Help Us Welcome Home Teresa Scanlan, Miss America!

Wow, have I've got some exciting news to share.

I have had this in the works now for a couple of weeks and have finally got all the details taken care of and can finally share this newsflash!

For those of you who don't know, the newly crowned Miss America, Teresa Scanlan, is from my home state of Nebraska. But not only is she from my beloved Cornhusker state, she is from the same county, Scotts Bluff County. Actually her hometown of Gering, Nebraska is about 20 miles from where we live. Do I actually know her? No... but let me tell you that Teresa winning the title of MISS AMERICA has caused quite the excitement here in our little corner of the state known as the Panhandle.

Teresa Scanlan, Miss America 2011

As most of you know, I have organized the Scottsbluff Winter Farmers Market this past year. At each of the winter markets, we try to feature a non-profit organization that market-goers can donate to while they are shopping at the market. I have posted about several of them in the past.

Oh and by the way, you might like to know that our last organization, SKIPPER'S CUPBOARD, collected tons (not literally) of dog & cat food along with a total of $355.69 in cash donations. I will post about that very soon and share some pictures of Snickers and the market with you.

Anyway... back to what this post is suppose to be about.

I had heard on the radio a while back that the Miss Nebraska Organization would be responsible for the cost of Teresa's homecoming celebration. I immediately thought that the Miss Nebraska Organization would be perfect for an upcoming non-profit organization at the winter farmers market! What a perfect cause for the Panhandle residents to support.

At each of the markets where we feature a non-profit we usually collect donations from the vendors and compile a basket full of goodies to be given away to some lucky person who donates to the cause. In other words, if you donate to the cause, you get to enter your name into a drawing for a gift basket compiled of goodies from the market vendors. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to do something other than a gift basket as a give away... I wanted something "special" for this cause.

Then the idea came to me, that we should have a BIG card, a congratulations card, for people to sign for Teresa. But, with the winter market not having a large amount of funds available for such things... I thought that it would be a great idea to have a local business donate the card. I called Spencer McMurtry who owns and operates Infinite Graphics in Scottsbluff and mentioned the idea to him. Spencer was very gracious and said he would be more than happy to donate the card! Thanks again Spencer!

This card is going to be BIG folks. We are not talking a "large" card, we are talking a 4ft by 4ft Congratulations Card. Not a poster, a real card, you know with a fold that opens up! My idea is to have the main artwork of the card be the signatures and congratulatory wishes from the residents of the Panhandle. We will have a rainbow of permanent markets available to sign the card and a lot of space for signatures.

We will present the card to Teresa at the press conference on Wednesday, February 23rd, time to be announced.

So, here are the particulars. The card will be available to sign at the Scottsbluff Winter Farmers Market on February 19th from 1-4pm at the Scottsbluff Hampton Inn Conference Center. Cash donations will also be accepted for the Miss Nebraska Organization to help pay for Teresa's homecoming celebration on February 23rd.

Please help us spread the word so that we have TONS of signatures on the card! I am sure that there are SEVERAL people who would like to personally congratulate Teresa for her accomplishment. What a perfect way to do so! Let us also donate to Teresa's homecoming! If you would like to donate to Teresa's homecoming, but will not be able to bring your donation to the Winter Farmers Market on February 19th, you can donate directly to the Miss Nebraska Organization (you can click on the link.)

To become a volunteer/sponsor/donor for the Miss Nebraska Organization, please contact:

Jay & Amy Engel: Co-Directors
2220 Cedarberry Rd.
North Platte, NE 69101
Home: 308-534-3638
Fax: 308-532-6748
jaengel@charter.net

Janet Heinzle, President
2320 West "A" Street
North Platte, Nebraska 69101
janetl@nque.com


Hope to see you all at the market!! You can follow details of the Scottsbluff Winter Farmers Market on Facebook.

Be sure to "like" Infinite Graphics on Facebook in show of your appreciation for their generous donation!