Governor Jan Brewer at "Hope & A Future"

Arizona United States Queens joined Governor Jan Brewer to celebrate “Hope & A Future” at the Phoenix Zoo.  The ladies welcomed guest, helped children with crafts, assisted Santa and made sure everyone had a good time. Hope & A Future serves abused and neglected children in the Arizona foster care system by helping them reach their potential and achieve their dreams.

Sunshine Acres Children's Home

Breanna Bregman joined the “Desert Mountain High School Varsity Cheer Team” in bringing holiday joy to Sunshine Acres.  The team donated gift baskets and $800 in gift cards to 7 individual homes that house 10 children each.  Sunshine Acres provides a loving, wholesome home for children who are separated from their parents and help them establish long-term relationships with stable parental figures, preparing them for success in adult life. 

100 Club Radiothon "Holiday Heroes"

Miss Teen Arizona answered phones and took donations today.  Holiday Heroes is an annual 12 hour – radiothon and charity drive put on by Sports 620 KTAR on-air personalities Gambo & Ash in order to provide financial assistance to families of public safety officers and firefighters who are seriously injured or killed in the line-of-duty, and to provide resources to enhance their safety and welfare.

Teen Speaks Out About Volunteering

Breanna Bregman, Miss Teen Arizona United States, talked to potential pageant contestants about the obligations, responsibilities and rewards of being a titleholder.  Her discussion included talking about her own volunteer organization "Teens Caring For A Cause".  The purpose of this organization is to introduce teens to volunteering and build leadership skills.

 Tiffany Lee, Event Co-Host

Patti Council & Kayla Downs

Arizona United States Pageants State Directors

Phoenix Electric Light Parade

The Arizona United States Queens support St. Mary's Food Bank and the City of Phoenix Electric Light Parade.  The parade features a collection of floats, giant balloons, marching bands and performance groups.  In it's 24th year this has become a holiday tradition for families and a signature event for Phoenix.

Thanksgiving Day Parade

The Arizona United States Queens, Teens Caring For A Cause and the American Red Cross are supporting our troops this holiday season. We are inviting you and your family to personalize and mail 15 holiday cards to be distributed to our American Service Members & Veterans.

Lupus Foundation Walk

Arizona Animal Welfare League

Stepping Stones of Hope Annual Gala

This is the 7th annual celebration of Life, Love & memories.  This organization provides support for children and teens that have experienced the death loss of a parent.  Our state queens supported the silent and live auction portion of the event.  The proceeds will support the Camp Paz program in Payson, Arizona.

For more information, visit: http://www.steppingstonesofhope.org/

Arizona Veterans Day Parade

Interview with "Volunteer Match"

By Rebecca Hunt

Volunteer Match Reporter

Breanna’s Story: “We are tomorrow’s leaders with the heart to serve our community”.

Q. What is your organization - Teens Caring For A Cause - all about?

A. It is a nonprofit organization designed to help teens make a difference in their communities and was founded in 2005 by a group of girls who were formerly girl scouts. Our favorite girl scout activity was volunteering. We wanted to continue to work on community projects but at the same time develop leadership skills and be part of an organization that would foster teamwork, responsibility and character building. Teens Caring For A Cause represents true American ideals: love of family, love of country and each of us caring for the needs of our neighbors.

Q. How did you get started?

A. When this club was formed we were in 7th and 8th grade and our first big event was an Italian dinner - “A Night in Tuscany”. We held a silent auction and raffle and nearly 100 guests attended - raising $6,000 for our charity. Once we saw what we could do, we were motivated to do more and reached out to the community. Now six years later we are finishing high school and starting college and still volunteering. We support 10x the charities we started out with and are bringing new members, of all ages, into our group each year. For me volunteering is about the satisfaction of knowing that I am doing something to make a difference in someone else’s life.

Q. What does the organization do?

A. We provide community service by assisting many nonprofit foundations in Arizona that support the needs of children and teens. Teens Caring For A Cause contributes over 1,000 hours of community service annually. We are tomorrow’s leaders with the heart to serve in our community by supporting the needs of our neighbors today.

Teens Caring For A Cause:

http://www.teenscaringforacause.com/

Night of 100 Stars

Urban Kidz Fashion Show benefiting Room For Joy. 

All funds raised create dream bedrooms for chronically ill children.

Veterans Medical Leadership Council Luncheon

Supporting Arizona Cardinals

Veterans Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

Governor Jan Brewer recognized Senator John McCain as one of 20 Veterans that were inducted into the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame.  This honor recognizes Veterans who have served their military and have continued to inspire others with their lifetime accomplishments.  Miss Teen Arizona and Mrs. Arizona United States were special guest of the Hall of Fame Society.

Emcee and Past President, Frank Schmuck

Governor Jan Brewer

Senator John McCain

Veterans Student Essay Awards

Students who authored winning essays about Veterans Day read their work at an awards breakfast.  The essay contest is part of the Phoenix VA Health Care System’s celebration of Veterans Day. Nearly 360 students from 35 Arizona schools submitted essays on what the VA Veterans Day Parade theme, “Defending Freedom, Protecting Dreams,” means to them. Entrants were divided into three categories — elementary, junior high and senior high school — and were judged by VA Medical Center staff.

National Bullying Prevention Month

It is National Bullying Awareness Month. Motivational speaker Mark Trombino and Miss Teen Arizona Breanna Bregman, visited Fountain Hills Middle School to talk about the subject. They shared personal experiences and discussed the ways to stop bullying from happening to anyone.