Wendi Russo: Mrs Minnesota America 2008: September 2008

Costume: Aurora, Queen of the Snows welcomes you from the St. Paul Winter Carnival, the largest winter carnival in the nation--where noses are cold, but the people are warm!

My pageant Manifesto

Welcome to my blog!!

I am thrilled to have been crowned Mrs. Minnesota- America 2008!! I have surprised even myself how hard I can work towards something and achieve success! Winning the Swimsuit competition at 41 years old is my most significant achievement in perseverance and determination. And winning Most Photogenic and Evening Gown was the "cherry on top"!!

But the crown and awards aside, I have a bigger reason why I wanted to win this pageant...I have quite a few goals and I'd love to share them with you!

1. I would like to help recruit 100 new mentors across Minnesota for Kinship and Big Brothers Big Sisters-- I hope to inspire couples, individuals and families to become a part of a disadvantaged child's life--letting them see another way of living helps nurture dreams and possibilities.

As a mentor with Kinship and a working mother, I make time to include a little girl in our family activities and we have found it so rewarding
2. I want to encourage mentors across Minnesota to reach out to local businesses to get donations that may help their child to grow or to build self confidence. I recently asked Foss Swim School if they would be willing to donate swim lessons to the 7- year old girl I mentor and the owner agreed to an entire summer of swim lessons!! She used to be the oldest girl in the pool with a life preserver on! She is so excited to be learning to swim!

Local businesses want to support mentoring--think of one thing that could make a difference in your mentees life.

3. I will increase awareness of the Mrs. Minnesota- America pageant through magazine, newspaper articles and radio interviews. I have already called local TV shows/news programs for interviews to talk about the pageant, my Mentoring work, Kinship's need for mentors. I want to inspire women of ALL ages to participate in the Mrs. Minnesota Pageant.

NO ONE is too old to better themselves, to improve their self -confidence, and to feel & look their most beautiful. I want to have 3x the number of entrants in Mrs. Minnesota-America pageant.

I look forward to proudly representing Minnesota in the Mrs. America pageant--Wish me luck!!

Wendi Russo: Mrs Minnesota America 2008

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Mrs. America Preliminaries

Best in Evening Gown

Bessie crowning me

The Top 5

The final moments with Ann Marie and I

My husband Corrado and I

My husband is proud of me

Winners with Judges

Director, Faith Schway

Holly with Me & Lauren

We're off to Nationals!!

My husband Corrado

Me & the Former Mrs Minnesota's!!

My Mom & I

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