A Walk in the Park

Today marked my last appearance before heading to Albany for the Miss New York Pageant. I traveled to Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, New Jersey to participate in the Walk in the Park event. Celebrating its third year in existence, a Walk in the Park is a unique walk event that takes place at eleven Six Flag Theme Parks. It celebrates the courage of children living with all forms of cancer while honoring the strength of their families. All proceeds from the event benefit Cure Kids Cancer and supports the local Children's Miracle Network hospital. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital will be benefiting from today's event. It is New Jersey's largest free-standing, state-designated, acute care children's hospital. BMSCH consistently ranks in the top one percent of all children's hospitals nationwide. Each Walk in the Park honors a a child who has survived cancer as their Walk Ambassador. Our walk Ambassador was Lilly, an eleven year old girl who was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma- a rare childhood cancer that strikes only 250 children each year involving a tumor on her left femur. She had limb salvage surgery at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, which involved implanting a titanium rod in her leg. She received her chemotherapy at the Bristol-Myers Squibb Children's Hospital. She is now finishing up her treatment and enjoys swimming, school, and being cancer free. Children, like Lilly, prove to be an inspiration to everyone with their positive attitudes and uplifting spirits.

Mr. G, weather man for Pix11 News and celebrity spokeperson

Meghan Hurley, fellow Wagner College Dance Team member

My buddy Bugs Bunny

The whole Six Flags gang

On June 27th, the Walk in the Park event will take place at The Great Escape Park in Lake George, NY. All proceeds will support the Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center and honor Walk Ambassador Myles. I will be unable to attend since it is the day after the pageant. However, if you can make it out to Lake George please participate in this event.

Kids Against Tobacco Film Festival

The Staten Island Kids Against Tobacco Campaign launched its fifth annual Film Festival at Richmond University Medical Center. This was my second year assisting with the film festival as one of the celebrity presenters. Also in attendance as celebrity presenters were Kara Jae Kowalski, Miss New York's Outstanding Teen 2009, and Shelley Jain, Miss Staten Island's Outstanding Teen 2010. The night was filled with entertainment by musical performers and a showing of all the films presented at the festival. Paticipants in the festival included students from Staten Island Technical High School, New Dorp High School, Concord High School, Tottenville High School, and Port Richmond High School. After the viewing of all the films, I kicked off the awards presentation, which was similar to the Oscars. I presented the awards for Most Dramatic and Most Imformative. I also had the opportunity to speak about my platform, T.E.A.C.H.

Dr. Cynthia Wong, Associate Progrm Director at Richmond University Medical Center and founder of the Staten Island Kids Against Tobacco Film Festival.

Presenting the Most Dramatic and Most Informative Awards

Speaking about T.E.A.C.H.

About 65 students created seven, ten minute films to encourage their peers and all viewers not to smoke. These films included public service announcements and personal stories to help get their powerful message across. I found it inspiring to see these teens rise above peer pressure by educating others of the dangers of smoking. Just like myself when I was fourteen years old, many of these teens have already faced the pressure to smoke and had the confidence to say "No". The Staten Island Kids Against Tobacco campaign begins in the fall and lasts until April.

Scooter the Holy Cow, The Staten Island Yankee Minor League Baseball Team Mascot

Shelley Jain, Miss Staten Island's Outstanding Teen 2010

Kara Jae Kowalski, Miss New York's Outstanding Teen 2009

Relay For Life...and a Wacky Wedding

Today was a busy day for me. I began with an appearance at the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life. I have participated in the Relay for Life event on Staten Island for six years. I started my involvement with the American Cancer Society when I was a senior in high school as a member of the ACS Teens group. My connection with the organization grew as I became the President and Founder of Colleges Against Cancer, Wagner College Chapter. Our mission was to promote the Relay for Life event through fundraising and education. I went on to become an Ambassador for the American Cancer Society's Celebration on the Hill, in which I traveled to Washington, D.C. to lobby Congress for increased funding of cancer research as well as promote my platform, T.E.A.C.H. (making it a nationally recognized program).

Relay for Life was held at my Alma Mata, Wagner College. This event is a celebration for survivors, a memorial for those who are gone, and a way for everyone to show their support for the elimination of cancer in the future. This year's theme is " Celebrate, Remember, Fight Back"- Celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer. The strength of survivors inspires others to continue their fight; Remember loved ones lost to the disease. At Relay, those who have walked alongside others battling cancer can grieve and find healing; Fight Back because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease.

Once I was done with my appearance, I headed to the Hillside Terrace Knights of Columbus because..........
........I had a performance with my theatre company, Kill-Her Entertainment! Usually, the company puts on a musical murder mystery, but this time was different. Kill-Her Entertainment presented the Wacky Luau Wedding Show, a comedy show about an Italian-Irish wedding where anything that can go wrong at a wedding actually does. My character, Shewanna Kahlua, is a Hawaiian dancer brought to the wedding as the entertainment. The company is taking a rest for the summer and will return with a brand new show in the fall. Stay tuned for details.

Children's Miracle Network Telethon

The Children's Miracle Network has been the official national platform for the Miss America Organization since 2007. Titleholders across the country use their Year of Service as a way to not only promote their personal platform, but to promote the awarness and funding for the Children's Miracle Network. I have been actively involved with this non-profit organization for the past two years. So it was no surprise that I drove up to Albany this morning to attend the annual Children's Miracle Network Telethon at the WXXA Fox 23 Television Studio.

This was the second time I have participated in this telethon, attending last year as Miss Staten Island. Joining me were some of my fellow Miss New York sisters: Katie Birchenough-Miss Albany, Courtney Sheridan-Miss Empire Rose, Kieren Sheridan-Miss Mohawk Valley, and Heather Shaffer-Miss Fulton County. We took part in answering the phones for two hours and listened to some inspiring stories from the children of the Albany Medical Center. One hundred percent of the donations will stay in the Capital Region to benefit the Children's Hospital at Albany Medical Center.

LGBT Pride Parade and Festival

Under the canopy of rainbow colored balloons, I joined hundreds of gay and lesbian Staten Islanders and supporters at the sixth annual LGBT Pride Parade and Festival in St. George. This is the second year I have participated in this event, attending last year as Miss Staten Island. I have always been a supporter of the gay community. I have many friends who are gay, so I have seen the struggle they have gone through in trying to be accepted by society. This event is about visibility on Staten Island. Supporters like myself need to continue to promote the respect and acceptance of the gay community. My support and participation in this event was much appreciated by the gay community. No one should have to feel insecure about who they are. This event gives the gay community the confidence to be themselves' to be a part of the diversity of the city.

Professor Kathleen Cumiskey and Robin Garber, this year's Grand Marshalls

Jim Smith, my Executive Director when I was Miss Staten Island and Grand Marshall in 2005

Last year as Miss Staten Island

Staten Island Film Festival

Conceived by the Staten Island Economic Development Corporation, the Staten Island Film Festival (SINY Film Festival) held it's first 4-day festival in 2006. The SIEDC came up with this idea to help foster an artistic atmosphere on Staten Island as part of a strategy to draw visitors from New York's other four boroughs, New Jersey and beyond. I walked the red carpet at the fourth annual SINY Film Festival in support of the arts on Staten Island. There were fifteen featured films and fifty-two film blocks (films that are no longer than forty-five minutes) presented at the festival.

Staten Island Memorial Day Parade

Today marked the 91st annual Memorial Day Parade in West Brighton, Staten Island. I wanted to savor the holiday by honoring not only those who served this country, past and present, but to honor my Uncle Aldo, who served in the United States Army during World War II at the Battle of the Bulge, and Grandfather, John Giebelhaus, who served in the United States Navy during World War II.

My participation in the parade gave me the opportunity to say thank you to the service men and women who sacrifice their lives to protect our freedom. Freedom is a privilege; it is protected by the men and women in uniform, and it is kept alive by the veterans. This day is about the men and women who put themselves in harm's way for this country. Thank you to all our war heroes who demonstrate the true meaning of patriotism.

Jennifer Scacco, Miss Staten Island 2010, Jordan Kolwalski, Miss Liberty's Outstanding Teen 2010, and Kara Kowalski, Miss New York's Outstanding Teen 2009

The Marines

The Navy

Rolling Thunder, a group of veterns devoted to POW-MIA issues