More adventures with MWTN 2018

Whew! I can’t believe I was crowned a little over 2 months ago already! The time is flying by, but I am loving the experience so far. Since I last updated, my schedule has been full of new experiences and adventures. I now have 12 events under my sash and at least 4 more between now and the end of January right now. I have put together an amazing lineup of 3 musicians and 3 comedians for my Music/Comedy event at Zanies Nashville. There will be silent auction/raffle with some awesome items. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here.

Aside from planning the Music/Comedy fundraiser event for January, I have also been meeting with as many different people and groups as possible. I love it because I feel like with each event I have been a part of, I grow a little bit more as a person from the inside out. I always have said that my disability has helped teach me compassion because I have been exposed to so many different types of people and that definitely still rings true. Even better, I can see people being more open-minded in a positive way about what having a disability can be like.

Here is a peek into some of the things I have done since my last post about my Adventures of Ms. Wheelchair TN 2018.

On 10/18/2017, I had a wonderful meeting with Alfred Degrafinreid. He is the Chief Deputy Clerk for the Criminal Court Clerk of Nashville and really just an all-around fantastic human being. We discussed his background and my plans for the year and he connected me with the Mayor of Nashville, Megan Barry.

On 10/19/2017, I was interviewed for one of my hometown papers. I even made the front page! You can read the full article here.

On 10/23/2017, my local gym decided to unveil a MAC (Murfreesboro Athletic Club) Wall of Fame, which displays pictures of people who have won 1st place in a state-wide competition. I had the honor of being one of the first 5 people who were honored on the wall.

Down Syndome has touched so many people in my life and it was laid on my heart to get involved with the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee at the Buddy Walk that they have every year. On 11/4/2017, I decided to set up a table with information and goodies (bubbles, candy and tiaras) and I had a coloring activity and passed out pamphlets with information on the Ms. Wheelchair Tennessee organization at the Buddy Walk for the Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee. This was one of my absolute favorite events. The tiaras and goodies were a big hit and I felt like I made some great connections. I am actually pretty happy with how my board turned out. I came up with the idea on my own. I was really happy that it was a big hit! The board reads: “Whether you wear a princess crown or a knight’s shield… Don’t forget to make it SHINE!” It was so awesome to see so many people wearing the tiaras proudly too. Everyone at this event was so joyful. By the end of the day, I had passed out about 100 or so bubbles, candy and tiaras. I guess everyone really does want to feel like a princess. 🙂

On 11/9/2017, I switched gears a bit. I spoke to a group of Social Work college students at MTSU (Middle Tennessee State University). They asked so many great questions and I was able to educate them on some of the resources available for people with disabilities. I also explained to them some of the every day issues I encounter with accessibility. This was a really great experience for me and really motivated me to try to find more groups like this to speak to.

On 11/17/2017, I attended a meeting for Get Fit Franklin. No pictures for this event this time, but I shared information on my upcoming fundraiser and met some new people within the Franklin community.

On 11/18/2017, I attended the ABLE Youth Super Sports Saturday along with a couple of other alumni from the program. I spoke one-on-one with some of the parents and tried to connect with them on a personal level by sharing my own personal experiences and giving them feedback about some of the programs that helped me as a teen.

On 11/21/2017, I had the opportunity to meet Nashville Mayor Megan Barry. The meeting with the Mayor was an awesome experience. She was so kind and was genuinely interested in my plans for the year.

In addition to all of this, I also have a few more events already scheduled for the end of 2017 and beginning of 2018 coming up.

-On 12/6/2017, I will be heading to Chattanooga to speak to about 300 students in grades K-5.
-On 12/12/2017, I will be switching gears and meeting with the Mayor’s Special Events team (basically all of the Metro Departments that support Nashville’s biggest events of the year.)
-On 1/3/2018, I will be doing a podcast with ajnashville.com on veterans issues.
-On 1/5/2018, I have another interview lined up with one of my hometown papers.
-On 1/10/2018, I will be hosting my big Music & Comedy fundraiser. Be sure to get your tickets at http://zaniesnashvilletickets.laughstub.com/event.cfm?cart&id=499213.
-On 1/20/2018, I will be attending ABLE Youth’s Super Sports Saturday and will be speaking to the parents of the children who are active with the program.

I am really hoping to keep this pace up for the rest of my year and to continue having even more new adventures. I have so many other different things I would love to do with this opportunity. This entire experience has already been so fulfilling on so many levels. I cannot wait to write my book in the hopefully not-so-distant future and to include this incredible chapter of my life.

If you would like for me to speak to your group, organization, school or place of business, feel free to e-mail me at LindseyBeckerMWTN2018@hotmail.com