Mrs. NH United States 2008 Michele Sharpe

Mrs. New Hampshire United States 2009

2009-05-02T12:00:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to the new Mrs. New Hampshire 2009 "Irene Raissis Alton (Former NH International)" !!!!! I am so very very happy for her and I wish her
the very best for the next year!
I worked my crown till the end, arriving late Friday night and staying up till 12:00am to do judges folders with Erica for the pageant. Getting up at 7:30am and being the timer, judges liaison and tabulator for interviews:) Thank you Donna for being my scoring buddy :) At the end of the night I was pooped and I look it in the pictures :) The pageant was beautiful the directors (Erica/Kathleen) did an outstanding job...29 women competed and it was finished in two hours and 15 minutes!!!! Sorry not a lot of pictures I was too busy...Lynette will post some others on her blog!
Mass winner- Wendy Jack (Title means a lot to me since I was crowned MA United States 2006)
NY-Amber (sorry last name escaped me)
NH- Irene Raissis Alton
CT- Jessica Bruenn
ME- Jessica Radley.
Sorry brain freeze...its midnight and its time for sleep!
Thank you everyone for all your support, it was a fantastic year!
Love,
Michele

My year as Mrs. New Hampshire 2008

2009-04-22T18:57:00.000-07:00

Hello Everyone,
Wow next weekend is the Mrs. New Hampshire United States Pageant! I will be there to crown the new Mrs. New Hampshire 2009! I hope that my successor has as much fun as I did this past year! Below is my good-bye letter as the outgoing queen, soon to be member of the has been club! The weekend of the pageant I will post pictures from the pageant for everyone to see. After May 3rd, I will not longer be updating this blog as my wonderful year will have come to an end. I hope that everyone has enjoyed my blogging of my journey as Mrs. NH 08 United States!

Mrs. New Hampshire United States 2008

Michele Sharpe

My year as Mrs. New Hampshire has been a wonderful journey of personal growth and enjoyment. I am honored to have served as a spokesperson for the Nashua New Hampshire Big Brother and Big Sister Organization. I want to thank the executive director Joy Barrett, the board members, the staff, the bigs and the littles for supporting and welcoming me into their family. I am blessed to have worked with such fabulous people, thank you from the bottom of my heart!

The excitement of being Mrs. New Hampshire United States and competing at the National Pageant is an experience that I will always remember and treasure. Thank you to the state of New Hampshire for opening your arms to a summer resident and making me and my family feel at home. I also want to thank all my family and friends for all their love and support! I especially want to thank my husband John who is not only my best friend but the wish I made a long time ago come true. Thank You for always encouraging me and believing that I can achieve anything.

I want to wish Mrs. New Hampshire 2009 a magical year! In the words of Dr. Seuss, “Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!”

Love,

Michele

BBBS Super Team

2009-04-22T18:54:00.000-07:00

BBBS Nashua Team

Joy Barrett
Chief Executive Officer

Melissa Goerbig
Chief Operations Officer

Melissa Bugeau
Enrollment & Match Specialist

Tania Isenberger
Community Relations Coordinator
(Nashua)

Christine Moser
Community Relations Coordinator
(Derry & Salem)

Melina Burton

Match Support Specialist
& Administrative Assistant

Jennifer Landry
Match Support Specialist
& Merrimack School District Coordinator

Katie Covey
Match Support Specialist

Rachel O'Donnell
Match Support Specialist - Girl's Inc.

Erika MacDonald
Bookkeeper

Match of the Month

2009-04-04T18:50:00.000-07:00

April 2009 - Match of the Month
Little Brother Tristan Loukides & Big Brother Robert Castellano

Tristan Loukides is a 12 year old Little Brother who is happily matched with Big Brother Robert Castellano. The match meets once a week during lunch at Tristan’s school as they are a part of our site based mentoring program. This hour a week gives Tristan and Robert a chance to hang out and talk, which is their favorite pastime.

This time together allows Tristan to forget about anything that may be bothering him, which includes his little brother! Tristan’s favorite thing about his Big Brother is that Robert helps him think about the good things in life. Tristan also returns the favor as he taught Robert the phrase, “Time, thought, effort”. Robert is grateful to be able to hear Tristan’s perspective as he finds it helpful and important.

Tristan and Robert’s match consists of listening and talking, which is important in every match relationship. It is obvious why these two are such a great match! Tristan and Robert plan to always remain friends and with Tristan’s philosophy, this should be easy to do. This match had it right all along, all a match needs is “Time, thought, and effort”.

Share a little Time. Make a BIG Difference. For information on how you can become a Big Brother, call 603-883-4851.

BBBS Bowl for Kid's Sake 2009

2009-03-28T04:37:00.000-07:00

BBBS held their 2009 kick off to their Bowl For Kids Sake Fundraiser at Merrimack Ten Pins Bowling Alley! The Bigs and the Little's came together for a fun filled afternoon of bowling, pizza, laughs and fantastic raffle prizes. The children, adults and staff were all decked out in their new BBBS Nashua Pink and Blue shirts! The picture place people were there taking pictures to make a scrapbook for the BBBS of the event. There were also some goodies donated by Frito Lay! The children and adults had a great time and left with bags filled with toys for them and their siblings. As always I thank the BBBS for inviting me to these great events! The organization always does a geat job and truly cares about these children and their matches!

Bowl for Kids’ Sake is the largest community-wide fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua. It is a Campaign for Kids to raise fund s and awareness in support of matching vulnerable children with volunteer mentors through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. The campaign is comprised of several separate bowling events, scheduled March through May, bringing individuals and organizations together to have fun while also securing needed pledges of support. It's fun, it’s easy and so rewarding to know you are helping impact the lives of children.
Call the agency at 883-4851 to participate in 2009 or to request additional information.

Kidgits Book Blast

2009-03-07T04:18:00.000-08:00

On March 7th I traveled to the Pheasant Lane Mall in Nashua NH to be a guest reader for children at the Kidgits Book Blast. Mrs. Massachusetts 2008 Erica Baker joined me in handing out pamphlets for the Nashua BBBS organization and information for the upcoming NH United States Pageant! There were a lot of organizations there to read on a busy day within the mall. It was fun to read to the kids "Babar-A Gift For Mother" and to meet all the great people involved with the Kidgits Book Blast! The family friendly event is designed to show children just what fun reading can be! The children and their parents brought a new or used books to donate to various charities. The children enjoyed hearing the stories, making crafts and winning great prizes! It was a great event for the children and their families :)

Good Morning America Show!

2009-02-16T06:25:00.000-08:00

On February 16th, I was a VIP audience guest of Good Morning America!
I attended the taping with my friend Kimberly Germia, the current Mrs. All America Woman 2009! It was organized by her friend Stacey who is a director for the teen, miss, Connecticut America pageant. I thank them for inviting me to the taping! I made sure that I made a large noticanle sign to bring attention to the BBBS in Nashua New Hampshire and on the other side I had a shout out to my school Walker Elementary! I had a lot of messages from people who saw me and those signs on the television! I only hope that it helps to recruit more people to be a BBBS! In the pictures I had to leave my house at 2:00am to drive to CT by 4:00am to catch the chartered bus and we arrived at 6:30am to be ushered in at 7:00am. So be kind I went 36 hours without sleep and it shows in my pictures! We also got a grand tour of the studio and I got to meet the lovely Diane SAwyer, Robyn Roberts and Sam Champion . The coordinator was awesome and so very helpful and friendly...hear that GMA...give that girl a raise! A guest on the program was Jason Mc Elwain otherwise known as J-Mac. Jason is a senior at NY Greece Athenia High School. Jason is also autistic and was the manager of the baskeball team. The last game of the season the coach put him in the game and he hit an amazing 6 three pointers. I had followed his story and I was thrilled to see him there...what a remarkable younge man!
Link to his story http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1fw1CcxCUgg
Also a very handsome soap actor Cameron Mathison was on the show...I don't watch the soaps but I see what I'm missing :)
Thank you to STacey for organizing such a fun apperance and inviting me! Thanks to Kim for running around NY with me and for always making me laugh :)

Why be a Big Brother and Big Sister?

2009-02-14T06:13:00.000-08:00

Being a Big Brother and Big Sister is one of the most rewarding things you can do for a child and for yourself! I have been the child who had a Big Sister and I have been a Big Sister for a few children and I know that it truly makes a difference for all that are involved! I have great respect for the people who work in this organization and all that they do for the children and the adults. Please know that you don't need to be a super hero just someone to spend time with a child and make their world a brighter place with your care and attention. I am passionate about BBBS because I know it truly works! Remember this generation of children is our future and this is your chance to ensure that our youngsters are on the right path. I hope that you will consider being a BBBS, below are listed some specific reasons to be a BBBS! Happy Valetines Day

Big Brothers Big Sisters is the oldest, largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the United States. We have been the leader in one-to-one youth service for more than a century, developing positive relationships that have a direct and lasting impact on the lives of young people. Big Brothers Big Sisters serves children, ages 6 through 18, in communities across the country - including yours.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua's Mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of children who are primarily from single parent homes. This is accomplished by matching children with caring, committed volunteers from the community, in a professionally supported one-to-one mentoring relationship.

Our Mentoring Works
National research has shown that positive relationships between youth and their Big Brothers and Big Sisters have a direct and measurable impact on children's lives. Little Brothers and Sisters are:

More confident in their schoolwork performance
Able to get along better with their families
46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs
27% less likely to begin using alcohol
52% less likely to skip school.¹

Big Brother Ed & Little Brother Jeffrey

2009-01-20T06:11:00.000-08:00

In our lives, each of us shared an important connection with someone who broadened our horizons and brought a little magic into our lives.

It was the person who taught you to throw that perfect spiral, or sat in the front row to cheer you on, even when it was embarrassing. These are the little moments that Big Brothers and Big Sisters experience every day.

Although Edward and Jeffrey aren’t technically family, that is how they describe their relationship as Big Brother and Little Brother. Jeffrey’s friendship with Ed started out long before they were matched. Jeffrey was matched with a wonderful Big Sister who is a very close friend to Ed- almost like family. Upon introducing Jeffrey to Ed, they immediately realized that they would make a great pair. Jeffrey’s Big Sister was matched with another Little Sister, while Ed became a Big Brother so he and Jeffrey could begin forging an incredible bond as Big Brother and Little Brother.

Jeffrey looks up to Ed as a brother who he can depend on. Ed admits that he wishes he was as considerate and resilient as Jeffery is at his age, and is happy to have the opportunity to spend time with Jeffrey and learn from each other.

Both enjoy many fun activities together such as paintballing, Red Sox games, deep sea fishing, movies, and Canobie Lake Park. Jeffrey also spends time with Ed’s family, walks Ed’s baby in the stroller and attended a wedding as Ed’s guest. Jeffrey feels that he is a part of Ed’s life and truly is his Little Brother.

Want to bring a little magic into someone's life? Volunteer now »

Visiting the cape with the doggies!

2009-01-05T07:04:00.000-08:00

My husband and I took a little winter vacation down to Cape Cod!
The day that we went to the beach it was raining and windy, but two of my three dogs loved it!
My little taco terrier (half terrier and chihuahua) hated it :)
I thought you'd get a kick out of these lovely photo's !
Happy Holidays!

National Mentoring Month Activity

2009-01-01T10:18:00.000-08:00

National Mentoring Month Activity
Big/Little Recess at the YMCA, Nashua
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Time TBD
More information coming soon...

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua Holiday Party 2009

2008-12-14T10:19:00.000-08:00

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua Holiday Party

On December 11th from 6:00pm till 8:00pm, the BBBS hosted their Christmas Party for their Big and Littles. There was a large turnout and I was thrilled to see the children and their fabulous mentors. They all had dinner and then went into a room that had a huge pirate ship with Santa waiting to greet them on board and then they went and got their presents! The presents are donated through toys for tots, the board members donations and other local organizations. The kids were so excited and I spent a lot of time sitting and talking, signing many autograph cards and taking pictures! The best is that many of the children had name tags but I knew the names without looking, which is special of how much I have become close to this organization. Sometimes its hard because I live and work in Massachusetts during the winter and I'm only in New Hampshire part of the year, but I still make as many events as possible because I love and believe in the BBBS of Nashua! Joy let me know that when my reign end this spring that I'am always a member of their family, this truly means a lot to me! My directors have promised that our pageant organization will continue to support BBBS and that is so important. I will continue my work always for BBBS I have been a Big Sister and sponsor since 1989, whew going on 20 years! So anyway check out my pictures,,,yes that is the Budweiser horse chip and he was in the lobby!
Happy Holidays and Happy New Years Everyone!
A shout out to all my pageant sisters...love you!

Winter Wonderland

2008-12-10T17:33:00.000-08:00

WINTER WONDERLAND

On Wednesday December 10th we hosted our annual winter wonderland celebration!
We had four stations set up for the children, one was for a fun craft project, one was to make place mats for the residence of the local nursing home, one was for holiday tattoo's and the last one was decorating a holiday cookie :) We also had Santa there to meet and listen to all the children Christmas wishes! We had over 150 people come to the event and it was a lot of fun and a great success!!!

Thanksgiving Annual Appeal

2008-11-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving Annual Appeal

Each year during the Thanksgiving season, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua asks our family of supporters to make a difference in the lives of children in our community by making a financial gift to our organization.

Please consider making a contribution to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua. You will be helping change the way our children are growing in America. A future filled with hope, promise and achievement!

Donate to Big Brother Big Sisters of Greater Nashua»

Mrs. United America Pageant 2008

2008-10-25T10:46:00.000-07:00

On October 17th I traveled out to Austin Texas to compete in the Mrs. United America Pageant. As every one knows I'm taking a break from pageants for the next year or two to focus on starting my own family! So I decided to have one last hurrah and compete in Texas! I had such a great time all the ladies were so friendly and wonderful! Mrs. Annette is a lovely woman and a caring director and I am so glad that I went to her pageant! I love being involved in pageantry and constantly looking to update and better myself on stage and in interview, its my fun hobby and most importantly it allows me to bring focus to the BBBS organization! I was second runner up and I won the Ms Congeniality Award...how great is that :)
Enjoy the photo's :)

Our newly crowned Mrs. United America 2008 is Dianne Paulkstelis. Dianne proudly represented the state of Kansas at the 4th annual United America pageant held in Austin, Texas on October 19, 2008.

Dianne also won the talent award.

Dianne's court includes:

1st RU - Kelly Burns -Texas

2rd RU - Michele Sharpe - Massachusetts

3nd RU - Arlene Van Asperen -Hawaii

4th RU - Michelle Wegner - New Mexico

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK!

2008-09-28T18:14:00.000-07:00

Oh yes we did Kim and I attended the NKOB concert at the Boston Garden on September 26th!
We had a blast and after the sleepover at my house we had an awesome breakfast at Carl's dinner...check out the pictures on the site :)
You've got the right stuff baby!
http://www.tabblo.com/studio/stories/view/1637898/

Real Stories of BBBS

2008-09-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

Big Brother Nolan & Little Brother Corey

Nolan and Corey began their match on November 18th 2000. After being matched for Almost 7 years, the match graduated from our program on July 2nd, 2007, Corey’s 18th birthday. Nolan, who had a Big Brother when he was a child, explained that he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be a Big Brother as well.

Corey and Nolan have become close friends throughout their 7 year stint, spending lots of time together and hanging out as often as they could. After all of the activities this pair has enjoyed together, they still say that their favorite things to do together are going out to lunch or going to a movie. Nolan said the best part of having a little brother is “having an excuse to goof off”. Most recently Corey has decided to join the Army; the decision as Nolan described it has left him very proud.

It’s matches like this that confirm the strong bond and the impact having a big brother or a little brother has on an individual. When asked if Nolan and Corey plan on keeping in touch even though they are no longer officially matched Nolan simply said “Definitely”.

College Bound Movers Cares Golf Classic

2008-09-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

Each September College Bound Movers Cares organizes an annual golf tournament benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua. This year our event was held on September 11, 2008 at Amherst Country Club. It is a fabulous day playing 18 holes of golf, participating in many great contests and enjoying the delicious lunch after the event provided generously by the Outback Steakhouse. A golf event that should not be missed!

This year the CBM Cares Golf Classic raised over $30,000 of which 100% of the proceeds were donated to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua. Financial support is directly put into action by matching volunteer mentors with children in the Greater Nashua area ages 6 to 17, and supporting those relationships for greater longevity and strength!

For more information about our 2009 event and how to participate as a golfer or a sponsor, please contact Joy at 883-4851.

Real Stories of BBBS

2008-08-23T10:15:00.000-07:00

Big Sister Donnalee & Little Sister Brandi

Mayor Donnalee Lozeau became Brandi’s Big Sister January 2006 in our site-based program where Donnalee had lunch with her Little Sister once a week in her elementary school. This paved the way for a great friendship and soon after being matched, both agreed to transition into the community program so that they could spend more quality time together having fun!

Over the 2+ years they have done some great things together. Roller-skating, ice-skating, watching movies, shopping at the mall, getting in the holiday spirit by attending the Symphony Holiday House Tour and eating at Brandi’s favorite restaurant, The Cheesecake Factory, are most memorable. Brandi showed an interest in cheerleading and as Big Sisters often do, Donnalee encouraged Brandi to join PAL’s cheerleading team. To top that off, last fall both attended a National Cheerleading Competition in Boston where they enjoyed the event from front row seats!

Donnalee will tell you she receives as much, if not more, from the friendship with Brandi. As a tradition Donnalee calls Brandi before her first day of school to wish her luck and let her know her Big Sister is thinking of her. Last November, Brandi returned the thoughtful well wishes by calling Donnalee on the eve of the Mayoral election. Brandi excited for her Big Sister called to say “Hey Donnalee good luck tomorrow, I will be thinking of you.” This match is one that will last, for the bonds of friendship are strong!

Bowl for Kids Sake 2009 Event

2008-08-15T10:12:00.000-07:00

Bowl for Kids' Sake

Bowl for Kids’ Sake is our largest community-wide fundraiser for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua. It is a Campaign for Kids to raise fund s and awareness in support of matching vulnerable children with volunteer mentors through the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. The campaign is comprised of several separate bowling events, scheduled March through May, bringing individuals and organizations together to have fun while also securing needed pledges of support.

It's fun, it’s easy and so rewarding to know you are helping impact the lives of children.
Call the agency at 883-4851 to participate in 2009 or to request additional information.

My Car Accident....a tough time

2008-08-12T11:24:00.000-07:00

I don't want to get into to many details but I was involved in an accident this week.
A young teenage boy in my town came out of his friends driveway without looking and crashed into the side of my car. He was thrown up on my windshield and his bike slide under the car. I saw him at the last moment slammed on my break and threw my wheel over to the other side of the road to try to avoid him. He was talking to me as we called 911 and was airlifted to the hospital. My husband and I went to see him at the hospital and he had surgery on his leg which was broken. He is very fortunate especially since he was not wearing a helmet. I write on this blog to celebrate many happy events and I hesitated to write about this, but it is now a big part of my life. I was not sited or found at fault but I was and continue to be emotionally scarred by this experience. I have suffered from great anxiety and sleepless nights. It took a month before I was comfortable behind the wheel. My whole life has been devoted to children and even though I know I'm not at fault a big piece of me died that day. But the important thing is that he is doing well and I am have started to heal from the experience. Thank you to all of of you for your continual support!
Love,
Michele

I'm back from the national pageant !!!!!

2008-07-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

Whew what a crazy last two weeks it has been :) I left on July 19th (Saturday) and just got home late July 29th (Tuesday). On Saturday night my roommate Mrs. Florida, Angela Harwell arrived and from the start I loved her...she is a riot and a beautiful woman! I truly admire what she does for those children at Boggey Creek Camp...she is a dynamo :) The orientation was held on Sunday July 20th and I was nervous to meet all the ladies...kind of like that first day at school feeling...ugh..... First I want to say that I started doing pageants after I got married (weird huh) but anyway I've been to nationals before and have met some awesome ladies and some not so great ladies :( But I swear this group as a whole was a wonderful group! I mean everyone was helping each other out and it was really nice to see....I witnessed no drama and it was awesome!!!!! So a huge shout out to the ladies of 2008 you are the best !!!! Okay I will admit that if I hear the song "its party time" and "Okay one more time!" I will scream bloody murder...those that were there know what I mean :) Also I think it is abnormal for a woman to wear 4 inch heels all week and navigate 8 tiny stairs in a long evening gown and swim suit....though when I made it without falling I wanted to give the "superstar pose." I am proud of what I did out there and I am more proud to represent the state of New Hampshire and to continue my work for the Big Brother and Big Sister of Nashua...by the way Joy you rock! Congrats to the final 12, Angela, Lisa, Rachel, Melisa, Adrianne, Jill, Evelyn, Nicole, Cindy, Christina, Melissa and of course Mrs. United States 2008 Dr. Gariane Phillips Gunter, Mrs. South Carolina ! Beautiful, talented, and educated women!!! No argument from me on the final group or the winner, congrats! Okay cliche time "everyone's a winner" but honestly it is true it takes guts to do this type of event and the platforms that these women champion make them even more admirable in my eyes. So I thank all of you for sharing this experience with me! Special thanks to my husband John for supporting me even if he thinks something is dumb, my Nana who I thank God for everyday, Maria and Jack who don't understand pageants but love me anyway, Joy who believes in me, Bill who is my friend always, Angela who is the bomb, Erica Baker who I love and is special to me, Lois who I can't function without and loves to hang my picture up in the school office, Erika who is the best coach ever and all the children that need hope, inspiration and love you make me want to be a better person and make a difference!
Love,
Michele

Angela Harwell my roomie Mrs. Florida...she's gorgeous!

Beautiful ladies from New England !!!!!!!!!!

Okay shorter hair not common at a pageant 5 ladies with blond bob hair do's amazing !!!
Rocking the bobs are Me (the old fart), Brooke, Emily, Rachel, and Erin !!!!

Yes we dress for the mall all the time like this.....sure...
Fancy girls Rachel, Me, Rosemary, Erica, Joelle and Nicole!
Okay Angela and Christina what are you doing to the Buddha?

Christina and Evelyn after interviews...then Christina and I standing with the future Mrs. United States 2008 Gariane !!!!

Hello these women are smoking....Rachel, Lisa, Jennifer, Tiffany, and Tonya

Erica chillin at the photo shoot

I bet we are up to no good!

Erica and I on finals night !

Top 12 beautiful ladies :)

The Winner South Carolina and the wonderful 2007 queen Stephanie Hunt!

Our Vacation in Vegas!

2008-07-29T21:29:00.000-07:00

After the pageant John and I checked out of the Orleans and into the Luxor Hotel :) We had a great time touring sin city and losing all our life savings at the casino's ! I found I'm addicted to the Wizard of Oz slot and the Monopoly slot...so since we are brokewe will either live under a bridge or can we camp out in your back yard?

Sorry we had to rent the cabana come on the Red Sox's were on !

Thank You to Big Brother and Big Sister Nashua Organization for the Beautiful Flowers!

2008-07-14T19:49:00.000-07:00

Well, I came home from school today to find a wonderful and unexpected gift waiting on my side door step! It was a beautiful bouquet of flowers from the Big Brother and Big Sister Nashua New Hampshire Organization! It had a card wishing me the best of luck at the Mrs. United States Pageant next week ! I was so surprised and touched that they did that for me. I am truly lucky to work with such a great group of people! It is my privilege to represent such a wonderful organization everyday and at the national pageant. I want to thank you all at the BBBS for all that you do and have done for the children of Nashua, Amherst, Brookline, Derry, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, Londonderry, Merrimack, Milford, Mount Vernon, and Wilton. Thank You for your kindness, friendship, support and good wishes. "It means so much to me!"
A special thanks to Joy for welcoming me into the Nashua BBBS family!
THANK YOU!
Love,
Michele

Nashua's Fairy Tale Festival

2008-07-12T19:38:00.000-07:00

On Saturday the wonderful ladies at BBBS were at the Nashua Fairy Tale Festival at Greenley Park from Noon till 3:00pm. This is a national award winning, free literacy event! The children got to explore their creative side through hands on art activities, performances and by reading. All the children that attended received a free book! The children are encouraged to dress as their favorite fairy tale characters...which was so cute! (I'm working on getting the pictures up...a little technically difficulties) The four ladies of BBBS led by their fearless leader Joy were decked out in their grey BBBS shirts(which by the way glow in the dark) they had on pretty halo's and face glitter! This is the first time BBBS attended the event and the ladies had a great time handing out the books to the children! The park is beautiful (so clean) and the weather was great....a magical time was had by all!!!!

Happy 4th Of July!

2008-07-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

Wow its a little rainy/overcast but that is okay..as you can see I am all dressed up for the Nashua Fireworks !!!! Yes, this is my costume! When you work as an elementary principal you own many fun costumes :) Well I sure do, I currently own about 12 costumes...its the fun part of my job! This is a day of celebration for our great nation, thank you to all that have served our country and God bless those that are currently
overseas....Bring them home safely!
Have a Happy and Fun Fourth of July Everyone!!!!

Mrs. New Hampshire America, Nashua NH

2008-06-28T19:00:00.000-07:00

The Beautiful Winner!!!

Whew I made a quick stop and went from the Cancer Relay for Life this morning to the Mrs. NH America pageant in nearby Nashua. I made it just as Erica Baker, Mrs. MA America 2007/Mrs. MA United States was singing an opening song....boy I wish I could sing like that! Donna gave a wonderful farewell speech and I look forward to getting to know her in Vegas! This was a tough contest any one of these ladies could of taken the crown....glad I was not judging. Robin Mooney (Mrs. MA America 2008) did a great job MCing the pageant! Maggie S. (the director) did a good job....it was a nice place. It was great to see all my New England friends/queens. I had fun sitting and chatting with Jessica Plante (Mrs. MA International 2008) and Irene Raissis-Alton (Mrs. NH International 2008). In attendance was the lovely Kate Werner (Mrs. Maine America 2007) and the lovely Heather Clarke (Mrs. Maine America 2006). A lot of beautiful New England women! I came to the pageant after walking in the humid air for a few hours at the Relay for Life I had such a lovely flat hairdo......ick:)

The New Hampshire 2008 Queens!

My Friend Erica and I at the pageant!

Relay For Life Wasserman Park Merrimack NH

2008-06-28T15:00:00.000-07:00

The day started out sunny but then became overcast but humid! Luckily the ran was holding off for the 1st Merrimack NH. Relay For Life at Wasserman Park. Participating in the Cancer Relays mean a lot to me because four years ago my Dad died of Lung Cancer. I took a leave of absence from my job to move in with him and be his caregiver until he died the day after Thanksgiving 2004 and 5 months after I got married. The relays are a great way to raise money for Cancer research and awareness, but I look forward to the day that relays are not held because a cure has been found! This relay took place in beautiful Wasserman park. It had an awesome DJ spinning tunes and was very well organized by Kathy and her staff. I met a lot of great people today and I appreciate them sharing their personal stories with me! I'll be back next year :)

Setting up the tents....

Community organizations forming walking teams

A family with to many that have had Cancer....

A spirited group!
Kathy the director of this great event...

Rays of Hope!!!

My 37th Birthday Cape Cod MA

2008-06-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I celebrated my 37th birthday...where does the time go? On Sunday my in-laws took my husband and I to dinner to celebrate :) My family is spread all over New England....we are fortunate to have the house on the lake in NH and a cottage on Cape Cod. This is my grandmothers cottage, its 150 yards from the beach and right next door to the golf course. It's such a pretty place :) We went down and spent the day and it was a lot of fun, though my grandmother spoils me rotten! I have been so good with my diet...but I had to have one piece of that ice cream cake...yummy.....

My Great Husband

2008-06-13T18:55:00.000-07:00

Work has been very stressful with lots to do before the students and staff leave for the summer.
So I have been putting in a lot of time and some restless nights. Which sometimes does not make me a treat to live with. This week we had an early dismissal because the heat reached 101 degree's and my school being 113 years old does not have air conditioning. The third floor classrooms reached a lousy 95 degrees and I had the students and staff moved to the lower levels for some relief. Anyway on Friday this beautiful arrangement came delivered to me from my husband to cheer me up and it certainly did....he is a great guy who is supportive of me in anything I do he is truly my best friend! Just wanted to thank him for always being there for me. I love you John!

BBBS Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, Nashua NH.

2008-06-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight was the night of the Gift of Friendship, the Big Brother and Big Sister Appreciation Dinner ! This was held at the beautiful Crowne Plaza Hotel in Nashua New Hampshire.We were treated to a fantastic buffet and a welcome from Joy Barrett.Then a terrific slide show was played on the screen with all the events of this past year.It was great to see the smiling children up on the screen with their big sisters and big brothers. It was fun to see my pictures up there at the events I had volunteered at. Then Joy did a really nice introduction of me and it was my turn on the stage. When I speak to groups about youth mentoring and why I am so passionate about it, I usually don't use a prepared speech. I like to talk from the heart and no matter how many times I talk about how my mentors (my grandparents) saved my life, I always get a catch in my voice. It is a story that even now holds so many emotions for me. I truly am blessed that I had such wonderful people who came to my rescue. After my speech I was surprised to be presented with a silver BBBS pin for my sash, I love the pin and I am grateful for the gift! Then the BBBS awards were presented such as the BBBS of the year, cheerleader, John Sias award, and the corporate award. Such remarkable people who give a piece of their heart to this organization, I'd love to give everyone in that room an award for what they do for the children. They are truly hero's and angels that make a difference in the lives of many children.It was a great event and I was honored to be a guest speaker.

Nashua New Hampshire Summer Fun 5k Road Race

2008-06-08T22:06:00.000-07:00

Jeff the road race director and I hanging in the shade!

Whew talk about a beautiful but hot hot day !!!! The temps on main street read a toasty 96 degree's. I arrived early in the day as a volunteer and runner in the road race. The road race is part of an all day event called the Nashua Summer Fun 2008. There are vendors set up all around the park and food, games, music and of course the kids run and the 5k run/walk. The races were at 1:30pm and I kept drinking lots and lots of water! I almost chickened out but I figured I'd give it a shot :) It was a small turn out for the 5k and I know it was only because of the hot weather! So anyway I ran/walked the three miles and boy was I pooped afterwards, the heat was a killer...but I managed to survive and come in second :) Trust me my face was a beautiful stop sign red for a while after !!!! I figure it is survival training for the dessert heat in Vegas! The road race course was awesome, such a beautiful run through the woods. The money raised benefits the local soup kitchen/food pantry. The entry fee was $6.00 dollars but if you bought can goods to the race it was $3.00 dollars, which I thought was a great idea! It was well organized and I had a lot of fun. I'll be back next year to run again!

These adorable boys who are both five years old
ran the children's fun run !!!!

Kids stretching before the fun run.

The Summer Fun 2008!

Big Brother and Big Sister Bowl for Kids Sake, Merrimack New Hampshire

2008-06-01T12:38:00.000-07:00

The ladies of BBBS that make a difference in children's lives!

On Saturday May 31 on a rainy day the Ten Pin Bowling Alley in Merrimack was overrun by Little's and Big Brothers and Sisters! This is one of the biggest fund raisers that BBBS holds for the year. People are bowling on many different nights raising money for BBBS but on this day it is the bigs/littles throwing those boulders down the alley! Also all the children had raffle tickets and Joy was calling them up to an enormous assortment of toys that were donated from Toy's for Tots for prizes! At the end of the day there were so many toys left that each lane was called up to chose another toy! Everyone was fitted with BBBS t-shirts that luckily glowed in the dark...otherwise you might not had been able to find them :) This is a huge alley with an awesome snack area and tons of games! Everyone was having a blast and I was thrilled to see some of the children I had met at a recent event :) Unfortunately I had been at the doctor the day before and I have a painful sinus infection, so I am not looking to sharp in these pictures.
But honestly when you are with the kids you forget the pain, really that's what this is all about the children!

It was a great event and I had a lot of fun!

I am a ham...so shy!

We need more young men and women
like this to be mentors!!!

Memorial Day Parade Nashua New Hampshire

2008-05-26T10:41:00.000-07:00

Wow another beautiful warm day (80 degree's and sunny)!!! We had a loaner car and my gracious husband was my driver. We also took along our three dogs, the little guy(Bruschi) sat in the front and the two goldens (Coach and Rookie) sat in the back with me! They were a hit in the parade and they posed for many pictures. The best was when my husband egged on Bruschi who started to howl when we hit main street. Big crowds lined the street and thank goodness for the wind :) It was awesome to see Joy from Big Brother and Big Sister who gave me a great cheering section!
I met many of the veterans before the parade and I thanked them for their service to our country. My dad is a former Vietnam Veteran and I always admired and appreciated our armed forces ! To my father-in-law, Semper Fi and to all our soldiers, thank you and God bless you all...come home soon and safely!

Seacoast Heart Walk Rye New Hampshire

2008-05-18T00:07:00.000-07:00

I mean look at this picture it was so beautiful here in Rye New Hampshire at the Wallis Sands Beach/State Park! I was volunteering and walking in the four mile Seacoast Heart Walk to raise awareness and funds for the American Heart Association. The coordinator is Rosie and she is a sweetheart and she organized a great event! It was like a mini carnival and the turn out was awesome! I met so many great people at this event! I volunteered at the registration and advocacy tent with Nancy (another lovely person). I talked with the walkers about childhood obesity and I asked the walkers to fill out postcards saying they supported a new bill that will help bring much needed changes in our schools to help the fight against childhood obesity! I was psyched to get so many postcards filled out :) Then I walked the four miles with crown and banner. It was a truly beautiful day and
walking along the ocean was magnificent!!!! Also walkers could bring their dogs and I was in heaven, since I have three of my own!!!! It was a great event and I'll be back next year with my dogs :)

Mrs. American Queen New England Pageant

2008-05-18T00:00:00.000-07:00

After I finished the Seacoast Heart Walk I quickly scooted down to RI to see my friend Kimmy compete in the Mrs. America Queen pageant! As you can see (the clue is the crown) she won!!! The little one is her daughter Daliha who is a beauty! Kim not only won but had the highest point total out of all the Mrs, Teen and Ms delegates! It was lots of fun, I got interviewed by the local network and it was filmed by MTV! Unfortunately the rain is back and I have to swim back home :(

Special Olympics Lower Merrimack Games

2008-05-11T07:32:00.000-07:00

I was invited to the Special Olympics regional games held at Merrimack High School in NH. I arrived early in the morning and after the introduction of all the teams I addressed the crowd from the press box and helped to open up the games! Then I was super busy working the awards table by writing out all the winners ribbons, keeping track of the event sheets and giving the awards to the policemen to present to the athletes. I had many pictures taken with the athletes and I was able to take a couple of snaps ....the athletes, coaches and organizers truly are wonderful people! I look forward to seeing them all again when I volunteer at the State Games on June 13th at the University of NH. A shout out to Monica Coughlin who is a doll !!! Good Luck Monica at the State Games, I'll be looking for you!

PAGEANTPREP Photo Shoot

2008-04-19T07:23:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate that I met the acquaintance of Erika Leigh Kruse she is the owner of PAGEANTPREP in Warwick RI. I went to her studio today for my head shots and from what I saw on the camera I am excited and glad I choose her for my pictures...I should have them next month and I will post them then. Erika is not only a photographer but an excellent pageant coach who has coached numerous title winners. I look forward to having her coach me for the national pageant!
Check her out at www.pageantprep.com

HandBag Boutique in Nashua NH.

2008-04-18T07:11:00.000-07:00

I was invited by the Handbag Boutique owner Carolyn Mortellaro to come to an open house event of extra shopping hours at her store on main street Nashua. She has a beautiful store where I got a New Hampshire pocketbook that is made out of recycling material such as a NH license plate! She has beautiful items and she had wine and cookies set up for her customers. I stayed away from the cookies but enjoyed a glass of wine. It was a beautiful night and I met a lot of the townspeople. The picture is of Carolyn, Joy and I. It was a lovely event and I had a fun time!

Mrs. Massachusetts America Pageant

2008-04-13T23:48:00.000-07:00

My friend Erica Baker was giving up her crown as Mrs. Massachusetts and I was asked to judge the pageant. But unfortunately less numbers and to many judges so instead I judged the photogenic contest. The winner of photogenic and the 2008 pageant was Robin Allain Mooney a former Miss Massachusetts USA! I forgot my camera and so Lauryn Sent me these snap shots....I think you can tell it was pouring out and I felt like I needed an ark to get there :) Erica looked amazing and the song she sang to her husband was so beautiful...I honestly had no idea she could sing. I wish I could sing but unfortunately I'm not only deaf but I'm tone deaf :) These pictures are of Lauryn, Kim and I...Kim and I competed in the International Pageant last year and we had so much fun !!! God only knows what we are doing in this picture she cracks me up :)

Day of Beauty for Big Brother and Big Sister

2008-04-05T06:59:00.000-07:00

Joy of BBBS invited me to come to the day of beauty for the little sisters it was sponsored by the Nashua CVS. A representative came and spoke to the girls about taking care of their faces and bodies. She did a nice slide show and talked on many important health topics. I also got to address the group about my beauty tips and blunders. Remember I was born in the 70's which means I grew up in the 80's which means there were many blunders, though we thought we looked hot! The girls got their hair styled and nails done it was a great event! I bought the girls a goody bag and see how perfect their crown look !

Mrs. Maine America Pageant

2008-03-30T06:46:00.000-07:00

I attended the Mrs. Maine Pageant and as always I was late. I always think I have more time than I do and try to get more stuff done. Then I'm rushed and its not good! Anyway I was going to support a friend and it was a great show. No my friend didn't win but for her first pageant she did really well and looked beautiful! The best part was meeting all the New England queens for International, America and of course United States! One of the ladies I met was Mrs. Maine United States Kristen Walton and she is a sweetie, she has three teenage sons and looks that good...wow that's impressive! I am looking forward to getting to know her more :) Though these ladies compete in different systems we are the New England Queens and so we are proud of each other and support each other. Stewart Smith was the photographer and was putting everyone on stage and I was in slacks not a gown and was asking for a plant to hide behind.....Stewart is a funny guy !

Meeting the Mayor of Nashua at the BBBS meeting

2008-03-14T06:38:00.000-07:00

I was invited to attend the Big Brother and Big Sister Board Meeting in Nashua. I was given a turn to address the 15 member board and speak about myself and about how much partnering up with the organization meant to me. At the meeting I was introduced to the Mayor of Nashua, Mrs. Donna Lee Lozeau and I had my picture taken with her and with the CEO and director of BBBS of Nashua. It was a great honor to have been invited to speak and the members were warm and welcoming. They had pizza but I was good and passed and hit a subway on the way home!

My Platform Youth Mentoring

2008-03-06T06:19:00.000-08:00

I just had a phone conference with the Big Brother and Big Sister of Nashua and I'm very excited that I will be working and representing this great organization. Youth mentoring is not just a platform for me but a life long endeavor. I came from an unfortunate background that involved parents with substance abuse and growing up with a physical disability of being born half deaf. But I was a lucky child I had my grandparents who stepped in to raise me and family, friends and teachers who cared and loved me. Without all those support systems I shudder to think of where and what my life would become. I have been a youth mentor for 16 years and I have worked with the Big Brother and Big Sister Organization in MA and now I get to work with the Nashua Office! You know how some peoples names reflect their personalities well that is true of the Director of BBBS of Nashua her name is Joy and it fits her perfectly!!!!!

Read Across America Day

2008-03-04T06:31:00.000-08:00

Read Across America Day celebrating Dr. Seuss At Walker Elementary ! Many guest readers including my beautiful friend Mrs. Massachusetts America 2007 Erica Baker ! Check out my costume, I think my whiskers were smudging and my hat just kept falling down! We had great fun that day and celebrated with a big Dr. Seuss cake.....yummy!

Selected as Mrs. New Hampshire United States 2008

2008-03-01T06:07:00.000-08:00

Wow I'm going back to Vegas to compete in the United States Pageant!
In 2006 I was crowned Mrs. Massachusetts, being it was my first pageant I went to Nationals very clueless! But I had a blast and I was bitten as they say by the pageant bug :)Since I had won my state title I knew I would not be able to go back to represent Massachusetts every again. But as fortune would have it I also have a family home in NH. I have spent my childhood and now my adulthood summering on Lake Winn. and on Cape Cod. So I inquired about competing in the New Hampshire pageant and well unfortunately there was not one this year. So I applied to go at large and in March I was chosen as the delegate! Very excited and looking forward to a great year.

Mrs. NH United States 2008 Michele Sharpe

Mrs. New Hampshire United States 2009

My year as Mrs. New Hampshire 2008

BBBS Super Team

BBBS Nashua Team

Joy Barrett Chief Executive Officer

Melissa Goerbig Chief Operations Officer

Melissa Bugeau Enrollment & Match Specialist

Tania Isenberger Community Relations Coordinator (Nashua)

Christine Moser Community Relations Coordinator (Derry & Salem)

Melina Burton

Match Support Specialist & Administrative Assistant

Jennifer Landry Match Support Specialist & Merrimack School District Coordinator

Katie Covey Match Support Specialist

Rachel O'Donnell Match Support Specialist - Girl's Inc.

Erika MacDonald Bookkeeper

Match of the Month

April 2009 - Match of the Month Little Brother Tristan Loukides & Big Brother Robert Castellano

BBBS Bowl for Kid's Sake 2009

Kidgits Book Blast

Good Morning America Show!

Why be a Big Brother and Big Sister?

Big Brother Ed & Little Brother Jeffrey

Visiting the cape with the doggies!

National Mentoring Month Activity

National Mentoring Month ActivityBig/Little Recess at the YMCA, NashuaSaturday, January 24, 2009Time TBDMore information coming soon...

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua Holiday Party 2009

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Nashua Holiday Party

Winter Wonderland

Thanksgiving Annual Appeal

Thanksgiving Annual Appeal

Mrs. United America Pageant 2008

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK!

Real Stories of BBBS

Big Brother Nolan & Little Brother Corey

College Bound Movers Cares Golf Classic

Real Stories of BBBS

Big Sister Donnalee & Little Sister Brandi

Bowl for Kids Sake 2009 Event

Bowl for Kids' Sake

My Car Accident....a tough time

I'm back from the national pageant !!!!!

Our Vacation in Vegas!

Thank You to Big Brother and Big Sister Nashua Organization for the Beautiful Flowers!

Nashua's Fairy Tale Festival

Happy 4th Of July!

Mrs. New Hampshire America, Nashua NH

Relay For Life Wasserman Park Merrimack NH

My 37th Birthday Cape Cod MA

My Great Husband

BBBS Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, Nashua NH.

Nashua New Hampshire Summer Fun 5k Road Race

Big Brother and Big Sister Bowl for Kids Sake, Merrimack New Hampshire

Memorial Day Parade Nashua New Hampshire

Seacoast Heart Walk Rye New Hampshire

Mrs. American Queen New England Pageant

Special Olympics Lower Merrimack Games

PAGEANTPREP Photo Shoot

HandBag Boutique in Nashua NH.

Mrs. Massachusetts America Pageant

Day of Beauty for Big Brother and Big Sister

Mrs. Maine America Pageant

Meeting the Mayor of Nashua at the BBBS meeting

My Platform Youth Mentoring

Read Across America Day

Selected as Mrs. New Hampshire United States 2008

Joy Barrett
Chief Executive Officer

Melissa Goerbig
Chief Operations Officer

Melissa Bugeau
Enrollment & Match Specialist

Tania Isenberger
Community Relations Coordinator
(Nashua)

Christine Moser
Community Relations Coordinator
(Derry & Salem)

Match Support Specialist
& Administrative Assistant

Jennifer Landry
Match Support Specialist
& Merrimack School District Coordinator

Katie Covey
Match Support Specialist

Rachel O'Donnell
Match Support Specialist - Girl's Inc.

Erika MacDonald
Bookkeeper

April 2009 - Match of the Month
Little Brother Tristan Loukides & Big Brother Robert Castellano

National Mentoring Month Activity
Big/Little Recess at the YMCA, Nashua
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Time TBD
More information coming soon...