MISS JUBILEE 2009

Miss Jubilee 2009 is . . . Claire Buffie!  Yay!!   

OK, so let's take a step back.  

Back in January, there was a workshop held for Miss Jubilee.  This was the first time I was able to really meet the NY girls, and it was fantastic!  Theresa Tokarowski, Miss Jubilee 2008, set the bar high for all of us who were planning to compete in Miss Jubilee!  I have to highlight that this was the first day I met Katie Martin, who I now either speak to or see....umm everyday.  Beyond the goal of becoming Miss New York and on to Miss America, one of the major reasons I wanted to compete in NY was to establish that community of people and begin building friendships with the impressive women of the Miss America Organization.  When you meet someone in this Organization, you know that you are investing in a fantastic, intelligent, goal-oriented, strong woman - the kind of people with whom I want to surround myself.  My closest friends [in life] have actually come from MAO, so I could not have been more thankful for or influenced by my involvement in this organization.

So the weekend of Miss Jubilee was finally here!  It also happened to be the weekend of two other big events - the NY Sweeper immediately following, and the Miss America Homecoming just one day before.  (More on that in the Miss America post...)  After an adventure all in its own, just getting to the Miss Manhattan/Metropolitan/Greater Gotham interview, I came home from the MA Homecoming to reorganize and get ready for the big day on Sunday.  With the enthusiasm and motivation from the homecoming weekend, I was all warmed-up and energized for my Miss Jubilee interview on Sunday morning.  A fantastic, well-rounded and very prepared set of five judges gave me an opportunity to talk about my platform "Straight for Equality: Promoting Acceptance Through Dialogue" and its relevance to today's youth as well as my genuine passion for this Organization.  Interview is my favorite part of the competition, and this particular interview ranks high on my list of favorites!

Miss Jubilee was probably the most organized and efficient pageant I have seen or been in.  No frills, we came right out to start things off in swimsuit.  All that work at my gym, Synergy, is paying off! Talent - contemporary lyrical dance to "Wonderful" by Annie Lennox - was great! I just LOVE that song!!  We'll see if I can find anything better for Miss NY.  Evening gown, now I was excited for this one.  Not only did the Miss America girls help me pick out my gown at the homecoming, I knew that when I turned around in this backless dress, I had a surprise!  Yipee! (Thank you, JJ/Lindsey Roscoe!) On-stage question might have been one of my most favorite moments on stage.  The judge looked me right in the eye and said "Religion and the Bible ... and this whole issue of human rights-- how do you talk about the two?"  THIS was my moment to shine.  People,  you can be a Christian and support gay rights.  I'm living proof that the two can coexist, and this is an important part of my message.  As I shared in my answer, if you want to go to the Bible for advice on how to live and strive towards equality, take Romans 12:18 into consideration, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone."  I rest my case.  At this point, I had completed each aspect of competition, and I felt as though I had done my absolute personal best - all I can ask for! 

What a crowning moment :)  So, I'm 5' 9" + 4" heels = 6' 1"    Theresa is 5' tall.   I'm sure you can picture and understand how there was a bit of difficulty in this experience!! But after being crowned a total of 3 times, we were all set, and I could not have been more excited!!  Thank you for ALL of the "Congratulations" and "Good Luck" messages via every form of communication :)  Keep the good vibes coming!! Onward and upward, here we come Miss New York!!  

Although my camera was broken, my mom took some pics! See them and more, HERE!

Visit this blog often to keep track of my journey towards my goal in June!

 :)  CLAIRE