“Singing With The Stars” – Miss America Send-off Honoring Miss Illinois 2014, Marisa Buchheit

Last week Kontinet Media went to support a very special person and a friend, our very own most charming, talented, and beautiful Miss Illinois 2014 Marisa Buchheit. This was an occasion to celebrate her personal achievements as well as her work to raise support for many diverse charitable endeavors in our state. The festivity was a send-off party, to the next stage of competition – the 2015 Miss America contest held this September 14th in Atlantic City, NJ. The event also served as a fundraiser for the Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals.

The evening at PianoForte Studios started with a lavish reception, where guests greeted and cheered for Marisa, and mingled while enjoying libations and appetizers (sponsored by City Fresh Market, Viaggio Italian Restaurant, Karyn’s Restaurant, Monastery TVRDOS Wine, Bello Tea, Maggiano’s Little Italy). During the “official” part, “Miss Illinois” Media Relations Representative Amalia Schwerdtmann spoke about the organization’s charitable mission and the efforts to promote the good causes as a part of the popular Miss America contest process. She introduced colleagues and supporters, including the Royal Thai Consulate. Marisa Buchheit herself took to the stage, gracefully thanking for the continuous support, and mentioning her own struggles to overcome hardship, on the way to be inspired by the possibility to make a difference in people’s lives. A beauty contest, no doubt, in its own turn presents for everyone a continuous set of specific challenges, such as to be genuine in public and then with oneself, and to keep from getting lost in the glitz of so many events and opportunities. “Beauty will save the world”, famously stated Dostoevsky, more than a century ago. Many wars later, we enjoy peaceful life at home, but in many different places across the globe, and in our own country, there are people who continue to live in fear, danger, and poverty. Individual and collective hopes, evoked by beauty, have a potential to strive toward compassion, freedom, and salvation.

The evening continued as Miss Illinois gave a mini-concert, singing several classical operatic pieces solo, as well as a part of the trio Très belle 3 Sopranos, and a duet with Tenor James Valenti, while accompanied by pianist Paul Dykstra. The spectators were fittingly bemused by the explicitly dramatic twists and turns of the romantic operas, not in the least as emphasized playfully by the singers. Also, the night’s performers included Miss Illinois Outstanding Teen Grace Ektzorn, and Miss Illinois’ Pre-Teen Peyton Newman.

The organizers note, that Miss Illinois is the official preliminary to Miss America. The Miss America Organization exists to provide personal and professional opportunities for young women to promote their voices in culture, politics and the community. It provides a forum for today’s young women to express their viewpoints, talents and accomplishments to audiences during the telecast and to the public-at-large during the ensuing year. Almost all contestants have either received, or are in the process of earning either college or postgraduate degrees, and utilize Miss America scholarship grants to further their educations. The Miss America Competitions return to Atlantic City, New Jersey in September with three nights of Preliminary Competitions that will take place September 9th, 10th, and 11th at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall. In addition, the much anticipated Miss America «Show Us Your Shoes Parade» will be held on the famed Atlantic City Boardwalk on Saturday, September 13th. The FINAL competition night and crowing of Miss America 2015 will be Sunday, September 14, 2014, live on ABC at 9 PM EST.

You can follow Marisa on Twitter and Instagram at @missIL2014 and Facebook at www.facebook.com/MissIL2014.

For information on future events, or event promotion, write kontinentmedia@gmail.com

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S. Telis, L. Mogul for Kontinent Media & Arts4Kids Foundation
Photos by Larisa Pevtsova