Mrs Tampa 2008

Chantal Trinidad of Dade City is Mrs. Tampa 2008

Chantal Trinidad, of Dade City, Florida has been selected by The Florida United States Pageant as Mrs. Tampa 2008. Chantal Trinidad will compete in the 2008 Mrs. Florida United States Pageant May 2-4th at the Ormond Performing Arts Center in Ormond Beach.

A nationally recognized program for women between the ages of 12 to 59, the Florida United States Pageants system select contestants who are well-rounded women, confident, intelligent, beautiful, and committed to family & community. They have five divisions and will crown five Queens to represent the Sunshine State at their respective national competitions during the Summer of 2008 Mrs. Florida (21-59); Ms. Florida (25-59, single, or previously married), Miss Florida (20-27, single/never married/no children) Miss Florida Teen (16-19) and Miss Florida Jr. Teen (12-15). Contestants must be a resident of Florida, attend school in the Sunshine State, own property here, or be of military status.

Contestants in the Florida United States Pageants will compete in the following categories: Panel Interview, Swimsuit, Evening Gown and on-stage Q&A with each portion making up 25% of their total score. The Florida United States Pageants have been dubbed “The Pageant with a Purpose”. To date, they have raised more than $38,000 for the dream fulfillment fund of Making Memories ~ Brides Against Breast Cancer. Chantal Trinidad is very active in her community. Chantal Trinidad, Mrs. Tampa United States, believes that the greatest gift that she can give is the gift of self. Forever seeking opportunities to motivate, encourage and support those in her immediate surrounding and those that she encounter throughout her journey in life.Chantal was born in a small province in Haiti. Although she only lived her first 10 years in Haiti, Chantal vividly remembers the hopeless on the faces of those she encountered during her early years in Haiti. Chantal dreams of the day when the country will be politically stable and when she can return for volunteer health care to those that she cannot seem to forget. During her first year in high school, she met her prince charming, Michael Trinidad. Four years after her high school graduation, Chantal married her high school sweetheart, Mike. Together they have a beautiful daughter, Jennifer who is 22 and a handsome son, Christopher who is 14. Mike served in the United Sates Navy for 20 years and Chantal has been there by his side even during Operation Desert Shield for the Liberation of Kuwait. During that time, Chantal volunteered with The American Red Cross at the United States Naval Hospital, Ceiba, Puerto Rico where she attended to pregnant wives whose husbands were deployed to war in the Middles East and elsewhere. As a young child, Chantal made a promise to invest in her community whether in Haiti or anywhere else in the world. During her high school years, she volunteered at Saint Joseph Home for the Blind in Jersey City, New Jersey. She often conversed with the blind as they sat in a darkened room. Chantal did this in order to experience the feeling of never being able to see the light of day. Upon graduation from high school Chantal attended Cook College at Rutgers University and later became a Registered Nurse with emphasis in community and public health. Chantal has devoted her nursing career to provide quality health care to youths in the custody of The Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. Chantal delights in making a difference in the lives of these youth. During her eight years of committed service with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ), Chantal knows that within each child that she has had the opportunity to serve, there is a child that desires to be motivated, a child whose spirit is in need of encouragement. There is child who is support from community members to become all that he/she could be.Poverty is a situation that can consume a person’s pride, motivation, initiative and their future. Alternative behavior, variable options and empowerment of these citizens can make a difference in the extent and effects of poverty in her community.In her spare time, Chantal offers her nursing expertise to improve health literacy amongst the poor and underprivileged of her community though federal grant funded programs.In addition to these efforts, Chantal has volunteered with the Tampa Bay Haitian Association during their annual Health and Wellness Fair. She has assisted Tampa Bay Cancer Network in their goals for cancer education throughout the community. She has assisted the underserved and uninsured women of Hillsborough County with scheduling free breast cancer screenings on the Moffitt Cancer Screening Mobile Van. Through the Florida Vaccine for Children, she has assisted the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in vaccination of children to prevent vaccine preventable diseases. Chantal has contributed toward the prevention of sexually transmitted diseases as she partners with the Hillsborough County Health Department in their effort to educate Hillsborough County citizens about prevention of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis.Along with DJJ and community programs, Chantal desires to break the cycle of violence, abuse and crime involving these youth. She desire to sacrifice self through volunteer services through youth empowerment programs such as Tampa Bay Academy of Hope, Youth Leadership Development, Teen Council, Cornerstone Center for Women (pregnancy crisis center) and The Pasco County Juvenile Justice Council. The empowerment of a youth is a priceless effort that can only begin to be measured in a decrease in adolescent crime, recidivism and a safe and secure community for everyone. Chantal desires to change the world by making a positive impact in her community. One hundred years from now, not everyone will know who she was, what she drove and where she worked or lived. But, one hundred years from now, someone will remember the difference she made in their life by the encouraging word spoken, the caring attitude she demonstrated and the comfort she gave holding the hands of both the very young and old during the most difficult time of their lives. Most importantly, Chantal will come to know the greatest feeling associated with the love of giving the gift of self. If you have an interest in competing in this year’s pageant, lending your assistance to the Making Memories fund-raiser, or becoming a sponsor, please send e-mail to Mctrinidad@embarqmail.com. Or mail contributions to PO Box 132, San Antonio, Fl 33575.

April 12, 2008 - 02

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