethany. Gillette Children's Hospital is our local Children's Miracle Network Hospital (CMN), which is the national platform of the Miss America Organization. Children’s Miracle Network is a non-profit organization that raises funds for more than 170 children’s hospitals, including Gillette right here in Minnesota. At Gillette, children of all ages and backgrounds can receive treatment for every imaginable disease. The partnership between CMN and the Miss America Organization is so great, because Miss America titleholders are asked to raise money for CMN. Thousands of dollars are donated each year by titleholders in the Miss America System. It is so inspiring to hear about the children who are treated at Gillette. They have a love and drive for life, even after everything they have been through they still manage to keep their heads up.

The tour was absolutely amazing. It was incredible to see how advanced they are in their medical practices. They just opened their new addition in December and Bethany and I got to see it... It was gorgeous (and it still has that "new" smell to it)!

I then attended a gown showing party for Miss Minnesota, Kathryn Knuttila. Kathryn leaves for Miss America tomorrow and the arrival ceremony is on Thursday! Kathryn has been such an inpiration as Miss Minnesota. She is one of the most beautiful, talented, and poised women I know! Kathryn is amazing on the piano. If you have ever heard her play, you would know. I could sit and say how talented she is one thousand times, but until you hear her, you will never understand. Kathryn has a gift for composing her own music. God has blessed her in so many ways! I wish her all the best as she competes for Miss America and enjoys every moment up on that stage. She deserves this. I wish I could go to Las Vegas and watch her compete, but my TV will have to do :) Tune into ABC on January 15th to see who is crowned the next Miss America. GO KATHRYN! :)

Bailey