Miss Lake Festival 2010 Farewell

Below is Miss Lake Festival 2010, Devon Stansbury's lovely farewell letter.  I am honored that my parents and I were listed, but my favorite line is that her mom's boyfriend's RV has been turned into "the pageant mobile!' 

I believe that everything happens for a reason in life and that God’s timing is everything. This year, it was my time to be your Miss Lake Festival and this journey that I embarked on a year ago today could not have been any more amazing. Perhaps the greatest factor that made this experience so wonderful for me was the people were on this journey with me. I would like to thank those of you who were there every step of the way. Melissa, I met you in 2008 when I did my first pageant, which was Miss Lake Festival. While I was very pleased with being 2^nd runner up that year, I cannot express to you how happy it made me to come back two years later and be crowned Miss Lake Festival 2010. Thank you so much for having this program that offers so many opportunities, experiences, and scholarship money. It’s a wonderful program that helps young women grow in one way or another. Thank you for believing in me and giving me the encouragement along the way.

To the lake festival committee, this program really would not be possible without each and every one of you. It has been such a pleasure to work with all of you over the past year and I cannot thank you enough for all that you did for me during Lake Fest week, and for the continued support you gave to me throughout the year.

A special thank you to Dan Dailey and Aaron’s Rentals, for sponsoring me to be in the Miss Lake Festival Pageant. Without you, I would not have been able to participate in this program. Thank you so much for your support and for allowing me to have this amazing opportunity.

To Abby, Tim, and Vicki Bollenbacher, you three have been with me from the beginning when I was first interested in doing a pageant. From letting me borrow swimsuits, to traveling to almost all of my prelims and to Miss Ohio both years, you have been so supportive, encouraging, and helpful. Thank you so much for having faith in me and treating me like another pageant daughter.

Lisa, Michelle, and Ashley, you are my best friends and have been there for me through everything in life, and you were no different when it came to me competing in pageants. You came to every one I participated in, along with events surrounding the pageants. Lisa, a.k.a “Coach” you have given me the confidence that I needed to be the best that I can be. Thanks for telling me the truth even when it wasn’t always what I wanted to hear, critiquing my dance routines, and making me run miles with you in the snow. You push me to be the best that I can be, and I truly feel that I am the best me. I cannot thank you enough for all that you and your family have done for me. I hope I’ve been you proud and I love you MOST.

Whether the pageant was15 minutes or 2 hours away you always came to support and to be there for me. Not only were you just in attendance at pageants, but parades, festivals, celebrity waitressing, and any other event that I made an appearance too. You always say that you look up to me, but I look to you for advice, suggestions, support, and inspiration. Thank you for being there for me through everything, I love you.

Ashley, not only have you given me wonderful support, but have given me wonderful photos to persever these memories. Thank you so much for taking such beautiful photos of me for headshots, signs, buttons, advertisements, and autograph pads. It’s awesome to be working with such a talented photographer and graphic designer who is also my best friend. Love you big sis.

To my mentors Susie, Deb, Shelby, and Libby from my trip to Miss Ohio last year, your job didn’t stop there, you have continued to support me and follow me on my journey back to Miss Ohio. We have formed a bond that goes much deeper then the scholarship program, but is a relationship that we will always have. I love you all and will always be your “DiVine Devon.”  Thank you for everything.

To Miss Ohio 2010, Becky Minger, thank you for all of you advice, tips, and help you’ve given me this past year. I’ve gotten so close to you and am so thankful for our friendship. You are such a fabulous and beautiful woman and I look to you as a role model and a sisters. Love you!

To my Pi Beta Phi sisters, thanks for making me always feel like  a Miss America and I hope that I make all of you and our organization proud. Pi Phi Love.

To the people that make all of this as fabulous as it is: my hometown community, friends, and family. I can’t express how much better this experience has been because I have had your support, love, and kind wishes. Since moving to Cincinnati 3 years ago, I didn’t realize how lucky I was to come from such a wonderful community, where people care about me and all that I do. I am forever grateful for all of you and all of the kindness you have shown me. I did my best, and will continue to do the best that I can to represent our community to make a difference in each of your lives.

My most important thank you goes to the most influential person in my life. Mom you have been there for me through everything. You’ve shown me an endless amount of love, support, encouragement, and discipline that has shaped me into the person I am today. Without you, I would not be who I am nor would I be as successful as I am. Thank you for putting up with me when I know I wasn’t the most pleasant to be around, but always know how appreciative I am of you and everything that you do for me. I’m so fortunate as you have given me the world and at the same time, have shown me how to be selfless and humble. In my eyes you are the most amazing, classy, beautiful, hardworking, and incredible person I have ever known. I hope I make you proud and I also aspire to one day be as wonderful of a person as you are inside and out. Thank you so much, I love you.

Mark, I know when you began dating mom your RV was used for traveling to Nascar races. Well now I have officially made it into the pageant mobile. You do so much for me and I can’t thank you enough. I hope that I have enhanced your life just as much as you have mine. Thank you for everything, I love you.

I give my final thanks to God, as none of this would be possible without him. He has blessed me with this amazing opportunity among many others. Although life isn’t always what I want it to be, everything happens for a reason and I’m grateful to him that I can grow as a person from some events and rejoice in his name in others. I know that through you, all things are possible, and never would you give me something that I couldn’t handle. Thank you for letting this be my time.