NYRA, Proud to be an American Day.

A beautiful day at the Saratoga race track brought many different veteran and active duty organizations together to enjoy horse racing, veteran appreciation, and the pride of being an American.

Saratoga Springs has a strong appreciation for our veterans and active duty. Meeting with the families of servicemembers was amazing.

I attended the event with the lovely Miss America 1998, Kate Shindle and some of my Miss New York sisters and Outstanding Teen titleholders. (Miss Mohawk Valley 2009, Lynn Tryon, Miss Staten Island 2009, Kimberly Cantoni, Miss Empire Rose 2009, Katie Birchenough, Miss Forest Queen 2010, Allison Carlos, Miss New York Outstanding Teen 2009, Kara Jae Kowalski, Miss Empire Rose Outstanding Teen 2009, Shannon Ryan, and Miss Staten Island Outstanding Teen 2009, Jordan Lane Kowalski) Kate started the event with a fantastic performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and I later presented the award for one of the races: "Miss New York Honors Veterans".

At the "Big Red Spring", my Miss New York sisters and I shot video greeting cards that will accompany care packages that are sent to our troops overseas. These are very much like the "Thank You For Serving DVDs" that I host through the United War Veterans Council.

We were set up close to the rock climbing wall which all of us were tempted to climb. After waving through every eight-year-old who wanted to scurry up the wall, the Marines told us that we could not follow suit...open-toed shoes are a big no-no on the wall. But we posed anyway!!

                            
                                (see that's me on the right...I borrowed the camo and the boots) :) jk

My favorite part of the day was the Music Studio Performers. These children sang a beautiful song and I had to record it...enjoy: