In this article, learn more about the day Judy Ridenour was crowned Mrs. West Virginia International 2014 and what we can expect during her reign this year.
How did it feel when your name was called?
"I remember standing on stage during the award portion of the pageant. My mind was going a mile a minute. I was shaking like a leaf and my heart was racing. I thought to myself "I wonder which one of these amazing women are going to win?". I stood on stage with a bunch of absolutely stunning and amazing women. I knew that West Virginia would be proud of any one of those ladies to represent the state. The time was finally here to announce the winner. I took a deep breath and thanked God for giving me the strength to be on that stage and for the opportunity to speak on behalf of JDRF. I knew that I tried my best and felt proud of myself for making it through the day with pride and confidence, no matter what the outcome of this last award would be. Then.. out of my wildest dreams, my name was called!!! I almost fell over!! I couldn't believe that I had won! After I remembered how to breath and move my feet again, I thankfully stepped forward to take this amazing opportunity to represent both the great state of West Virginia, God, my family and JDRF proud!"What are you most excited for this year?
I am most excited for the MANY opportunities that I have to promote JDRF. Diabetes impacts my family's lives everyday. My daughter Maddy was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when she was 5 years old. It's a daily struggle for her to make sure she counts carbs, checks her sugar with finger pricks and gets her insulin injections multiple times per day, and just to feel 'normal' most of the time. Diabetes affects so many children and adults everyday. Now that I am Mrs. West Virginia International, I have so many amazing opportunities to educate and support families on the types of diabetes, and can assist JDRF in raising funding to help them find a cure for diabetes.What can we expect to see from Mrs. West Virginia International this year?
What can we expect- I will be traveling the state on behalf of JDRF. My main focus is to attend elementary and middle schools and will offer them many fun and educational ways to not only learn about what type 1 and type 2 diabetes are, but to show them how to be volunteers by helping raise funding for JDRF through fun activities such as school dances, spirit weeks, collecting ' Dimes for Diabetes' , and having a ' Kids Walk for a Cure' at their school. I will also be attending various health fairs and festivals and will be setting up an educational booth for JDRF, which will have a plethora of information of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. I also will be working with Christian Help, PURR WV, Chestnut Mountain Ranch, and the WVU Children's Forensic Science with their events and activities.
Follow Judy's Journey on Facebook
