Childrens Christmas at Fairlawn Mansion& Museum

The kids had a blast at the historical Mansion. They participated in story reading and ornament making, also delicious juice and cookies were served! Santa Claus made a grand visit and read the Night before Christmas. I also read the Legend of Mistletoe, a Kittens Christmas! Hope Everyone Has a Happy Holiday!

Alcohol Abuse : A Voice to Students

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Alcohol Abuse : A Voice to Students

As a college student, I am exposed to dangerous situations involving alcohol.  I believe that alcohol use is a responsibility that only a mature adult should have. Yet, some teenagers and students see no responsibility when it comes to a bottle. The violence, drunk driving, and harmful repercussions of alcohol are not a new problem in society these days. For generations, it has caused turmoil to not only the abuser, but their families.

My mission as Miss Minnesota is to voice my story to students of all ages and hopefully plant the idea that alcohol abuse shouldn’t be part of any student’s life. Ever since I was a child, I’ve always been aware of my own families concern with alcohol safety. Alcoholism runs through my family and with my efforts, it seizes with me. My 24 year old brother, Keenan is currently recovering from alcoholism.

Alcoholism is a chronic disease in which causes the body to become dependent on alcohol. When under the influence, one loses control over when to drink, how much to drink, or how long to drink on each occasion. Youth who started drinking before age 15, compared to those who waited until they were 21, were 12 times more likely to be injured while under the influence of alcohol and seven times more likely to be in a motor vehicle crash after drinking. Excessive abuse is risks developing alcoholism. Those with alcoholism, know its causing problems with their relationships, health, work or finances yet, they continue to drink due to their withdrawal symptoms. Keenan, suffered from depression and it lead him into an unfathomable, dark place few people experience. I have a strong drive to prevent alcohol abuse and advocate the safety in alcohol use in students of all ages. My brother is a direct influence of that.

Ever since he became legal, he had begun a frightening road that has changed my family forever. After Keenan had finished his degree and moved out of the house, our family had confidence that he would excel at his new job in a new town. It wasn’t until when he had frequent problems with the law. It wasn’t until when Keenan drunk drove and totaled his truck almost killing his friend in the passenger seat. Almost all incidents were results of alcohol abuse and as a sister, I felt as though I was losing a brother. With Keenan’s increasing depression, it led him to a suicide attempt. After losing his job and 3 driving while intoxicated violations, my brother had left a permanent scar on his and our families’ life. All because of alcohol, he had lost control of every aspect of his life.

                With the support of the Miss Minnesota organization, I hope to bring more awareness to the effects of alcohol abuse. I feel a deep responsibility to prevent alcoholism. Starting with my school, I’d like to be a part of developing more clubs and invite more speakers. APE, or Alcohol Peer Educators, is a campus organization at University of Minnesota, Duluth that deals with presenting harm reduction information to UMD students. As well as I hope to voice my story to students of Minnesota and hopefully reduce the alcohol abuse in our age group.

There are countless stories of families affected by drunk driving and violence related to alcohol and my story is just a grain of sand in Lake Superior. It is the people who have lived and fought through the abuse that truly touch the minds of students. I believe with more support from the organizations that strive to prevent it, the fewer students is prone to abuse alcohol. Throughout my entire Miss Bayfront experience, I’ve realized my platform isn’t just about putting on a crown and speaking to the public. It’s about confirming the safety of others. I’ll use my role as Miss Minnesota to seek support from public officials in order to make alcohol abuse prevention a priority. As well as educate individuals and communities across our state.