Posted by: Marjorie Adriance, 2011 Tulip Court
Tuesday January 31, 2012
Brrrrrr....It's Cold Outside!
This is the warmest winter I can remember, day after day of above average temperatures....until the day that we participated in the Martin Luther King celebration at the Convention Center. It was by far the coldest day of the winter so far! But what a privilege to participate in an event that celebrated the birthday of a man that "had a dream" and made a difference in the lives of so many. We enjoyed the events in the Convention Center, including a kid's corner, and then led a parade several blocks through the city.
We also had fun participating in the 2012 Ronald McDonald House Charities Radiothon at Crossgates Mall. Ronald McDonald House Charities promotes the health, development and well being of children and their families through the Ronald McDonald House, a home away from home for families of seriously ill children, and by creating and supporting programs that directly improve the lives of children and their families. We sold tickets at "Autograph Alley" where for a donation folks could meet NFL Legends Rodney Hampton and Mark Clayton, WWE legend Tito Santana and NASCAR Sprint Cup Driver David Reutimann.
Coming up next we will be taking LCL on the road to the Boys and Girl's Club and meeting with students at Albany High School.
It's hard to believe that our time serving Albany is winding down. It's time to nominate deserving young women for the honor of serving as the 2012 Albany Tulip Queen and Court. Do you know someone that would be a great ambassador for the City of Albany and the Mayor Jerry Jennings' Literacy Campaign? If so, follow this link, http://www.albanytulipqueen.com/nominate/, to nominate her!
Posted by: Karen Colehour, 2011 Tulip Queen
Wednesday January 18, 2012
Happy 2012 Albany!
Although it appears that our mild winter has come to an end, the New Year and the first snow fall of 2012 brings us as the TQ and Court a flourish of new events, new programs, and new ambitions.
The last few weeks have been nothing short of spectacular. We were excited and honored to begin 2012 with bringing our "Lights, Camera, Literacy" program to three 2nd grade classrooms at Berne-Knox-Westerlo Elementary School. We read "Alexander's Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" by Judith Viorst and the students ultimately created their own story by working in small groups and performing skits demonstrating different ways a day could turn out to be a challenging one. We were incredibly pleased and proud that the students got involved in the story, were passionate and energetic during the program, and showed their understanding of literary terms and elements. The skits were creative, fun, and entertaining and the students particularly enjoyed dressing up in costumes and using their imagination. Look for pictures in our gallery coming soon!
Realizing that our reign will eventually come to an end, we wanted to be sure to make the most of this honorable experience. Thus, we have decided as the Queen and Court to continue our "Lights, Camera, Literacy" program to enhance the Mayor's Literacy Campaign at diverse locations in the remaining months, initiate a new program titled "Q and A with the TQ and Court," and plan a fundraiser for the Tulip Fund. More information on the latter two will come in future blogs; something to look forward to!
Thank you immensely for your continued support. Along with continuing to visit albanytulipqueen.com, please note that nominations for the 2012 Albany Tulip Queen and Court are now open. If you know any remarkable, outgoing, and dedicated young women, nominate them! More information on nominations is available here, http://albanytulipqueen.com/nominate.
Posted by: Hannah Walker, 2011 Tulip Court
Tuesday January 10, 2012
Happy New Year Albany
I hope all of you had a wonderful, safe and enjoyable holiday season. I must say this has been of the most enjoyable seasons I can remember. Not only did I get to participate in my normal Christmas activities, such as family gatherings, parties at friends houses, singing in Christmas eve choir and eating lots of goodies, but I was also able to be a part of some of Albany's holiday events that I had never attended before. I loved being a part of City Hall's Christmas tree lighting ceremony and having fun with kids at the Empire State Plaza's tree lighting event. I hope all of you were able to take a little time to participate is some of the City's holiday cheer!As 2011 comes to close, it's hard believe that the Tulip Festival is only five months away. While things have gone fast, we've also accomplished a lot in the time that has passed. In the past nine months the Court and I went from being complete strangers, to becoming friends and coworkers. We've gotten to partner with numerous organizations within Albany, attend many fun, challenging and enlightening events and create our own campaign to enhance literacy throughout Albany. We've learned a lot about team work and have made many new friends. I know all of us are extremely thankful for the opportunities we've been given throughout the year.
With the new year getting into full swing I also want to encourage each of you to find some time to consider nominating a young woman you know for the 2012 Tulip Court. New Years is normally a time to reflect on the past year, and I can say with confidence that being a member of the Court has really helped me grow, mature, and expand my horizons over the past year. If you know a young woman with leadership skills, who also has a love for community and service, consider nominating submitting a nomination for her at: http://albanytulipqueen.com/nominate. You can find all the specific qualifications on the website and a brief description of the selection process. I know I will be forever grateful for this year of service and hope that many young women for generations to come will continue to benefit from this amazing experience.
Posted by: Kelly Landers, 2011 Tulip Court
Friday December 16, 2011
Happy Holidays Albany!
I hope everyone is enjoying their holiday season! I know I sure am, thanks to all the different festive events Albany has to offer. All five of us were at the Holiday Celebration at the Empire State Plaza making ornaments and coloring holiday pictures with children. That was a great day in the beginning of December that really got me into the holiday spirit. We also had a great time at the Holiday Tree Lighting at City Hall. I really enjoyed all of the children coming up with the mayor to light the tree, which looked so beautiful. Everyone should go down to city hall and check out the tree and decorations and then head over to the Capital Holiday Lights in Washington Park. The lights are great this year and the lake house looked so beautiful all light up. When I saw it I couldn't believe how much time has passed since May when spring was just settling in and we were just starting our year!
Besides our different holiday activities, we've been continuing to implement our "Lights, Camera, Literacy" program. This past month we went to Eagle Point Elementary School and held two programs after school. It was especially fun for me because this past semester I've was helping out in a first grade classroom there and about half of the students came to our program. We had some very creative costumes that the students dressed up in and overall it was a good afternoon of reading and fun.
We are planning to continue this program all over Albany to try and reach as many kids as we can! We hope that everyone has a safe, healthy, and happy holiday and a wonderful New Year!Posted by: Katie Headd, 2011 Tulip Court
Tuesday November 29, 2011
Happy Holidays Albany!
I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! I am excited about the upcoming holiday celebrations we will be a part of, especially the holiday tree lighting at Empire State Plaza on December 4th. My personal favorite part of the holiday season is driving through Capital Holiday Lights in the Park with friends.
I would like to personally thank the Dutch Settlers Society of Albany for welcoming Karen, Hannah and I at their annual membership tea. We felt honored to be among a group of people that celebrate the Dutch heritage that is a rich part of the Albany Tulip Festival. Also, we enjoyed the lovely company of the members as we shared tea and cookies and they told stories about their travels through the Netherlands.
As our year as the 2011 Tulip Queen and Court flies by we still have many ideas about programs we hope to implement this year. Make sure to keep an eye out for our many programs to come!