Miss America

Ok, so you guys know how teeny-tiny my hometown in South Dakota is … like 1,000 people in the town of Eureka.  Everyone knows everyone there.  In fact, I seriously could name every single person in that town, which house is theirs, give you about 3 generations of connections for each person, and quite possibly everyone’s birth date.  It’s small. Got it?

So, it is really, really cool when a Eurekean makes it big… feels a bit like someone in your own personal family has done it.  And for a small town, we’ve had our share of success stories.  Like Allen Neuharth – you might not know his name, but he was the founder of USA Today.  Yep, Eureka boy.  Or another guy once worked for VH1 and dated Gloria Ruben (you know the AIDS girl from ER)… yep, he was originally from Eureka.  (Ok, that might have been a stretch, but true none the less).

But the really cool thing that is going on right now is that the reigning Miss South Dakota is from none other than my teeny-tiny town of Eureka.   Her name is Alex – and she is such a great kid (ok, woman would probably be more fitting, but since I actually can remember when she was born, and watched her grow, and I’m really much closer to her mother’s age than hers – ‘kid’ somehow make me feel better).  Anyway, she will be competing for the Miss America title.  I guess the pageant is being done a bit differently this year, more like a reality TV show.  It starts tomorrow night on TLC and there are a few episode prior to the crowning event.  Sounds like the viewers can help decide the top 15 contestants by voting online.

http://tlc.discovery.com/tv/miss-america/miss-america.html

So tune in and watch the little kid that grew up in my small hometown,  who was part of the same Christmas pageants that I was at our church, who is second cousins with my good friend Tia, and whose mom played on the same basketball team with my sister, who is really a beautiful and intelligent young woman – compete for Miss America.  And then vote…. because how very cool would that be!!  Good luck Alex!

http://www.misssd.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=119&Itemid=148