Today was national Pancake day at IHOP!! Customer's received a free short stack of pancakes and were asked if they would like t donate money to the Children's Miracle Network.  I had the opportunity to go to two locations within the city today: in the morning with Natalie Davis at the Eden Prairie location, and then the Woodbury Location with Liz Scipioni.  This day is so important in helping to raise funds for the Children's Miracle network and other important local community charities and has raised over $10 Million dollars since the start of this event!!! It was an honor to be able to be at the locations and represent CMN.  When customers were wondering about where exactly their money was going it was great to serve as a testament to who truly benefits from any donations they make.  Being able to share stories of some of the amazing families and patients that Gillette Children's Hospital (the local CMN hospital in Minnesota) was wonderful.  While many individuals came out today to get a good deal for their family on dinner, after sharing these stories many individuals I met made generous donations understanding the true importance of giving back.  

Today I had the opportunity to read during mass at the Women's Lent Retreat.  This event was held to kick off the season of lent and was attended by close to 350 women from around the state of Minnesota.  This event has grown substantially throughout the years.  I was honored to be able to read and then chat with a few of the other women after the event about faith and life, specifically for what it is like being a young woman today.  Throughout this day women listened to a keynote speaker on the importance of healthy and religious living. Then mass was said to begin the holy season for members of the Catholic Church.  The keynote speaker was extremely inspiring to listen to and moved many women in the audience, including myself.    I am thankful to the archdiocesan of St. Paul for allowing me not only to participate but also attend this wonderful event.  
This event touched me personally and my faith is always something that I am working on to continually deepen and strengthen further.  I encourage everyone to take some time out of their day in the next few days and think about the things in your life that are most important.  I then challenge you to take time to make that an effort to focus on for the next month or so.  Thus, no matter what your religion is we are all acting towards living a better life.  
God Bless,
-Caitlyn 

What an Amazing night! It was extremely fun not just to witness an new sister being added to our group to compete for Miss Minnesota, but also being able to share the night with so many local titleholders was truly wonderful!! Samantha Phillipi shined throughout all of the night and was ultimately crowned the new Miss Coon Rapids.  She is amazing, beautiful, and inspiring and will do great with her new title and year of service ahead of her.  One of the things I loved about all seeing all many of the other current titleholders is the reminder they always serve to me about what the Miss America Organization truly  stands for.  When I see all of the other young women I always find it fun to see what they are doing with their platform or just to see what else is new/interesting going on in their lives. Sharing stories never ceases to inspire me to do more, whether that may be more work with my personal platform or just more work with service to my community through other missions and organizations.  Leaving the night I feel like this quote is fitting and something that the young women competing for Miss Coon Rapids as well as current titleholders I believe live out and rise to the challenge that Nelson Mandela one stated as: "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, but rather our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure."  Tonight I left feeling empowered to continue my work growing as a young woman in faith and service to my friends, family, and community.  
Best wishes to Sami & Congratualtions to all of the other beautiful and outstaning young women who also competed this evening!  
God Bless,
-Caitlyn