Mrs. Grays Harbor Brandy Ross is using her title not just to take a shot at the Mrs. Washington America title in June, she’s started a campaign to raise money for the McCleary School District.
“Everybody wants to help out their community, and I feel the best way is to start where you come from,” she said. “It’s the backbone of the community from where everything starts.”
The impact of her campaign will hopefully raise some much-needed funds and supplies for the school, as well as encourage future generations to carry on the legacy of community service.
“When kids see somebody helping them, no matter where they go, they will volunteer and eventually encourage their own kids to help people,” Ross said.
She has already approached the district on a couple of occasions and will be talking with their business section leader to find out what the best use of funds would be.
“The monetary donations would primarily go toward their technology program,” said Ross. “They have a good program there but they don’t always have the funds to fix or upgrade their technology.”
As with many school districts, especially smaller ones like McCleary, Ross knows that often it’s teachers and staff who take on the burden to improve the tools their students have to learn.
“My dad’s a teacher,” she said, “so I know what it’s like for a teacher to come in and spend their own money and time.”
In addition, the new mom to 2-month-old son Noah is collecting school supplies.
“I know not everyone can afford to make a donation, so if people could just share or talk about my GoFundMePage that would help too,” Ross said.
That page can be found at www.gofundme.com/mccleary-elementary-fundraiser. Ross hopes to get all donations collected by June 11 so she can deliver them to the school for officials to plan on how to use them for the next year. McCleary Elementary’s last day of school this year is June 15.
Ross and her husband Alex met while stationed in Germany as active duty Army soldiers. After getting out of the service in 2015, they moved together to the McCleary area, where her husband is originally from.
“We bought a house here about a year and a half ago and I saw something online about a pageant and I thought it would be a good idea to try for Mrs. Grays Harbor,” Ross said. “I wanted to help the community and I really wanted to get to know everybody. I’m a little bit shy, didn’t really know anybody, and thought this was the best way to do it.”
She plans to be a stay-at-home mom until Noah is old enough to go to school. In the meantime, she does some modeling through Seattle Talent, notably for online retailer Zulily.
“If any freelance work comes up I’ll apply for it,” she said.
The Mrs. Washington America pageant contestants are encouraged to better their communities, Ross said.
“They leave the local program up to you, what you want to support,” she said.
The Mrs. Washington America pageant begins June 22 with contestant interviews. The following day, the contestants will perform an opening dance number and compete in evening gown, bathing suit – one piece with a sarong, said Ross – and answer a judge’s question before a winner is crowned. The competition takes place at the Kenneth Minnaert Center for the Arts, 2011 Mottman Road SW on the South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia. Tickets to the pageant can be purchased through the Washington Center of the Performing Arts or olytix.org. VIP seating is $103, which includes a complimentary program book. Preferred seating is $58, general admission tickets are $48. Students age 3 and up and senior citizen tickets are $38.
Ross is also raising money for the Victoria Siegel Foundation, the Mrs. Washington America pageant national charity. Siegel died of a drug overdose in 2015 in her parents’ home when she was just 18 years old. Her parents started the foundation to give troubled teens with addiction issues the guidance and counseling they need to live health and productive lives.
Donations can be made out to the Victoria Siegel Foundation in support of Mrs. Grays Harbor and mailed to Mrs. Washington, 4020 Lakeshore Drive, Moses Lake, 98837. The donations will be forwarded directly to the foundation after it is tallied by Mrs. Washington.
