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Proposed Program for
Elk River Ambassador and Royalty
Mission Statement —To empower the youth of Elk River for today, tomorrow and the
future by inspiring self-confidence and encouraging leadership through acts of
community service while enriching personal development and growth with an
educational scholarship.
Core Values: Integrity, loyalty, honesty, teamwork, passion and creating lifelong
friendships.
Requirements
Youth ages 3-19 must live in the city of Elk River and surrounding townships.
Candidates must fill out an application, a letter of intent and provide a letter of
recommendation as well as sign a contract stating the requirements if chosen as well as
expectations during their candidacy.
Expectations of Elk River City Council
1. Verbal and written endorsement of the Elk River Ambassador and Royalty
Program.
2. Financial support towards meeting expenses.
3. Council input on program details such as city colors, logo, ambassador duties and
winners.
Program Details
Ages, Sponsor Fees and Awarded Scholarships
• Miss 17-19, Sponsor fee $200-$300, Scholarship $3004500
• Teen 13-16, Sponsor fee $150-$250, Scholarship $200-$400
• Junior 9-12, Sponsor fee $1004150, Scholarship $150
• Queen 6-8, Sponsor fee (Entry fee) $25-35, Parting gift $20-40
• Princess 3-5, Sponsor fee (Entry fee) $25-35, Parting Gift $20-40
All candidates receive a candidate t -shirt and sash with sponsor name. Shirts and sashes
must be worn at all events. In the future we would like to extend this offer to boys as well
but for this year girls only.
Titleholders' Prizes (and potential cost)
Each Titleholder will receive:
• Crown ($20-$50)
• Embroidered sash with name, year and title ($45)
• Pololt-shirt ($20)
• Formal Dress ($20-$100)
• Participation Trophy at the conclusion of their reign ($?)
Total $105-$205 (not including trophy)
If budget allows, a sundress
If titleholders wish to have a dress or shirt costing more than the budgeted amount they
must pay the difference. If crowns or sashes break or get ruined a replacement of the
same kind will be purchased at the titleholder's expense.
Any other outfits, i.e. jackets or theme wear, jewelry, hair, and make-up (Teen and Miss)
will be uniform and purchased at the expense of the titleholder.
Candidate Duties
Candidates will participate and volunteer in local events such as:
Parades: Anoka Halloween (2), Princeton Mini Dazzle, Cambridge Snowflake. (We need
to get accepted into these. Anoka must be registered by mid-September.)
Local events & Fundraisers: Fun Run Handke, Valentine's Carnival Handke, volunteer
for other school functions, pancake breakfast, spaghetti dinner and eating contest, ice
cream social, "Royal -Tea for a day, silent auction or basket raffle, and park clean up
days. Raffle tickets for fireworks (or another city funded event) or sale of Elk River
buttons to help fluid city projects.
Charities: Backpack/school supply drive, CAER food drive, Operation Christmas Child,
Feed My Starving Children, clothing drive, Night to Unite, Hens for Heroes, charity
walks, Cancer Society, stroke, March of Dimes.
Titleholders' Duties:
Parades: Zimmerman, Big Lake, Princeton, Monticello, Becker, Rogers, State Fair, St.
Michael/Albertville, Sherburne County Fair.
Attend coronations for incoming royalty of neighboring cities and participate in local
events to represent our city of Elk River.
Title Holders will participate in the same events listed above as candidates and encourage
the participation of the new candidates.
Logo- hold a community event of local artists to see who has the best logo and float ideas
with guidelines suggested from the city of Elk River. Elk River City Council and
Ambassador Committee with will pick top contenders then have the community vote on
their favorite one.
Float- Fall through Spring we will use trailer and items that Angie, Elizabeth and
Candidates currently have. For the future, use ideas and take bids of local residents to
make the "Official Elk River Ambassador and Royalty Float." We are really striving to
make this a whole community program!!
Advertising to gain participation:
1. Website
a. Links to city site
b. Parks and Recreation
c. School District
2. Facebook
3. Float in the Anoka Parades
4. .Article in the Star News
5. 4H
6. Extra curricular activities, dance schools, gymnastics, sports clubs, music groups
7. Homeschooler programs
S. Church youth groups
9. Daycares and preschools
Contestants will participate in a preliminary competition that will include: talent, essay,
and interview in formalwear and city representation costume such as historical sites and
landmarks.
Candidates will be judged on poise, personality, stage presence, and participation in
activities.
The following day will be a coronation of the titleholders.
We will need a stage and sound system as well as some decorations and flowers to
present to candidates and winners. We will probably need to charge a small fee to the
coronation.. Candidate will be allowed to have one chaperone attend free and sponsors
will escort each candidate. The winner will participate in an activity of the sponsor's
choosing to better market the sponsor.
Thank You for your consideration, please feel free to call me with any questions, or
suggestions.
Elizabeth Lies
612-272-6364
Eliza.lies@gmai 1. conn
Royalty Experience Testimonials
"Buffalo Royalty has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. It has helped me
grow as an individual and has helped me develop within speaking and communication
abilities. I wanted a way to get to know my community more and volunteer in a fun way
where I'm making a difference and this was the best option for just that. Royalty not only
builds selfaesteem but it also helps girls reach out and be a bigger part of their
community. — Sara Noweszki Buffalo Princess
This past year was amazing for our entire family! Not only did it give us extra quality family
time in a productive manner it also allowed us to work together as a team. It was amazing to
see all my children help with things that needed to be done at different events. Our family was
so supportive of Sophia. Speaking of Sophia..... Wow did she grow! Not in just size but her
willingness to meet new people. In the beginning I found myself really having to push her to go
extend a friendly hello to people she had never met, by the end of the year I found myself
overjoyed with emotion as I watched her take her "little sister's" princess Lilian's hand and
lead her to a group of people she did not even know and say hello. I watched her have less
doubts in her confidence to not only get up in front of a crowd to speak but also holding her
head up high and look into the audience with a sparkle in her eyes and do it nearly flawlessly! I
am so proud of the young lady this experience has sculpted her to be! I would like to take
ownership of this but I can not because it happened over this years time in a blink of an eye
without me realizing it until I sat in the audience with tears in my eyes listening to my grown up
little girl with such pride! So please consider how this program could help so many children get
the opprotunity to grow as my Sophia did!
Sincerely,
Angie Gerou
My year as the 2014-15 Sherburne County Fair Duchess taught me many
things.it has taught me to be open to meeting new people, even if I was
nervous.lt has also taught me to be more confident ,and be more comfortable
publicly speaking which I know will help me in school,l and when the time
comes my career. I enjoyed doing fundraisers,Parades and fun coronations.
This was an amazing experience and I made so many memories that I will
cherish for the rest of my life. I never thought I'd have the confidence to do the
things that 1 am now able to do,and I know this will benefit anybody else that
has the opportunity to be an ambassador.
Sophia Gerou
Hello my name is Lydia Jagodainski, I am going into my senior year
at Buffalo High School but I am living here in Elk River. Many of my
friend have had the chance to represent their community as an
ambassador for their city. When they took part: in this program they
felt that they had a special chance to give back to the city that they
love. The have told me it has been one of the best experiences that
they have had. It helped them grow as a person as well as give back
to the city. Having a program like this would help girls in our city
gain more leadership skills, as well have many service opportunities.
Not only would this program benefit the girls that are in the program
but it would also benefit Elk River as girls would be out in the
community providing service work. Having an Elk River Ambassador
Program would also help local businesses as the older group of
ambassadors would need a sponsorship for their candidacy. The
candidate would wear the sash with the sponsor's name on it giving
them promotion for the service or business. The Ambassadors
would also be in many parades over the years giving recognition to
our little city on the river. Overall if Elk River had an Ambassador
programa it would help girls of all ages in our community gain
leadership, public speaking skills. It would help our community
through service and promotion. Thank you for considering starting
this program here in Elk River.
Hello,
My name is Maggie Newman and In have three children. Izabell, 7, Tyson, 5, and Vincent, 3. nay
son Tyson was the 2014/2015 Jr. Prince of the Sherburne County fair. My daughter Izabell is the
current 201512016 Queen of the Sherburne County fair. The royalty program has helped my
children in so many ways. First, it has helped both of them with getting through one of the
hardest things which is public speaking. Granted my children are very personable, it is always
hard being in front of a large group of people and to be able to speak. Being able to represent
the Sherburne county fair they have both come a long way. Also, Izabell and Tyson have been
able to meet a lot of good role models. Being children, they are very impressionable and
having a good role model is not always easy to come by.
Being the former 200012001 Ms. Atwater, I know that these kinds of programs are very
important for young adolescents. Being an ambassador myself l know I would not be where I
am without being part of that royalty program. It not only has helped my children over come
being afraid of speaking in front of a large groups, but myself as well. Not only have I over
come public speaking, but I participated in so many fun events and met so many wonderful
people, including the entire royal family in the 2000/2001 St.Paul winter carnival. It was one of
the best experiences of my life. I feel I am truly blessed to have been part of the 2000/2001
Atwater royal family.
That said, I want you all to know that creating a royalty program for the community of Elk River,
you will have made a very positive and extremely valuable opportunity for the adolescents of
your community.
I know that if you are going to put trust into anyone to start and run a new Elk River
ambassador program, Elizabeth and Angie are definitely the women to do it. When my son
Tyson was the junior prince of Sherburne county, I always knew that he was in great hands. He
would always be smiling and waving every time I saw him riding on the float. Elizabeth and
Angie always coordinated where to meet and where we would be able to pick up our kids. They
took great care of getting the float looking great and getting us into parades so that our
children could get the most out of their reign as royalty. I believe if you give this program and
these women a chance, you will not be disappointed. Thank you for your time.
Sincerely,
Maggie Newman
Royalty Experience Letter
Growing up my favorite thing to do was wear my fancy nightgown my mom's shoes and
practicing walking and waving like a queen. That was my dream, to be the queen of
America. I was crushed later to find out that the United States does not have a monarchy
and I had no blood ties to royalty so I would never be the queen. Then one day I was
introduced to the Miss America Pageant. Well I couldn't be the queen but I could
someday have a crown sash and all the glitz and glamour of royalty if I was Miss
America, or Miss USA and I could even possible be Miss Universe if I tired really hard.
From that moment on I really practiced walking gracefully, smiling to everyone I met and
learning to wave, sit with my legs crossed at the ankles back straight, all the prim and
proper manners of a queen. It wasn't until I participated in my first real pageant Miss
Minnesota Coed that I realized that pageants were more than just looking good and
getting a crown. I learned how to present my self with grace and confidence, I learned
how to properly have a conversation with people of different age groups and view points.
I participated twice with American Coed, I also ran for Miss Robbinsdale that was a very
different experience because I was out in my community more, meeting people face to
face and learning about my hometown and their needs. I had the chance to help raise
funds for our firework display as well as do a few activities with the children of
Robbinsdale. Though I did not win the title it was a great way to learn more about the
city, myself, and make new friends. My finale royalty experience was having the chance
to run as Miss Shakopee USA and compete for the Title of Miss Minnesota USA. This
was a wonderful experience to partake in because I really had to work on physically
fitness, interview, as well as have a platform or cause that I wanted to promote in case I
was chosen to represent the state.
Recently I had the wonderful honor of becoming a proud parent of the 2014-2015
Sherburne county fair Jr. Royalty princess Lilian Lies. I watched as my daughter went to
several events always with a smile on her face eager to meet new people and participate
in the various cities events. While the parades were smoldering hot and sticky or cold
and drizzling with freezing rain, she sat and waved to everyone with a smile on her face,
and even after the parade was done she always wanted to stay after and finish watching
the parade to cheer others on or partake in the festivities, while most of our group went
back home. She helped pick out ideas for the float, helped with the fundraisers and
learned how to introduce her self " Hi I'm Lilian Lies the county fair princess" she would
tell everyone. She also learned to be respectful, and polite whenever she was in crown
and sash. One really big thing that I noticed was how when she was in crown and sash
she seemed to really put other kids first which is a rarity around our house. Now this may
not seem like to big of a deal but my daughter is only 4. She won the title at 3 years old
and I had the pleasure of watching her blossom into a spunky fun loving, caring princess.
While we were at many of the parades I noticed that nearly all the cities around Elk River
had their own royalty program and I watched many girls and guys receive the amazing
title of City Ambassadors with pride. I realized that the City of Elk does not provide this
wonderful opportunity for their youth. I would like to change this. I feel strongly that
the youth of today need encouragement in their professional development and growth no
matter the age. The city can support them with the opportunity to help in community
events and promote the city. In return the Elk River can further their educational
RoayCTeafor a Day
Join the Sherburne County ,fair
Jr. Royalty
For a tea party where you are Royadty!
Date: TBD
Time: High Noon
Where: The Free Stage at the Sherburne County Fair Grounds
,activities Include: crown craft & story telling by the Duchess
Sofia and2,ueen Peyton. you wilt also gain confidence in our
_practice pageant, where you wiCCdearn how to introduce
yourself, waCk, andwave and answer an interview question
just like royalty. -Afterward enjoy treats andpractice your
royaCmanners in our special royaC tea party!
Cost: s8 preregister by (TBD) or $lo at the event. ACCProceeds
go to supporting the program for future royalty ambassadors
and events.
Register by emaiting : PCiza.LiesC& gmaiC.com (we need to tack
to -Ve Cve t about this one)
Thank you to our Sponsors:
(Picture of Royalty)
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