e
for Miss Virginia 2006

(Updated 05/15/2007 )

June | July | August | September
October~December
January~June 2007

June 2006
24 Crowning of Miss Virginia 2006 (Roanoke)
25 Live Television Interview on WDBJ Channel 7 (Roanoke)
25 Live Television Interview with WSET Channel 10 (Roanoke)
25 Miss Virginia Teen and Pre-Teen Pageant (Roanoke)
25 Miss America Preparation Meetings (Roanoke)
26 Newspaper Interview with The Times Newspapers (Springfield)
26 Newspaper Interview with The Richmond Times-Dispatch (Richmond)
26 Sponsor Visit with Friendly Lincoln Mercury, The Roanoke Athletic Club, Pebble Creek Apartments and Wheeler's Laundry (Roanoke)
26 Miss America Preparation Meetings (Roanoke)
27 Miss Virginia Photo Shoot (Charlottesville)
27 Newspaper Interview with The Arlington Connection (Arlington)
27 Newspaper Interview with The Sun Gazette (Arlington)
27 Business Meetings (Roanoke)
28 Miss Virginia Photo Shoot (Charlottesville)
28 Private Miss America Celebration Reception (Washington, D.C.)

Adrianna with Daryl Rumsey, Dennis Momyer and friend.


Adrianna sings for the crowd.
29 Merle Norman Grand Opening (Daleville)
29 Meeting with the Provost of George Mason University (Fairfax)
29 Miss Virginia Homecoming (Vienna)

30 Sponsor Visit with Friendly Lincoln Mercury (Roanoke)
30 Miss Maryland's Outstanding Teen Pageant (Hagerstown, MD)

Adrianna with Jennifer Berry, Miss America 2006

July 2006
1 Town of Stanly Parade (Stanley)
2~5 Miss America Preparation Retreat (Myrtle Beach, SC)
4
Adrianna celebrates the 4th!
7 Miss America Preparation Meeting (Roanoke)
7 Conference Call with the Executive Director of WiredSafety.org (Roanoke)
11
July 11th Capital Hill Lobbying Day, Adrianna attended Congressional Hearings on Cyber-bullying with Leaders of WiredSafety.org, Facebook.com and the Fairfax County Public Schools (Washington, D.C.)
      
(left) Adrianna attended the hearings for "H. R. 5319, the Deleting Online Predators Act of 2006" before the U. S. House of Representatives, Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet at the Rayburn House Office Building.  Pictured - Adrianna with Mr. Ted Davis, Director, Knowledge Asset Management, IT Department, Fairfax County Public Schools, and Dr. Parry Aftab, Esq., Executive Director, WiredSafety.org,  

(right) Mr. Chris Kelly, Vice President, Corporate Development and Chief Privacy Officer, Facebook.  Mr. Kelly testified before the Subcommittee
12 Business Meetings (Fairfax Station)
12 Conference Call with the Nemours Foundation and KidsHealth (Fairfax Station)
13 Interview with the Washington Post (Fairfax Station)
13 Miss Fauquier County Fair Pageant (Warrenton)
 
Adrianna with Brittany Seay-Teen Winner & Theresa Schneider-Pageant Judge


Adrianna with Britteny Jones - Miss Winner

 
(l/r) Koya Bakare, Mrs. DC-Pageant Judge, Rebecca Crosen- Pageant Judge, Adrianna and Theresa Schneider - Pageant Judge
14 Meeting with AOL's Product and Technology Development Division (Dulles)

Adrianna is working with Executives from America Online to find opportunities to educate children
and teens, as well as parents and teachers, about the problems of youth safety and cyberbullying.
Pictured (l/r) Melissa Stirling (a former Miss Virginia Dogwood); John Stebbins, Senior Project Manager, Integrity Assurance;
and Brian J. Zwit, Executive Director, Integrity Assurance, Product and Technology Development
14 Miss America Preparation Meeting (Washington, DC)
15 The Virginia Derby (Colonial Downs)

Adrianna with Darryl (the track announcer) and "Derby Bill"


Adrianna on the Jumbo-tron


Adrianna in the Winners Circle with (l/r) Ian M. Stewart, President of Colonial Downs,
Randy Wehrman, Racing Secretary, and the winning jockey of the Virginia Oaks, Rafael Bejarano aboard
"Aunt Henny", who is trained by Michael Matz, trainer of Barbaro.


Adrianna with Peter Vesgo, Publisher of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" book series
and owner of horse, "Go Between", eventual winner of the Virginia Derby, in the paddock area.


Adrianna with all the jockeys at Colonial Downs in the paddock area.
 


Adrianna with the winner of the car and the gentleman from the Dodge Dealership
 
16 Park Oak Grove Ice Cream Social (Roanoke)


Adrianna with Elizabeth Bowles, the matriarch of the Miss Virginia Organization.
Zack Irby, Miss Virginia's No. 1 fan, visits Adrianna at the Ice Cream Social
17 Meeting with Dale Carnegie (Roanoke)
18 Meeting with the CEO of iSafe.org (Washington, DC)

Meeting with Teri L. Schroeder, CEO/President of i-SAFE, Inc.
18 Miss America Preparation Meeting (Roanoke)
19 Sponsor Visit with NTELOS (Roanoke)

Adrianna meets with Jason to pick-up her new Miss Virginia cell phone sponsored by nTelos
19~20 Dale Carnegie HIP Training Seminar (Roanoke)
Adrianna with the group that attended the Dale Carnegie High Impact Presentations training program. 
The gentleman in the jacket on the front row is J. J. White, of J.J. White & Associates, Inc., local franchise owner of Dale Carnegie Training, Southwest Virginia.
 
21 Meeting with Dr. Pamela L. Riley, Executive Director of National Association of Students Against Violence Everywhere (SAVE), Inc., in Raleigh North Carolina
Pictured left to right are Dr. Pamela Riley, Executive Director of SAVE; Linda Hill-Wise, Exceptional Children Resource Teacher and SAVE Advisor; two high school students who actively work with the SAVE organization; Adrianna Sgarlata, Miss Virginia 2006; and Jim Wise, Student Assistance Specialist and SAVE Advisor.

Adrianna is holding "Ernie" as the group discusses the SAVE program
21 Sponsor Visit with Elderberry's (Roanoke)
22

Miss Central Virginia and Tiny Miss Virginia (Charlottesville)
 
Photo Courtesy of WARREN MINTON (left)

Adrianna with the newly crowned Miss Central Virginia, Candice Nelson (left)
24 Roanoke Times Webcast (Roanoke)
Adrianna preparing to film the "singing webcast" of the weather for Roanoke Times.com
 
To view the webcast, please click on this link:

Adrianna visits with Rico and Ayay, two Indonesian exchange students who were visiting the Roanoke Times facilities.
 
24 Sponsor Visit with Henri Kessler (Roanoke)
Adrianna visits with Carl Rosen, owner of Henri Kessler Fur Salon, one of the wonderful sponsors of the Miss Virginia Pageant.
What a luxurious and beautiful fur!
24 Sponsor Visit with Friendly Lincoln Mercury (Roanoke)
25 Adrianna will testify during a Congressional Hearing (Washington, DC)
 
Adrianna and leading internet safety experts met with Representative Bart Stupak and Representative Melissa Bean to discuss issues of
internet safety and proposed legislation H.R. 4982: Safeguarding America's Families by Enhancing and Reorganizing New and Efficient Technologies Act.
Ernie Allen from the National Center for Missing And Exploited Children, Representative Bart Stupak, and
Representative Melissa Bean begin the discussion on "Keeping Our Kids Safe"

Pictured left to right are Ernie Allen from the National Center for Missing And Exploited Children,
Braden Lay from i-Safe Inc., Representative Melissa L. Bean, Shannon Sullivan from Teenangels,
Adrianna Sgarlata, Miss Virginia 2006, Art Wolinsky from WiredSafety, and Parry Aftab from WiredSafety.

Adrianna discussing the issues with Representative Melissa Bean, Parry Aftab from WiredSafety, Art Wolinsky from
WiredSafety, and Shannon Sullivan from Teenangels.
25 Meeting with the Director of the COPS in Schools Grant Program and the Department of Justice (Washington, DC)
 Adrianna, as part of her continuing Youth Safety Initiative, meeting with Carl R. Peed, Director, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, (COPS) , U. S. Department of Justice, along with other members of his staff, in Washington, D.C.
 

Adrianna met with Calvin Hodnett, Policy Analyst, Training and Technical Assistance Division, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), U. S. Department of Justice, Washington, D. C.
 

Adrianna with Beverly Alford, Assistant Director, Training and Technical Assistance Division, COPS, U. S. Department of Justice.

Adrianna with Carl R. Peed, Director, Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, U. S. Department of Justice, along with other members of his staff.
25 Meeting with Stop Bullying Now! (Washington, DC)
Meeting with Brian Wachur to discuss the antibullying program entitled "Take a Stand.  Lend a Hand. 
Stop Bullying Now" developed by the Health Resources and Services Administration, U. S. Department of Health and Human Services.
26 Miss America Preparation Meeting (Fairfax)
27 U.S. Department of Justice 2006 National Community Policing Conference "Leading the Way to a Safer Nation" (Washington, D.C.)
     

Based on the tireless volunteer efforts to protect Virginia’s children from bullies and predators on and off the Internet, (and her beautiful voice), Adrianna was invited to officially start the U.S. Department of Justice’s “COPS” conference by the singing of the National Anthem. 

“The Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) 2006 National Community Policing Conference - Community Policing: Leading the Way to a Safer Nation. The conference was held at the Hilton Washington and Towers Hotel July 27-29, 2006 in Washington, D.C.

The conference featured more than 48 insightful workshops that addressed critical law enforcement and community issues and emphasized the role of community policing in the future of law enforcement.

Adrianna admiring the beautiful floor outside the "Cabinet Room" of the Hilton Hotel in Washington,
where the President and other dignitaries gather for major functions at the hotel.

Adrianna with Charles H. Ramsey, Chief of the Washington, D. C. Metropolitan Police Department. 
Chief Ramsey welcomed conference participants and gave opening remarks.

The staff of COPS, U. S. Department of Justice, with Adrianna.
27

Brandy Station Parade (Brandy Station)

The Brandy Station Parade was tons of fun--lots of "small town USA" friendliness and fun.  It was delightful to meet some of the little girls who competed in pageants, marched in the parade, and twirled batons -- all to the delight of those attending the parade -- as well as the teens and young women who are competing in local pageants.  I met many lovely young women and wish them all luck in future competitions.

Here I am in the parade with my little "car partner" Juliana

All the firefighters, ambulance drivers, and emergency personnel were enthusiastic participants and photo journalists!  Above are some great samples of the many photos taken during the parade and at the carnival afterwards.  I promised all the folks who asked for photos that I would post them in an on-line album so everyone could share them.  Here's the link to the album on the Kodak Easy Share Gallery site.  You will have to register but it's well worth it --Enjoy! 
 

 

And with another new fan, Jordan.
28 Adrianna will visit injured troops at The National Naval Medical Center and Walter Reed Army Medical Center on behalf of the USO (Washington, DC) - Also visited the Fisher Houses at Walter Reed

Started the day with a visit to the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland on behalf of the USO.  Visited with many of the troops there, but photos were not allowed.  However I did manage to take a photo of the sign they posted for VIP parking.  Very cool - I like this VIP treatment!


 

While at Bethesda Naval Hospital I was privileged to meet General Michael W. Hagee, 33rd Commandant of the Marine Corps, who, along with Mrs. Hagee, was also visiting patients.  The Commandant generously gave me a Marine Corps Medallion.  The Commandant rarely gives these away, and this was a really big honor.  I am very grateful for the Commandant's kindness.

Next, I asked my USO tour guide to bring me to the Fisher Houses at Walter Reed Army Medical Center for a follow-up visit.  I have been working with the Fisher House Foundation for the last three years and have helped raise over $1 million to support wounded military personnel and their families during their time of recuperation and rehabilitation at Fisher Houses across the nation and throughout the world. 

The final stop on the USO tour was a trip to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D. C. where I visited with many injured servicemen and their families.  I even got to visit with someone who graduated from my own high school in Fairfax two years after I did.  What a honor to be able to share a few moments with these brave men who were injured on behalf of freedom for our country and others.  
 
29 Miss America Preparation Meetings (Clarksburg, W.V.)
30 Cover Model Photo Shoot for Northern Virginia Magazine (Look for Adrianna on the cover of the October issue of Northern Virginia Magazine) (Alexandria)
Gasp. Could that be her? - Alexandria Times :: Alexandria News, Real Estate, Autos and Classifieds
Photos courtesy of
Alexandria Times Photos/Regan Kireilis

         
Hair stylist Sheila McGurk, owner of Circe, works on Miss Virginia’s hair while Min Han, a hand and foot treatment specialist, buffs her nails
31 Sponsor Visit with Friendly Lincoln Mercury (Roanoke)
31 Sponsor Visit with Elderberry's (Roanoke)
31 Sponsor Visit with Wheeler's (Roanoke)

August 2006
1 Personal Vacation
2 Virginia Food Festival (Richmond)

What an unusual experience--at least for this city girl.  Having been born and raised in Virginia, you would think that I had tasted fried catfish--but this was a first for me.  The Food Festival features products from across the Commonwealth, including Virginia Peanuts, home made apple products, ham biscuits, barbequed chicken, and my favorite:  HUSH PUPPIES!  Buddy and Sue Cox, along with Lauren Collier, Miss Greater Richmond, accompanied me as I tried my hand at milking a cow.  I had no idea these creatures were so gentle and beautiful!  Milking a cow was certainly a new experience, and I'm happy to report that I managed to produce 8 ounces of milk in just 1 minute and 10 seconds, only 3/4 of an ounce shy of the Virginia Dairy Princess, who grew up on a farm.  Not too shabby for a first-timer!

 


Elliott Irving from WFLO Radio was one of the first people to interview me as the new Miss Virginia.  Elliott interviews the new Miss Virginia every year and is a huge supporter and fan of the Pageant.  It was a treat to meet him face to face at the Food Festival.

 
It was fun signing autographs for fans of all ages, particularly the "little ones".
 
3 Interview with The Washington City Paper (Washington, D.C.)
3

Sponsor Visit with Zee's Salon and Day Spa (Roanoke)

 I visited Zee's Salon, one of the official Miss Virginia sponsors.  What a treat to be so warmly welcomed and pampered.  Sol, the "Official Miss Virginia Stylist", gave my hair a "touchup".  She even insisted I return the next day for more pampering.  I am so grateful for the wonderful service and profession skill of the stylists and staff of Zee's Salon!  How lucky we are to have them as a sponsor for the Pageant.
 


Outside the salon before my haircut.  This is the side entrance from the parking lot--next time I'll get a photo of the front of the salon--it has a very nicely landscaped entrance. 


With Sol, the "Official Miss Virginia Stylist"
3 Sponsor Visit with Wheeler's (Roanoke)
 


 Today I picked up my dry cleaning from Wheeler's, another of the official Miss Virginia sponsors.  Thank Heaven for Wheeler's--I couldn't possibly keep my wardrobe ready to go at a moment's notice without their expertise and excellent service!


Another visit to Wheeler's.  Here I am with Mitch Wheeler, the owner.
4 Elizabeth Arden Factory Tour and Shopping Spree (Roanoke)

What a fun event!  My bargain shopping skills came in handy here.  Who knew that the Elizabeth Arden factory store carried such a wide variety of products and brand names?  Thanks to all the staff at the factory and store for making this such an informative and fun experience.  And thanks to Debra Anderson, my companion for this visit, for helping me spot all the best bargains!


The lobby of the beautiful Elizabeth Arden facilities.


I chose lots and lots of goodies.


Thanks to my tour guides:  Chris, Sue, and Randy.
4 Sponsor Visit with Zee's Salon and Day Spa (Roanoke)
5 Personal Vacation
6 Sponsor Visit with The Encounter (Kingsport, TN)
7
To help shed light on the problem of bullying and bullycide, I will be designing and helping make a "Lifekeeper Memory Quilt" that will be displayed in Washington, D. C. at SPAN USA’s 11th Annual National Awareness Event, Suicide Prevention: Right Here, Right Now, which will take place September 7-9, 2006.  The quilt will be displayed at a variety of similar events throughout the year for public awareness and fund-raising events, survivor conferences. etc.  SPAN USA stands for Suicide Prevention Action Network USA.  To learn more about their efforts, please visit http://www.spanusa.org/
 
Today I chose and purchased the fabrics and other materials for the quilt. 

Click picture for larger version
 
7 Farewell Send-Off Party for Brittany Young, Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen (Hanover)
 

 
(top) Adrianna performs for the audience during Brittany's wardrobe changes. (bottom left) Adrianna with Brittany and Emily and (bottom right) their mom's - Beverly Young, Elizabeth Sgarlata and Kathy Hasty
8 Virginia Center for School Safety 2006 School Safety Conference (Hampton)

What conference would be complete without the National Anthem?  I was asked to open the Conference by singing the National Anthem and leading the recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. 

Later I addressed the audience, composed of hundreds of participants including educators, government officials, law enforcement officials, and community support organizations, about my role as Miss Virginia, as well as my involvement with anti-bullying legislation and youth safety initiatives for cyber bullying and internet safety.

 
Chief Chuck Jordan, City of Hampton Police Department, was also a speaker at the conference.

 
David Leingang of iSafe -- "The Leader in Internet Safety Education"


Conference organizers Donna Bowman and Steve Clark, from the Virginia Center for School Safety at the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Service 


Bill Eanes, President of the Virginia D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse Resistance Education) program

Many conference participants asked me to send copies of photos from the event, so I have created an on-line photo album.  Please visit this link to view additional photos http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=tmkjfab.jxi4tk3&x=1&y=-k6g77w  
8 Meeting with John Halligan, father of Ryan Halligan a victim of bullycide.  To learn more about Ryan, go to http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.com/ (Hampton)
 
I finally got to meet John Halligan, whose son Ryan's story has inspired my work on anti-bullying efforts.  When I began work on my platform I had no idea of the pervasiveness and severity of the problem of bullying and that children as young as 10 were dying by bullycide (suicide attributed to depression from being bullied).  I have told Ryan's story many times, even as recently as the Dale Carnegie High Impact Presentation Seminar, which I recently attended, and it still brings tears to my eyes.  PrimeTime with Dianne Sawyer will air a special this summer that will include Ryan's story.  To learn more about Ryan, go to http://www.ryanpatrickhalligan.com/   Sadly, Ryan is not alone.  The stories of other victims of bullycide are featured at http://www.jaredstory.com  
9
Work begins on the "Lifekeeper Memory Quilt" that will be displayed in Washington, D. C. at SPAN USA’s 11th Annual National Awareness Event, Suicide Prevention: Right Here, Right Now
9 Interview with Northern Virginia Magazine (Alexandria)
  

  

9 Conference Call with Committee for Children (Fairfax Station)
10 Private Tour of the FBI's Innocent Images Unit (Calverton, MD)
 
Met with Arnold E. Bell, Unit Chief, Innocent Images Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation for a tour of the FBI facility and offices, as well as an in-depth presentation on the activities of the Innocent Images Unit.

Later I observed Brian M. Coughlin, Special Agent, as he demonstrated some of the techniques used in the FBI's investigative work about safe conduct in cyberspace. 
 
Toward the end of my visit we were joined by James E. Finch, Assistant Director, Cyber Division.

Pictured left to right are Mr. Finch, Adrianna, and Mr. Bell
 
10 Conference Call with the Chief Security Officer of Fox Interactive Media/MySpace.com (Fairfax Station)
11 Conference Call with  i-Safe (Fairfax Station)
11 Conference Call with Dale Carnegie (Fairfax Station)
11 Meeting with NetSmartz Workshop, a department or division of the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

Met with Amber Lindsay, NetSmartz Workshop Communications Coordinator, and Rachael Johnston, NetSmartz Workshop Outreach Coordinator to tour their facilities and learn about the NetSmartz program. 
 

Amber Lindsay and Rachael Johnston introduced me to Clicky, an animated character who teaches children about safety and appropriate uses of the Internet.
12 USO Operation Care Package Stuffing Party (Fort Belvoir)

The USO Operation Care Package Program provides packages to deployed armed forces around the world.  Typically included items are pre-paid phone cards, sun screen, toiletries, etc. Information about the program can be found on the USO website at www.usocares.org


Captain Matthew Thompson, my boyfriend, recently returned from his fourth combat deployment shortly before the Miss Virginia Pageant, and  I had the privilege of bringing him with me for this incredible volunteer opportunity.  Above we are in an assembly line filling "camo bags" with shampoo and hand sanitizer.  There were roughly 12 assembly lines doing the same thing, and it was a race to see which line could fill 500 bags the fastest, at which point a bell would ring and everyone would cheer!


Here I am with the Champion family behind the 500 bags our team stuffed during the first hour we were there.  The Champions have close ties to both my high school and college--what a small world! 


Above are 15,000 "camo bags" which were stuffed that day by lunch time.


Many active duty soldiers were volunteering that day, and were proud to support their comrades over-seas.
14 Meeting with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention at the White House Call Center (Washington, D.C.)


My aunt works as a volunteer at the White House Call Center and invited me to join her at the office for a day.  It was really interesting to hear the views of individuals who called in to express their opinions.  Our government at work--what an interesting experience


Here I am with the office staff.  My Aunt Cecilia Sgarlata is standing, on my right, in the blue jacket and slacks.


Nancy Tice heads the office and gave me a tour so that I could meet everyone.


Here I am hard at work listening to the comments of a caller.


Later I met with Donni LeBoeuf, Special Assistant, U. S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, to discuss Federal antibullying programs and initiatives.

 

To view additional photos from this event, please click on the link below.
16 Miss America Preparation (Silver Spring, MD)
17~19 Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant (Orlando, FL)
Congratulations to Brittany Young, Miss Virginia's Outstanding Teen, who placed 2nd Runner-Up at the Miss America's Outstanding Teen Pageant in Orlando. Way to go Brittany!!! She also won a preliminary talent award!

I had a wonderful time in Orlando and was delighted I could be there to cheer Brittany on.  It was great to renew acquaintances with some of my Sweetheart Sisters and to meet some of the other Miss contestants.

Next we're all off to Los Angeles for pre-taping for the Miss America Pageant. Miss America, here we come!
 
(l/r) Brittany and Adrianna at Meghan's Farewell Reception and Adrianna congratulates Brittany on a job well done!

 
(l/r) Adrianna with Miss Georgia and Miss New Mexico and Misses Oklahoma, Tennessee, Virginia, and Idaho

  (l/r) Adrianna with Miss Missouri and Miss Colorado and Lunch at Planet Hollywood with Misses Colorado, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Maryland, Missouri, and Virginia

  (l/r) Jennifer Berry, Miss America 2006, with several of the contestants for Miss America 2007 Adrianna with Shawntel Smith, Miss America 1996
21
Meeting with Committee for Children (Fairfax, VA)
I had a delightful dinner meeting with Ray Anderson, Committee for Children, to discuss how I could work with his organization to help advance Youth Safety.
22~24 Atlanta Apparel Mart (Atlanta, GA)
25 Propeller Club Invitational" Golf Tournament (Suffolk)
 
What a fun event--what nice people!  These folks treated me like a Queen.  And the proceeds from the Golf Tournament go to a cause near and deer to my heart:  The USO.
 
Sadly, I was not able to match Mariah Rice's (Miss Virginia 2004) accomplishment and win the "hole in one" putting challenge.  But it was still great fun.  Thanks to everyone for making me feel so welcome.

Here I'm signing an autograph card for Mr. Brian Perry, President of Beach Panel and Controls, who sponsored my appearance this year. 
 

It was a pleasure to meet the USO representatives, including Jon Thompson, President/CEO, USO of Hampton Roads.
 

 I was asked to give a few remarks about the Miss Virginia Pageant, the Miss America Organization, and my platform of bullying prevention and youth safety.  I shared the stage with Joe Maniscalco, a wonderful performer who entertained us during dinner.
 

 Mike Byrum, the tournament chairman and emcee for the evening was an absolutely delightfully nice guy.  Aside from the wonderful job he did of organizing the event, he made the evening's festivities fun for everyone. 
 
Thanks to everyone at the Propeller Golf tournament for inviting Miss Virginia every year--and thanks for all their hard work in raising funds for a worth cause.
 
To view additional photos from the Golf Tournament, please visit this link:

 
26 Business Meeting (Lake Anna)
27 Sunrise Senior Living Center (Silver Spring, MD)
 
It was a joy for me to entertain my grandparents and the other residents of Sunrise Assisted Living in Silver Spring, Maryland. The guests were gracious and appreciative, and many of them were extremely familiar with the Puccini arias and other repertoire I performed for them. Thanks to the staff and residents of Sunrise for making me feel so welcome at their beautiful facility. And thanks to Grandma and Grandpa Sgarlata for inviting me to perform for their friends!

Grandma & Grandpa Sgarlata, with some of our family members.


Singing one of my favorite arias - what an appreciative audience!


Some of the dedicated staff of Sunrise of Silver Spring.
 
To view additional photos from the recital, please click on this link:
28 Sterling Rotary Club (Sterling)
 I very much enjoyed meeting the members of the Sterling Rotary Club and sharing ideas with them. 


I strongly embrace the Rotary Club philosophy of business ethics which measures the value of actions by applying The Four-Way Test, which asks these questions: "Of the things we think, say or do:  First - Is it the TRUTH?  Second - Is it FAIR to all concerned?  Third - Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIPS?  Fourth - Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?"


My thanks to Jeffrey Byas, President of the Sterling Rotary Club.
29 Miss America Preparation (Fairfax)
29 Conference Call with Fight Crime, Invest in Kids (Fairfax Station)
30 Roanoke Times Webcast (Roanoke)
 
(First there's an intro of advertisements while the media loads.)
Adrianna Singing the Weather at approximately 1:34 into the video
Adrianna in the opening episode of the TimesCast Soap Opera at 6:05 into the video ... to be continued!!!
30
Interview by Mark Daughtrey, 3WZ/WREL Radio (Lexington)
 
 
 
Miss Virginia's appeared recently at the station. Mark Daughtrey did a sparkling interview. Jim Bresnahan is shown with Miss Virginia, too!

Tuscany Italian Restaurant and Adrianna Cecilia Sgarlata, Miss Virginia 2006, invite you to join them for a memorable night of food, wine and opera, Thursday, September 21, 2006 from 7-10:00 PM. Four Courses paired with Italian wines. $55/person, including wine, tax and gratuity. Miss Sgarlata, a Graduate Student at George Mason University, Is an accomplished performer and has appeared in over 14 operas sung in 7 different languages. She will serenade guests between courses with selections from the well-known operas of Puccini and Gershwin. Also, participate in the LIVE AUCTION with proceeds to benefit Adrianna as she prepares for the Miss America competition in January 2007. Seating is limited. To make reservations for this exciting evening please contact:

Tuscany Italian Restaurant
24 North Main Street
Lexington, VA 24450-2521
540-463-9888
30 VMI Press Conference (Lexington)
30 Photo Shoot for Dale Carnegie (Roanoke)
31 Sponsor Visit with Friendly Lincoln Mercury (Roanoke)
31 Sponsor Visit with Zee's Salon and Day Spa (Roanoke)

September 2006
1 Miss America Packing Day (Roanoke)
2 SuperKids Classic Car Show (Prince George) Cancelled due to weather
3~12 Miss America Pre-Production Filming (Hollywood, CA)
4 Early Arrival in Los Angeles - Private tour of Hollywood 
 
I arrived in Los Angeles a day earlier than the other contestants so that I could film several Public Service Announcements for i-Safe Inc, one of my Internet Safety Partners.  I was met at the airport and whisked away on a private tour, complete with car and driver, of the Hollywood area.  I was even treated to lunch at the Regent Beverly Wilshire Hotel, the one featured in the "Pretty Woman" movie starring Julia Roberts. 
 
Thanks to Jim, Eric, and Maurice for making my day in Hollywood so special.  Being Miss Virginia sure is FUN!


Just had to snap a photo of Steven Spielberg's "square" on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.  Mr. Spielberg personally selected me for and directed me in a scene in his film "Minority Report" -- but sadly that scene ended up on the cutting room floor.  Bummer!  Of the three scenes I filmed, one remained in the finished movie.  What a great experience it was to be on the set with Tom Cruise and the other stars -- a memory I will have forever!
5
Filming of Public Service Announcements (Hollywood)

Today I filmed a series of Public Service Announcements for i-SAFE Inc., one of my Internet Safety Partners. 

To view the Public Service Announcement, please click on this link.
http://xblock.isafe.org/contests.php 


i-SAFE Inc. is the worldwide leader in the Internet safety education. Founded in 1998 and endorsed by the U.S. Congress, i-SAFE is a non-profit foundation dedicated to protecting the online experiences of youth everywhere. i-SAFE incorporates classroom curriculum with dynamic community outreach to empower students, teachers, parents, law enforcement, and concerned adults to make the Internet a safer place. Please join us today in the fight to safeguard our children’s online experience.
 
To learn more about i-SAFE and the resources they make available, please visit this link

 
9
SPAN USA Suicide Awareness Event (Washington, D. C.)
 The Lifekeeper Memory Quilt"  was displayed in Washington, D. C. at SPAN USA’s 11th Annual National Awareness Event, Suicide Prevention: Right Here, Right Now, in Washington, D. C.  As volunteer Virginia Director of Bully Police, USA, it was a privilege to represent our organization in honoring the memory of children of several volunteers for Bully Police USA.

 Friends of Corrine Celica Wilson, who is honored on the quilt.
 
Family of Jeffrey Scott Johnston, who is honored on the quilt
 

 We shed a tear, we try to understand, and we try to help prevent future acts of bullycide and suicide.


 Jerry Reed, Executive Director of or SPAN USA - Suicide Prevention Action Network USA,
addresses the assembled participants and onlookers during the rally at the World War II Memorial on the Mall in Washington, D.C.
 

Thanks to family and friends who attended this event and displayed the quilt while I was in Los Angeles. 
And a BIG thanks to Elva Orton, quilter extraordinaire, who helped construct the quilt.

 
 


In the photo in the news article the quilt is being held by Adrianna and Elva Orton (not Adrianna's mother), who helped fabricate the quilt.
 
12 Miss America Preparation (Washington, DC)
At long last I have sorted through all my photos from my "Finding Miss America" adventure in Los Angeles.  (If you've been following my appearances on the Miss Virginia Website, you have a small idea of how busy I have been.)  Below are a few photos from my collection.  To view additional photos from my personal album, please click on this link
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=tmkjfab.14ern4dz&x=1&y=-s6o9xe
 
 
(l/r) The Sweetheart class of 2005 - Now the Miss America class of 2007; and fun by the pool.
  
(l/r) John Travolta's got nothing on us! The opera singers Misses New Mexico, Virginia, Indiana, Montana, and California -- we couldn't resist a photo together  (Unfortunately we are missing Miss North Carolina)
 

Finding just the right hat is VERY serious business! 


  
(l/r) With Miss America 1965, Vonda Van Dyke; with Miss America 1955, Lee Meriwether


With Miss America 2006, Jennifer Berry
13 Merle Norman Grand Opening (Daleville)
 
Grand Opening with owner Sherry Hart, who gave me such a warm welcome.  Sherry and her husband Mike will be Miss Virginia fans for a long time to come, I suspect.  I love going on appearances where the sponsors of the appearance are so interested in the Miss Virginia program. 
   
13 Interview with the Rockbridge Weekly (Lexington)
14 Live Television Interview with Channel 7 (Roanoke)
 

I had a wonderful interview at WDBJ Channel 7 News in Roanoke to promote my upcoming fundraiser at the Tuscany Restaurant.  Please click on the link below to access the Channel 7 Website

 

http://www.wdbj7.com/Global/SearchResults.asp?qu=miss+virginia&x=12&y=18

 

And then click on this link so that you can hear the interview with me and with Jay McCune from the Tuscany Restaurant

 

Miss Virginia Interview (09/16)
earlier this week. The Miss Virginia benefit at the Tuscany Italian The Miss Virginia benefit at the Tuscany Italian Restaurant in Lexington will be Thursday, September 21st from 7 to 10 p-m. If you d like to make a reservation you can call 463-9888.
Last Modified 09/16/2006 10:35:00 AM

 
15 Combined Federal Campaign Event for SAVE (Fort A.P. Hill)
 

As a National Spokesperson for one of my youth safety partners, SAVE (Students Against Violence Everywhere) I was invited to attend the Combined Federal Campaign Event at Fort A. P. Hill on their behalf.  I brought information for display and distribution to inform everyone about the mission and work of SAVE and to encourage them to consider financial support of SAVE.

 

To learn more about the programs and resources available through SAVE, please visit this site

http://www.nationalsave.org/ 

 


It was my honor to open the program by singing the National Anthem and then giving the keynote speech in support of contributions to everyone's favorite charity.  I was also happy to sign autograph cards for guests at the event. 

 

 
It is always so much fun to meet people and personalize autograph cards for them.

 

Base Commander Michael S. Grease, Lieutenant Colonel, U. S. Army, presented me with a Certificate of Appreciation for my participation, as well as a beautiful medallion from Fort A. P. Hill to add to my growing collection of military medallions.

 


From the Federal website: 
"As the world's largest and most successful annual workplace giving campaign, each year, more than 300 CFC campaigns throughout the country and internationally help to raise millions of dollars. Pledges made by Federal civilian, postal and military donors during the campaign season (September 1st to December 15th) support eligible non-profit organizations that provide health and human service benefits throughout the world. " 
For more information on the Combined Federal Campaign, please visit this site:  http://www.opm.gov/cfc/

 

 


Command Sergeant Chase also presented me with a medallion and coin from Fort A. P. Hill.

 

To view other photos from this event, please click on this link:

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=tmkjfab.hbpiqnv&x=1&y=qqmm8w

 
16 Centreville Days (Centreville)
Civil War Trails Sign Accomplished - Opinion - Centre View - Connection Newspapers

Photos by Julius Tolentino. Click here to view Julius photos from Centreville Day.
16 Faithworks Foundation Fundraiser (Reston)
 

I spent a wonderful afternoon in Reston with Rachel Pisani, the founder of FaithsWork, and her team of volunteers.  Together we raised funds to benefit Children's National Medical Center and their Children's National Heart Institute.  Rachael lost one of her newborn twins, Faith, to heart disease and subsequently founded FaithsWork.

 


Rachel Pisani and Jaclyn, twin sister of Faith, in whose memory FaithsWork was founded.

 


The event was filled with excited children who participated in a number of activities including dancing to the oldies music of a live band, having caricature sketches made, playing carnival games, having their faces painted, and more. 

 


To learn more about the FaithsWork Foundation, please visit their website at

http://www.faithswork.org

 
17 Exclusive Tour of the West Wing of the White House (Washington, D.C.)
 
Each year, Miss Virginia is honored with a private tour of the West Wing of the White House.  The walls are beautifully decorated with photographs not released to the press of the activities in which the President and First Lady were involved the previous week.  The Oval Office is truly beautiful, but much smaller than I had expected.  Each President re-decorates the office and at the end of their term, some of the furniture, the carpet, and other things are removed to be put on display in their museum.  The President's desk is as beautiful in person as it seems in pictures.  It originally came to the White House as a present from Queen Victoria to President Hayes in 1880 and is made from the timbers of an abandoned British ship H.M.S. Resolute.  In 1945 President Roosevelt added the Presidential Coat of Arms to the front of the desk using a removable panel, where most people can still picture young John-John Kennedy playing under the desk.  The desk also has a two inch platform all the way around it which was added to raise the desk for extra height by President Reagan.
 
For me, the tour was filled with interesting tidbits, not only about history, but also about decor and architecture.  When I was little, my mom was an interior designer (a field I had explored before applying to colleges, but later decided against).
 


Photos were not allowed inside, but I did manage a photo in the famous Rose Garden where press conferences and official events occur.


This photo is in the outdoor walkway leading from the offices to the residence.  I wonder how many famous feet have trod this path!

I also managed a photo outside the White House--near where all the network news reporters stand when you see them on TV! 

 
18 Rehearsal for VMI Homecoming and Fundraiser (Lexington)
19 Persistently Safe Schools: 2006 National Conference of the Hamilton Fish Institute on School and Community Violence with George Washington University (Washington, D.C.)

About The Hamilton Fish Institute

 The George Washington University’s Hamilton Fish National Institute on School and Community Violence was founded in 1997 with assistance from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, and works with a consortium of seven universities whose key staff have expertise in adolescent violence, criminology, law enforcement, substance abuse, juvenile justice, gangs, public health, education, behavior disorders, social skills development and prevention programs. 

http://hamfish.org/cms/view/11


I was honored to be asked to participate in the Institute's National Conference as the guest speaker at the Networking Luncheon.


This is Anne Halloran, with Committee for Children, another of my youth safety partners for whom I am a National Spokesperson.

About Committee for Children

Committee for Children's programs stress antibullying, violence and abuse prevention and personal safety training in 21 countries and 25,000 schools.  Their research-based curriculum has reached eight million children in the United States, Japan, Greenland, and Northern Iraq, among other nations.

To learn more about Committee for Children, please visit their website at  http://www.cfchildren.org/cfc/aboutf/aboutindex/ 


My remarks centered