Receiving the "Service to Call" Award from Mr. Jose Alejandro, Founder and Director of VOS Flipswww.vosflips.com
Mr.& Mrs.Valentin, the people responsible for nominating me for this prestigious Honor
My son, mom & dad, my boyfriend, my daughter & my best friend:)
I recently received the Highest Honor in Volunteerism given by The President of the United States. Thanks to an introduction by whom I refer to as a "Guardian Angel" because he's always putting me in front of anyone and everyone he can to help me any way he can, Eugene Williams. Last year, he asked me to help him Co-Host a Silent Auction: click here: http://ritaverreos.blogspot.com/search?q=Co+Host+of+Longhorn+Live+Radio+Show%2C+2011 Sitting next to me was Mrs. Marie Valetin, President & Co-Founder of the Monte Christo Center for Voluteer Development. I immediately made myself available asked her to, please, call on me, should she feel I could help her in any way. One of the events I was so happy to be a part of was a Food Drive: http://ritaverreos.blogspot.com/search?q=Emceeing+the+Tejano+Octoberfest . Here we are, last summer, receiving an award from Esperanza Calvillo (middel) for "Mentorship" in the San Antonio Government's Summer Ambassador Program that she directs.I've always said that my experience on SURVIVOR FIJI has been the gift that keeps on giving to me in ALL areas of my life. I'm so very grateful that I try to use it as much as a gift to give back to others. Heck, I know I didn't go out there and starve/dehydrate for nuthin'! I've also always had a winners/positive mentality so I had to make it a winning experience. I NEVER dreamt that it would lead to me winning this AMAZING "Lifetime" Achievement Award in Volunteerism: The President of the United States "Call to Service Award." This is one of the BIGGEST Honors I've ever received. THANK YOU so much to my dear friend, Mr. Eugene Williams and to Marie Valentin for making this moment of happiness and pride possible for my family and me (below). I was so verklepmt, I thought I was receiving an "Emmy"...no, really!!! Check it out, ha, ha, ha:If you'r interested in becoming a Volunteer with the Monte Christo Volunteer Center, please click here:www.centerforvolunteerdevelopment.weebly.com
I'm so happy to have gotten to help the "Make a Wish" Foundation in the past several years: At my most recent collaboration, Click here: http://ritaverreos.blogspot.com/search?q=Make+a+Wish I met Mr. Chad Wicks, Director of Marketing Communications and Events for the Austin Chapter of "Make a Wish" Foundation (to the right) A couple of months later, he asked me if I could be a "Celebrity" Rappeler as a part of their "Over the Edge" fundraising event in Austin. As you can imagine, being on SURVIVOR, cured me of pretty much every fear-even my greatest one which is of the "unknown." I've NEVER Rappeled so I figured if I was gonna do it, it was definitely going to be as a way of giving something back, cuz Lord knows I wouldn't have signed up to do this out of my own accord, just like I didn't sign up for SURVIVOR, btw... These adventurous things just always seem to find me...and I'm glad:)
Getting geared up!
The team was so professional. It was fun, but for some reason, I
thought my feet would stick to the edge of the Building, a la
"Spiderman," ha, ha, ha, but they didn't :( and that FREAKED me out,
I'm not gonna lie!
Other than that, the view of the Capitol Building was breaktaking..or wait, was it the fact that I was dangling over the edge of a 32 foot Bldg. what was making not breathe..ha, ha, ha!
So let's see:
Jumping out of a Plane: check!
Being on SURVIVOR FIJI, the adveture of a lifetime: check!
Rappeling a 32 story Bldg: check!
These are things on a "Bucket List" that I don't even have! As I always sing: "I sit and talk to God & he just laughs at my plans!" (FEEL, Robbie Williams)...because He seems to have better, definitely more adventurous plans for me. I can't wait to see what's next! I have an idea, but I guess even I will have to "stay tuned" to find out:)
*Thank you to Erin Molloy for the wonderful photographs!:www.erinmolloyphoto.com.
COME ON OUT to the 2nd GREEN FIELDS MARKET Grocery Grab!!
Why? Because the first one was a BLAST!! Watch/Read Below:
Recently, I Emceed this a really fun event..the 1st GREEN FIELDS MARKET Grocery Spree! 5 LUCKY Green Fields Market customers were given a chance to win ALL the groceries they could fill their shopping carts with in 60 seconds, PLUS a $100 gift card to GREEN FIELDS MARKET. These ladies weren't messin' around. It reminded me of my SURVIVOR FIJI challenges, where my tribe AND I were also vying for food!! LOL. "SURVIVORS Ready? ...Oopsy, I meant, GREEN FIELDS MARKET Shoppers Ready? and OFFFF they went!! and the Winner Is? (to the right) Katherine Hawk, who, by the way, received the call that she had won the opportunity, in the middle of a dinner party at her home. Now, she won herself more than enough food to Host another dinner party...actually, she cleaned out the meat department!! Fortunately, GREEN FIELDS MARKET is known for keeping all their Departments fully stocked with the Freshest Products. In fact, I'm not just a hired Emcee for them..I'm a client (yes, that sounds familiar... I copied the catch phrase of that hair growth product...LOL) Anyhoo, the stint on SURVIVOR FIJI left my intestines pretty beat up... I know, you're surprised by that...ha, ha, ha. Thankfully, I found the products I needed to restore my intestines back to health at GREEN FIELDS MARKET! Special thanks to Rudy Arispe, President of Arispe PR and Mr. Marco Guerrero, President of the Tejeda Agency for hiring me to Emcee this event and also to Mr. Fred Perez, GREEN FIELDS MARKET store Director and all of his Employees!
I'm so Blessed to do so many wonderful things to earn a living. One of those things is being the Stage Presence/Runway Modeling Coach for the Miss California USA Pageant. I'm forever grateful to the Miss Texas Pageant for when they asked me to be a Judge is when I had the fateful meeting with Keith Lewis, who first became my friend and then, as the Co-Director of the Miss California USA Pageant, asked me to come on board as his Official Stage Presence/Runway Modeling Coach. I've been on that "runway" for the past 8 years! Enjoying every step I've taken alongside the gorgeous and talented girls I've been so priviledged to have met and Coached.
I'm so happy and proud to feature a couple of them as they are an example of one of my motto: PERSISTANCE beats RESISTANCE. Even and sometimes, especially, when others may not believe in you, what's MOST important is that YOU don't stop believing in yourself. (I just sounded like a Journey song there..lol). Seriously, though, faith is so VERY powerful. I remember Coaching both of these girls, Mamta and Nana, both in big group sessions and Mamta hired me to Coach her privately. Neither won the Miss California title, but they went on to become the winners I ALWAYS told them they were. I tell all my girls that it's up to them to make this experience a POSITVE one. If you don't win this crown, there's another one out there for taking. Point in case, no one remembers the name of the 1986 Miss USA winner, but EVERYONE knows who Halle Berry is. Eva Longoria didn't win the 1998 Miss Texas Pageant...That's what I'm talkin' bout! Take a look at a couple of my girls, says the Proud Coach Ms, Rita:)
Nana Meriwether may not have won the Miss California USA crown, but she didn't give up. She found another way to make her dream come true..and THAT'S what it's ALL about..finding a way. God helps those who help themselves folks! So, she moved to another state and went on to become the Queen of that one! http://www.pageantupdate.info/missusa2012/delegates/maryland.htm
Above, (for those who know my work as TV Host/Spokesperson, you'll be surprised to hear me behind the camera...see, I don't always need to be seen! LOL) teaching Mamta de Evening Gown walk a couple of years ago. Mamta followed my "Persistance Beats Resistance" motto and, a couple of years later, walked her way into becoming the "Bebe it-Girl" winner!
Last nite, I received the following text from her that brought tears to my eyes: "Ms. Rita, I hope you remember me. I wanted to share this with you, and thank you so very much. I'd like you to know how much you influenced and inspired me..I cannot thank you enough! I hope you are doing very, very well." Thank you to girls like Mamta who have not just outer beauty, but the inner beauty to remember me and Honor me with their success. It makes me so happy to see that my "Ms. Rita" techniques are, indeed, effective and will make you a winner wherever you go!
For more of my work as Beauty Pageant Coach: http://ritaverreos.blogspot.com/search?q=miss+california
A couple of years ago, I lost my best childhood girlfriend, Diedra Auci Bradshaw and a fellow Survivor Castaway and friend, Jenn Lyon, to breast cancer. Ever since my friend Diedra was diagnosed, I started doing what I could to help raise awareness and funds for this cause, from Blood Drives :http://ritaverreos.blogspot.com/search?q=donating+blood to Rallies around the country with fellow Reality Show contestants http://ritaverreos.blogspot.com/search?q=Reality+Rally to posing in a Hollywood Glamour Pin Up Calendar;http://ritaverreos.blogspot.com/search?q=Strike+a+Pose. A few months ago, one of my fellow "Celebrity" Pin Up Calendar Models, San Antonio Fox Evening News Anchor Karen Martinez asked me to help her organize a Gala to raise funds for the THRIVEWELL Cancer Foundation. Besides my above connection to this cause, Karen has become a Hero of mine as a working mother who hasn't let the Breast Cancer she's currently battling, slow her down. She is absolutely AMAZING! I was so Honored to help organize this event alonside another of her fellow News Reporters, Yami Virgin and ESPN Radio Host, Chris Duel. As if that weren't honor enough for me, Karen asked me to Co-Emcee the Gala alongside Fox Weather Anchor, Mike Hernandez. One of the friends that I reached out to for help with the event was Eddie Romero, GM of TELEMUNDO. I'm very lucky that they have always been tremendously supportive of my work on television and in the community. Thus, they produced a beautiful PSA which they ran on air to help me promote the Gala (below). FOX was also tremendously supportive and had Karen on a few times to promote the Gala before and after the event. Click here to see an apperance on the Fox @ 9 Morning show: http://www.foxsanantonio.com/newsroom/daytime/videos/vid_353.shtml To the right,with my boyfriend, Rob and below with my AMAZING parents (my Dad, 2X lung cancer survivor) and beautiful daughter.
Karen was VERY gracious to let me have a moment to Honor my Hero, my father: Click here to see/listen why: Thanks to EVERYONE who came to the Plaza Club to attend the Gala, including our Guest Speaker, the poised Mrs. Erica Castro, wife of the Mayor of San Antonio: and a special thanks to very generous sponsors who gave us items for the "Live Auction" The "Healing Hearts" Gala was a HUGE success. We raised $30,000!! Please, click here for beautiful photos of a night full of delicious food, fun music and most of all, HOPE:) :www.healingheartsgala.com
CONGRATULATIONS to the Girl Scouts on their 100th Year Anniversary! Below with the exemplary Rose Gonzalez Perez, Interim President of the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas.
A few months ago, Eddie Canales was so kind to include me in the lineup alongside "Friday Night Lights" actors' softball team vs. Local tv personalities to help raise funds for their foundation "Grid Iron Heroes." I had a BLAST playing with these HILARIOUS big tv stars, who couldn't be more down to earth, btw.
Here are some fun videos of my team-aided home-run! Here's my Victory dance, which I did to humour my kids who I was so happy to have there with me. They'd argue and say I did the dance to embarass them. We were in Cibolo at Pickrell Park for 2 nights of very competitive softball, we lost to the hometown tv personalities, go Kens go!
Team "Hollywood" (blue) vs. Team "San Antonio"
with Jesse James (Y100)
Ernest James and Drew Waters
with former NFL Chicago Bears player Jeff Gandy
THE Grid Iron Heroe, Chris Canales
The Founder and President of Grid Iron Heroes, Eddie Canales, Top 10 CNN Heroe of the Year Nominee.
my softball teammates and "Friday Night Lights" boys: Shane Black, Scott Jefferies, Drew Waters and Ernest James
Several years ago, when "The" Donald took over the MIss Universe and the Miss USA Pageants, he meant Business. Mr. Donald Trump wanted to modernize the pageants. Thankfully, my close friend and the Co-Executive Director of the Miss California USA Pageant(http://www.misscaliforniausa.com/), Keith Lewis (on the right at the Miss California 2011 pageant) was on the same page as Mr. Donald Trump. In the past few years, we've gone from "Old School" Beauty Pageant look and feel.to "Hello Bombshell!" alla Victoria's Secret Runway show: CueMe to teach them "The" Walk they need to Stand out, because among 400 contestants you need everything you can possibly think of to, well, Stand out! ALL these girls are beautiful, ALL these girls have nice figures, but not ALL these girls have "the" Stage Presence, "The" Walk that that I learned during the training I received when I was a Miss Venezuela contestant. We were blessed this year with absolutely GORGEOUS weather in Palm Springs. This was outside the McCallum Theatre days beore the Pageants.Here I am with some of the girls that took my Stage Presence, Runway Modeling Classes this weekend.Last year, it was very cold and windy..our poor girls were in outside tents blowing away as they tried to get dressed, do their hair and makeup blattling the wind! Not so this year, thanks to a change in venue. The McCallum Theatre was home to 400 contestants battling for the coveted crown of Miss California and Miss Teen California USA. They rehearsed their choreography and I showed them how to be a StandOut on the Runway, Miss Venezuela style!Nerves at an ALL time high backstage!and two Winners are chosen! Below, with Alexa Jones, our new MissTeen California USA, who I'm so happy is one of the girls I Coached! the Best Swimsuit Winner, below: was also one of the girls that took the "Private" Group Lessons that I gave! With one of the MOSTBeautiful inside and out, our 2011 Miss California, Katie Blair. and with our very first Miss California 2011 who went on to become Miss USA 2011, another exquisite beauty, inside and out, Alyssa Campanela (below at when Alyssa won last year.) Verreos of NIKOLAKI designs.)As with everything in life, there comes a time for change. In this case, an exchanging of Crowns..and the winner is....Miss Hoag Hospital, Natalie Pack (also a fellow Reality Show contestant! : America's Next Top Model 12) I want to close out giving a very SPECIAL thank you to Christine Atrache and Dany Atrache of Dany Atrache Haute Couture http://www.danyatrache.com/ for choosing me as a model for one of their exquisite gowns! Fellow Fashion Designer, my brother Nick http://www.nickverrreos.blogspot.com/ paid me the HIGHEST of compliments when he said I reminded him of our mother during her days as Diplomatic wife. Our father was a Diplomat with the US State Department in the 60's.
Thus ends my 8th consecutive year as the Stage Presence/Runway Modeling Coach for the Miss California USA Pageant. I'm so BEYOND grateful to my dear friend and Co-Executive Director of the Miss California Pageant, Mr. Keith Lewis, for continuing of have me on his Expert team. Thanks to God, once again, putting me at the right place at the right time when I was a Judge, alongside Keith at the Miss Texas USA pageant in 2003. That sparked a friendship, which, btw, is also what put me in the path of Ms. Erika Shay, Casting Agent for The Amazing Race and SURVIVOR. Your destiny will find you in the MOST unlikely places! Speaking of unlikely places, this weekend, at the "Meet & Greet" we had for the contestants and their families at the Renaissance Esmeralda who "housed" us for this weekend:I ran into a friend and work colleague from my days as Intern for the Feature Film Production company, Interscope Communications. He was the 1st recording artist we signed when we added Interscope Records http://www.interscope.com/ to the company. ORIGINAL Sexy Latino was my friend, Gerardo, theONLY "Rico Suave!" I bumped into him at the "Meet and Greet" He was there because his daughter was Miss Chino Hills Teen!In 1991, Interscope Records was just a room. It's grown to what we all now recognize as one of the Top 3 Record labels representing artists such as Eminem and Enrique Iglesias.
Michael & I were dinner neighbors at our Director's Meeting the night before the Pageant...I was surprised to see him eat only ONE Entree..I was expecting to see him down about 3-4 Entrees! LOL
Last year's Miss California Pageant was also star studded, btw. The multiple Olympic Gold Medal Winner, Michael Phelps attended to support his then girlfriend, our Miss California USA 2010, Nicole Johnson.
I've always said that my experience on SURVIVOR FIJI has been the gift that keeps on giving to me in ALL areas of my life. I'm so very grateful that I try to use it as much as a gift to give back to others. Heck, I know I didn't go out there and starve/dehydrate for nuthin'! I've also always had a winners/positive mentality so I had to make it a winning experience. I NEVER dreamt that it would lead to me winning this AMAZING "Lifetime" Achievement Award in Volunteerism: The President of the United States "Call to Service Award." This is one of the BIGGEST Honors I've ever received. THANK YOU so much to my dear friend, Mr. Eugene Williams and to Marie Valentin for making this moment of happiness and pride possible for my family and me (below). I was so verklepmt, I thought I was receiving an "Emmy"...no, really!!! Check it out, ha, ha, ha:If you'r interested in becoming a Volunteer with the Monte Christo Volunteer Center, please click here:www.centerforvolunteerdevelopment.weebly.com 
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