Oliver's Studio

On Saturday I met with the stylists at Oliver's Studio in St. Louis - one of the sponsors of the 2008 Miss Gateway Pageant. They have graciously donated their services to the Gateway queens for the year to keep us looking fabulous! I spent the morning with Derek, who did a fantastic job and made me feel as beautiful as I looked when he was done with my hair. Thanks again to the team at Oliver's! I look forward to working with you this year!! Be sure to check out their website at www.oliversstudio.com!

In Loving Memory

I write today with sad news - a fellow 2007 Miss Missouri contestant, Abby Scott (Miss Northeast Missouri) was killed in a car accident on Tuesday while traveling home to spend Thanksgiving with her family and boyfriend in Kahoka, MO. She is pictured here (second on the left) at the Historical Society Dinner at Miss MO 2007 with contestants (from left to right): Ashley Skinner (Miss Jackson), Lindsey Rich (Miss Mark Twain Lake), Sidney Friar (Miss Cedar County), Tammy Butler (Miss Moberly) and myself (Miss Kirksville). Although I've given it a few days to sink in, I find myself still completely in shock. I got to know Abby well at Miss MO last year, and we spent a lot of time talking about her hometown, family, and friends. She truly was an inspiring person - she had a genuine smile, a great personality, and she wanted the best for those around her. She had such a bright future ahead of her, and although it has been cut short, she made such an impact on everyone she met, that she will never be forgotten.

Please join me in keeping Abby and her family and friends in your prayers, especially throughout the holidays. I love her and miss her so much already.

Some of the Miss Missouri 2007 contestants are in the process of creating a scholarship in Abby's name. If you are interested in making a donation, please contact me at taraosseck@hotmail.com. More information regarding the scholarship is soon to follow.

Hope everyone had a safe and happy Thanksgiving!

Miss Gateway Pageant

Hello everyone! I am so excited to have been crowned Miss Gateway St. Louis just a few weeks ago, and even more excited to be returning to compete in the Miss Missouri Pageant in June 2008! I am extremely blessed to be working with Gary, Stef, and the Gateway board for the next year, and I cannot wait to begin preparations for Miss MO. I would like to give a big thank you to the Gateway board for putting on a fabulous production, and for all the hard work they put into making the pageant such a success, and to all the amazing pageant sponsors - I can't wait to meet and work with all of you! Another thanks to Miss Missouri Lindsay Casmaer and Miss Missouri's Outstanding Teen, Mary Bauer for being at the pageant and performing and for their encouragement and support! And finally thank you to the retiring Miss Gateway St. Louis and Miss Gateway to the West, Sandra Struthers and Brittany Davis - you two were great this past year, you represented your titles well, and I wish you both the best of luck in your futures!

Congratulations to my sister queen, Lacey Fitzgerald - Miss Gateway to the West, and to our teen queens, Sydnee Stottlemyre - Miss Gateway St. Louis Outstanding Teen and Stephanie Patton - Miss Gateway to the West Outstanding Teen!! I am so excited to spend the next year with you all and I hope we have a blast together!! Congratulations to Ashley Heath - Miss Gateway St. Louis 1st Runner Up and to Charlie Runnels - Miss Gateway to the West 1st Runner Up as well. Hope to see you girls at Miss MO this year!

I am so grateful for the opportunities which lie ahead of me in the upcoming year. I am ready to get my platform, "Raising Awareness of Eating Disorders" out to the public and promote the Children's Miracle Network and the Miss America Scholarship Program, and especially to work hard in preparation for Miss MO. Keep checking back to see what I'm up to!

Success:
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty, to find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.
This is to have succeeded.
--Ralph Waldo Emerson