Miss Florida USA climbs Cedar Keys Lighthouse, printed Feb 27th, 2010

By Kellie Parkin

To help spread the word about Visit Our Lights, the Florida Lighthouse Association specialty license plate, FLA has joined forces with Megan Clementi, Miss Florida USA 2010.

Beginning this year, Megan has combined her love of lighthouses with her desire to bring awareness to another important issue: breast cancer.

“One in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer,” Megan said. “When I looked around me at all the women in my life, I knew that I needed to do something.”

So Megan created the Climb for the Cure initiative. “I’d heard of people who ‘Race for the Cure,’ so I decided that I would climb for it,” she said. Megan chose the foundation Susan G Komen for the Cure as her charity and will climb all 30 lighthouses in Florida as a way to draw attention to the cause.

“My hopes are that I am able to raise awareness and funds for Susan G Komen and encourage locals to learn about the maritime heritage of their lighthouse,” said Megan, who graduated last year with her Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Central Florida.

According to its Web site www.komen.org, Susan G Komen for the Cure has invested more than $1.3 billion in cancer research and awareness since its inception in 1982.

On Friday afternoon, Megan and her dad Mike met up with FLA president Stan Farnham, Stan’s wife Mary, and FLA members David and Alice D’Amicol for a tour of the island and a climb of the Cedar Keys Lighthouse.

David and Alice were in charge of organizing FLA’s events in the Cedar Keys and arranging for Miss Florida’s visit. “This is my favorite lighthouse,” Alice said. “David and I have been giving the tours of the lighthouse and cemeteries for the last 10 years during the Seafood Festival weekend. We enjoy sharing the lighthouse and grounds and educating many enthused visitors each year.” Approximately 300-450 people visit Seahorse Key during the festival weekend, she said.

Alice noted that Visit Our Lights is the only license plate designated for preservation. “We feel the visit by Miss Florida USA will help us get the information out about the tag so more people will be aware of it and purchase it,” she said. “Cedar Key lighthouse is in grave danger structurally and we want to be able to get a grant from the FLA to keep the lighthouse from falling into further disrepair.”

For more information about the Florida Lighthouse Association or its specialty license plate tag, visit www.floridalighthouses.org.
For more information about Megan Clementi’s Climb for the Cure, visit www.info-komen.org/goto/climb_for_ the_cure.

To see the article visit http://www.cedarkeybeacon.com/cgi-bin/c2.cgi?124+article+News+20100227084452124124002

Pro Am Tennis Tourne in Delray Beach

Sat Feb 20th: EYH, UCF Baseball Game, Seminole Cty Science Fair Award Banquet

Cedar Key

HAPPY SUPER BOWL SUNDAY!!!

GO COLTS! GO SAINTS!

Visiting Timber Trace , Super Clematis

How early is too early!?

Good Morning World!

I am a tired girl...lol It is 4:58AM and I am already about to board my plane to South Carolina. My flight leaves at 5:30AM so I needed to be here by 4:45AM. Being the anal person I am, I had to be super early. I did not realize how early I was until I followed the signs to my departure gate and found a real 'gate'! It is so early that the gate to the security area is still locked! I am guessing that that was a good sign that I am going to make my flight :)

I am sitting in the boarding area anxiously waiting for my name to pop up on the Cleared List. I have a good friend who works for Delta and was able to score a single Buddy Pass. The price is right, but the down fall is there is no guarantee that your name will go from Stand-By to Cleared. Lucky for me, I ate up some time by losing my cell phone. Yep, that is right. It is never to early to misplace your belongings. I am sure when my dad reads this I will get a phone call reminding me how irresponsible I can be. In my defense......

7:40AM
Sorry about that! I ended abruptly as I got called to board the plane. Yay! One step closer to SC! Continuing on….In my defense, I had my phone out to text my parents and let them know I was leaving soon (like the good daughter I am). I had to place it in my jacket which was placed in the bin to run through security. I have never taken a laptop on a plane before so I did not realize the computer had to be separate from shoes, outerwear and my phone. My tray was searched thoroughly while simultaneously, another security member was checking my carry-on due to my jewelry. I think this is when I lost my phone. I realized I left my phone when I reached my gate. I asked the guy next to me if I could borrow his phone. He said “yea, but by the way are you looking for yours?” He stated that the security guard found a blackberry. He watched my stuff as I ran back to the Security Check Point. And yes I did run in my 5 inch heels…lol When I got there I asked around and nobody knew what I was talking about. So now I am thinking, GREAT! I left all my stuff with strangers and I still have no phone. I called my phone using a security guard’s cell…NO ANSWER! So annoying! Then, like a knight in shining uniform, the security guard that had searched my belongings came running over from my gate. He had found my phone and chased after me when he realized I had forgotten it….he was so nice. Well, that was a long story for such a non-long-story-worthy story…lol Yea, makes no sense, I know. That is what happens when you sleep for 3 hrs! Anyway, all is good and I am alive…lol

I basically passed out on the plane. I had two seats to myself and took full advantage of it :) I was able to sleep off and on for about 90 minutes. Not sure if I will get any sleep on this next flight as it is only an hour in length. Once again, I am patiently awaiting for CLEM, M to pop up on the Cleared List.
I guess as long as I have time, I can tell you about last night. Nice transition, huh?

Last night was the Super Extravagant Tailgate Party hosted by the Super Bowl Committee in which I was invited by Mike Zimmer, President of the Super Bowl Committee.

Let me tell you….that was quite the event. It was a massive media party held on Miami Beach literally ON the beach in the sand. Anything remotely related to tailgate food, drink, or activities was present at this event. There were ribs, pulled pork, hot dogs, hamburgers, fajitas, tacos, subs, sandwiches, desserts of all sorts, a candy bar, soda, water, games, Miami Dolphin cheerleaders, a band and much much more. Mike said that his goal was to have enough food stations that there would never be more than two people waiting in line for food or drink. Mission Accomplished!

I spoke to a ton of people and the verdict was unanimous....best Super Bowl Party in several years. Mike was creative having the party on the beach and made the whole event so much fun. One game that stands out in my mind was the Cookie Eating Contest! I know, I know. It is NOT on my Miss USA health plan, but sometimes you have to stray for the good of the party :)

I had just finished dinner when I was approached by 2 of Dave's friends. One had just competed and won the contest; eating 4 cookies in 1 minute. Immediately, I thought that that was lame. I could devour 4 cookies in 30 seconds if I had the chance!! My boyfriend calls me the cookie monster...he knows cookies are my favorite sweet. Knowing it was 1 minute of my time and I could run an extra couple miles to burn it off, I knew I could walk away with the Cookie Eating Champ Title. I went for it! The only girl of the entire evening was Miss Florida USA 2010...lol

Unfortunately, plans did not go as I expected. The time changed from 1 minute to 5 minutes and I could not back down. There was an audience rooting for me to beat the guys. I tried, I swear I tried! It was not as simple as I thought. The cookies were huge and extremely chewy. So chewy that my jaw is still sore TODAY!!!!!! I end up only eating 4 in the 5 minutes. I still got cheers, but I felt totally lame :(

The evening ended with a beautiful surprise display of fireworks. It really was a fantastic laid-back feel-good type of event.

Check back soon to hear the update of my SC adventure :)

Talk soon!

Megan Clementi

Miss Florida USA 2010

Front Page, Aventura News Feb 3d-9th

Serving Aventura, Bal Harbour, Bay Harbor, Golden Beach, Hallandale Beach, Hollywood, Sunny Isles Beach, Surfside www.communitynewspapers.com February 3 - 9, 2010
BY BARI AUERBACH

The Aventura Marketing Council kicked off its 2010 season of superlative business building with a super Super Bowl / Pro Bowl-themed breakfast meeting hosted by JGB Bank featuring Frank Supovitz, the National Football League's senior vice president of special events. Instrumental in staging the Super Bowl,Pro Bowl NFL draft and international games,Supovitz was inducted into the Event Industry Hall of Fame and has earned literary acclaim for writing The Sports Event Management and Marketing Playbook. AMC Chair Cliff Schulman of Greenberg Traurig helped welcome hundreds of business and community leaders to The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club, where donations were being collected for the Haitian earthquake victims. Everyone joined in getting psyched up for Super Bowl / Pro Bowl excitement along with all-star guests including Host Committee Chair Rodney Barreto, President Mike Zimmer and Sun Life Stadium President M. Bruce Schulze and Miami Dolphins President & CEO Mike Dee; and Nicki Grossman, president of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.

This year marked the tenth time South Florida hosted the Super Bowl; the first time
ever that the Super Bowl and Pro Bowl were played in the same city; and one of the most successful efforts of the Host Committee to recruit thousands of volunteers.
During the event, guests had the opportunity to meet JGB Bank President and CEO Robert Brookes, Vice President and Aventura Branch Manager Leslie Stein as well as expert financial associates dedicated to providing high-tech banking and personalized service - the old fashioned way. "We've served the South Florida community since 1957 and Aventura since 1999," Brookes said. "JGB is among the highest-rated banks in the country for safety and soundness consistently achieving high ratings from independent bank rating services. In these financially challenging times, it's good to know JGB is poised for significant, conservativelymanaged growth and ready to serve the needs of corporate and personal clients." He also announced the opening of their newest branch in Miami Beach in February.

JGB Bank hosts Frank Supovitz, NFL Special Events 'First and Tenth - Pro Bowl and Super Bowl Together in South Florida' Photography by Andrew Goldstein

Standing (L-R) Aventura Marketing Council Chairman Cliff Schulman, Greenberg Traurig; Mike Dee, Miami Dolphins; Miss Florida USA 2010 Megan
Clementi; Miss Florida USA 2008 Jessica Rafalowski; Mike Zimmer, South Florida Pro Bowl / Super Bowl Host Committee; Nicki Grossman, Greater Fort
Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau; Rodney Barreto, South Florida Pro Bowl / Super Bowl Host Committee; Bruce Schulze, Sun Life Stadium
Seated (L-R) JGB Bank's VP / Aventura Branch Manager Leslie Stein; President & CEO Robert L. Brookes; Supovitz; EVP / Chief Financial Officer
Carlos Bell; EVP / Chief Lending Officer Abel Iglesias

“The Super Bowl brings in $500-$600 million of economic impact. We expect to see 100,000 people coming into the market who would not normally be here just to be at the Super Bowl, Pro Bowl or one of the many celebrations.” Frank Supovitz

PROBOWL 2010