Glenwood's Think Pink Tea

The Glenwood Breast Health Center in West Monroe presented it's 2nd Annual Think Pink Tea on Friday, October 7th at the Glenwood Medical Mall. I was excited to be asked to hostess the American Cancer Society's booth, and talk with women about the Look Good, Feel Better program and Relay for Life. The Think Pink Tea is a celebration of the healing power of laughter, and it was such a privilege to surrounded by so many amazing women.

 With the ACS of Monroe Staff

Fit for the Cure at Dillard's

October is breast cancer awareness month, but the "Pink Out" in Monroe started early this year! On Wednesday, September 28, Dillard's at Pecanland Mall in Monroe held their "Fit for the Cure." The lingerie department manager, Kacey Nelson Holifield, and her staff did a phenomenal job, and I was so honored to be a part of the event. Customers and employees competed in a "Bling Your Bra" competition, there were lovely refreshments including pink lemonade, cookies, and cake, and for every customer that had a complimentary custom bra fitting that day, Dillard's donated $2 to breast cancer research, as well as donating a portion of their sales for the day. Kacey was kind enough to allow me to share some educational materials from the American Cancer Society with her customers, as well as the opportunity to meet several breast cancer survivors and their family members.

If you're in Monroe, be sure to stop by Dillard's during October to see the adorable decorated bras, and make a bid on their silent auction. And don't forget to say hello to the Dillard's lingerie team - you'll find their caring and professionalism is second to none.

With Kacey Holifield at Dillard's Fit for the Cure

The Louisiana Pecan Festival Pageant

In the early morning hours on Saturday, September 17, 2011 I drove to Colfax, Louisiana, to judge the Louisiana Pecan Festival Pageant. I wasn't sure exactly where Colfax was, but Evie Lou, my trusty GPS, got me to the Civic Center right on time.  It was so much fun getting to spend the day with my director, Amanda Thille, and seeing the excitement on the faces of the newly crowned queens and kings. This was my first time to judge a Festival pageant, and I very much enjoyed getting to know each of the Miss contestants during interview and was impressed with their poise under pressure on stage. The hospitality of the Pecan Festival Board was top notch, and I know they will have an amazing festival!

With my director, Amanda Thille

The Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival

This fabulous weekend started out on Friday, September 16, 2011 at noon when I had the opportunity to introduce Mrs. Louisiana Plus America (most of you know her as my mom, Kathy Lied) and the Woman Natchitoches Meat Pie Festival Queen, Amanda LaBorde, to Laughter Yoga. This is a wonderful, uplifting experience in which you use deliberate laughter to induce endorphins and basically put yourself in a positive mood. It was at Laughter Yoga that we adopted our official "cheer" for the weekend - "Very good, very good, yea!"

With smiles on our faces, laughter in our hearts, and enough clothes, makeup, and crowns loaded in the car for the weekend, we headed to Natchitoches. We could hear the music from the festival as we arrived in the historic district, and we couldn't help but laugh as Amanda grabbed that big crown and put it on in her truck and started waving at people on the streets. A Meat Pie Festival queen had arrived, and she was so excited! Mrs. Natchitoches Meat Pie, Lori Adams, joined us at our inn, and after a "quick freshening up"  (insert sarcasm here), we were festival bound. The music was great, the food smelled fantastic, but the laughter and friendship will be the long term memory. It was amazing to have people ask about the purple ribbon in my crown, and having the opportunity say, "I represent the American Cancer Society." We ended the night with dinner at The Landing, and some of the best boiled shrimp I've ever eaten. I shall skip the part where our room had no air conditioning, and we had to sleep with the doors open, but needless to say, I just knew I would be waking up with a a Cane River critter in the bed.

This was my first festival weekend as a member of the Rhinestone Sisterhood, and I can't wait for the next!

Louisiana Plus America Alumnae

Lori Adams, Kathy Lied, Amanda LaBorde & Tonya Lied Kidd

With Mom at the Festival

Why Do I Relay? For Heather Hirschfeld Bellanger

I met Heather Hirschfeld Bellanger during a party at the Sigma Nu house after a Southern Miss football game in September 1993. As a 16 year old college freshman, life was overwhelming, and I was struggling to "find my place" on campus. Heather kind of adopted me that evening, and spent the night introducing me to her friends. We had a blast at countless Sigma Nu parties during our college years. Heather was the kind of girl that always had a smile on her face and had the greatest sense of humor. I never really told her how much her friendship meant to me when we were at USM, and then, unfortunately, we lost touch after college.

When I was crowned Mrs. Louisiana Plus America in April 2010, I was so lucky to have Bobbie Watts as my director. And it just so happened that Bobbie and Heather were scrapbooking friends. Through the miracle of mutual friends and Facebook, Heather was back in my life!

Heather was diagnosed with Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma in November of 2010. To quote her blog, "CANCER was NOT on my Christmas list, but since there is no return line at Walmart for that special gift...It's mine all mine :)." The kind, bubbly girl I knew in college had cancer - Heather was the first one of my friends to face cancer. And for the first time in my life, I felt my own mortality.

Heather has handled her fight with cancer with a humor, grace, and dignity that I admire so very much. When I hear the words, "fight like a girl," it's Heather that always comes to mind. Check out her blog at laughoutloud-heather.blogspot.com. She is not only a survivor, she's a wife, a mom, a friend, and an inspiration.

So why do I Relay? For my friend, Heather Hirschfeld Bellanger.

Click to donate to the American Cancer Society!

Visiting the Natchitoches Meat Pie Pageant

In the midst of Tropical Storm Lee, I made my second appearance as Ms. Louisiana Relay for Life at the Natchitoches Meat Pie Pageant on September 3rd. It's amazing how graciously the ladies of the Rhinestone Sisterhood have included me in their family. During the pageant, I had the pleasure of visiting with my dear friends, Lady Ray*la*ne IX, Heather Hickey Fox, and her sweet mom, Granny Ragley Heritage and Timber Festival, Rhonda Hickey. Any conversation with these two precious ladies will leave you in stitches - they know the pageant world so well, but have such an incredible sense of humor about it. I also had the opportunity to get to know the lovely and talented Miss Northwestern Lady of the Bracelet, Ruth Fruge (ChaCha enjoyed her evening nap in Ruth's lap). It was an honor to represent the American Cancer Society among so many beautiful, well-spoken women.

It was so exciting to see two of my dear friends crowned in their respective divisions. Lori Adams won Mrs. Natchitoches Meat Pie, and the greatest excitement to me of the evening was seeing the lovely Amanda LaBorde crowned Woman Natchitoches Meat Pie Queen. These are two incredible women, and I know they will do a fabulous job traveling to represent their festival over the next year.

After the pageant, we discovered that all the restaurants in Natchitoches that serve meat pies close at 10pm, so we had a lovely dinner at Raisin' Canes. On the drive back to Monroe, my Southern Miss Golden Eagles won their football season opener against the Louisiana Tech Bulldogs. All in all it was a fabulous Saturday!

Visiting the Tournoi Pageant

My first official appearance as Ms. Louisiana Relay for Life IV took place in Ville Platte on Saturday, August 27, 2011 at the Louisiana Tournoi Queen Pageant. The trip down south was rather eventful, complete with a shredded tire, a flat spare tire, a ride on the floor of a wrecker truck, another car having electrical issues, and finally arriving in Opelousas just before midnight. I was lucky enough to have the company of Amanda Laborde, Miss Louisiana Plus America for the trip, and we very much enjoyed the hospitality of the Cosgrove-Richard household throughout the weekend.

The Tournoi Pageant is a unique experience. Each visiting queen processed through a presentation of knights with lances on the way to the microphone for introductions, and I enjoyed the company of Jacquelilne Shilo-Gradnigo, Ms. Washington Catfish, during the pageant. Congratulations to Winter Duhon, the new Louisiana Tournoi Queen, and one of Alpha Delta Pi sisters. My dear friend Amanda did a wonderful job in the competition. They both looked absolutely beautiful and performed with grace and confidence. Love to both of you!

Why Do I Relay? For the Lady Behind the Counter.

On Friday afternoon, I stopped by the Hallmark Store in Monroe for two birthday cards and a fleur de lis to finish decorating my Relay for Life shield for the Tournoi pageant. The lady behind the counter asked who made the shield and what it was for. When I told her that I was proud to represent the American Cancer Society's signature fundraiser for this year as Ms. Louisiana Relay for Life, she began crying. Her 26 year old daughter had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer the day before. We spent the next 20 minutes talking about our families, hospitals, treatments, and how much we both hated cancer. Before I walked away from the counter, she asked if she could please pray. She thanked God for placing people in the world who cared about others and for sending someone to listen when she needed it. As I left, she wished blessings on our fundraising efforts this year, and thanked me for being her ray of hope.

This crown is so much more than an honor. It's one of the greatest responsibilities I've ever been challenged with.

So why do I Relay? To give hope to lady behind the counter when she needed it.

Why Do I Relay? For Me.

During my interview at the Ms. Louisiana Relay for Life pageant, a judge asked me, "What is your Relay story?" Well, here goes...

In March of 1999, I found a small lump in my left breast. It was Good Friday and my family was in Pennsylvania for the Easter holiday. After ten days of worrying on vacation, I arrived back in Monroe, and had an appointment with the doctor a week later. During those two and a half weeks, the lump grew to baseball sized. Freaked out doesn't begin to cover it. My physician immediately referred me to a surgeon, and a week later, I was hospitalized for the first time in my life, and the lump was removed. I waited on pins and needles for another week waiting on the biopsy results, and finally got the phone call. I was 22 years old.

While I was in Pennsylvania, unbeknownst to me, one of my coworkers had set up a meeting with me and three representatives of the American Cancer Society regarding their upcoming Relay for Life. Somehow this meeting did not get put on my calendar, and I had no idea of it until they walked through the door of my office. They walked in FIFTEEN MINUTES after I heard the words, "YOU DON'T HAVE CANCER." I was so grateful, so joyful, I truly believe the American Cancer Society could have asked me for the moon, and I would have gotten NASA on the phone for negotiations. Instead, they asked me to be the Chairperson of Ouachita Parish's Relay for Life. I said, "YES!" Of course, I had never been to a Relay and had no idea what a Relay was, but that didn't stop me from taking on the project for the next two years.

So why do I Relay? I Relay so everyone can be given the chance to reach for the stars and live their dreams. I Relay so everyone can hear those precious words, "YOU DON'T HAVE CANCER."





Here's to Less Cancer and More Birthdays!

"Happy birthday is truly a victory song, because every birthday is a gift. Proudly supporting the American Cancer Society's strive for a world with less cancer and more birthdays, I'm your Ms. Louisiana Relay for Life IV, Tonya Lied Kidd."

 Being crowned Ms. Louisiana Relay for Life IV was such an incredible birthday gift. There are some amazing people that made this weekend possible that I would be remiss not to thank:

• To Star White, Ms. Louisiana Relay for Life III, for being such an amazing Queen and friend. You sparkle as bright as your name implies. I hope to make you proud this year.
• To  Amanda LaBorde for your incredible support during our weekend adventure. You know I never would have made it without you. And ChaCha is grateful for your veterinary skills.
• To Caroline Cosgrove-Richard for teaching me festival pageant modeling and interview skills, and for always having a smile on your face.
• To John Richard for being my "pageant mom" for the weekend.
• To Kathryn Cosgrove for the wonderful hospitality and amazing gumbo.
• To Bobbie Watts for being the big sister that I always wanted. Thank you for always taking care of me.
• To Jennifer Haynes for our friendship and making the long trip from Monroe.
• To Christiana Hayward and Patti Brister for being there in spirit.
• To Amanda Thille for her vision in creating this pageant. I look forward to representing you and ACS this year. Even if you think a surprise onstage question is "fun" :).
• To Cemone Mire Credeur for her encouragement and sense of humor throughout the pageant.
• To my new sister queens Ralynn O'Brien and Ashley Woolledge, you are both fabulous. I look forward to a wonderful year.
• To Lisa Guidry for your friendship, encouragement, and the beautiful roses.
• To Heather Fox for your friendship and assistance.
• To the Hickman Relay for Life Team for their amazing dedication to fighting cancer. I'm so proud to be on your team.
• And to my parents, Jim and Kathy Lied, thank you for always being my greatest supporters. I love you.

The American Cancer Society - The Official Sponsor of Birthdays!