Hey, Kate here!

It has been a great first few days here in Toronto! I have made some life long friends, and learned so much already! Time flies when you are having fun! We have had some AMAZING sponsors, from Mac makeup, to Clean Meals.

I want all of you to know how excited I am about clean meals. Food can be healthy, and taste good…thanks to clean meals. The lunch and dinner kept me energized and full for the busy day of photoshoots, video shoots, and interview!

It is so important to eat well. Eating clean will keep you energized and healthy. Clean Meals makes eating well, tasty and easy! All you have to do is pop it in the microwave…and voilà. From rehearsing dances, to touring and everything in between, Clean Meals has you covered. There are many different meals too choose from! Vegan? No problem at all, Clean Meals have options for all your food needs!

Clean Meals is now a go to for me. Seriously some of the tastiest, yet healthiest food I have tried. It is now a personal favourite! Go check out their website!

https://cleanmeals.ca 

Thank you so much for keeping me energized through the day! I am in love!

-Kate

Hello! Kate here, I of course wanted to share with everyone my AMAZING sponsors!

I am so lucky to have some amazing sponsors, supporting me through my Miss Teenage Manitoba and Canada journey!

This week leading up to Toronto has been all about the prep. From eating right, to working out, to hair, nails, and wardrobe needs. A huge thank you to Aldo Formal Wear for the amazing outfits, and Hair 2 Dye 4, for always keeping me my blonde self. A big thank you to The Magic Room for the mani and pedi! As well thanks to Calm Air for the support and flights!

Aldo Formal Wear is located in downtown Winnipeg! They are made to measure, and tailoring to the distinguished! Aldo has some of the most breathtaking suits I have ever seen. I recommend checking them out for your fancy clothing needs! Huge thank you for providing me with some unreal outfits, I am in love.  

Hair 2 Dye 4 freshened my blondie up the other day just in time for Toronto. These ladies are so amazing and I thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your support and encouragement!

A huge thanks to The Magic Room! They are located downtown Winnipeg! Such a beautiful spa with the friendliest ladies ever. Thank you for getting my nails looking Toronto ready. I got light pink toe nails, and a sparkly French manicure. Your words and support are greatly appreciated. I suggest you check them out for all your spa needs!

Calm Air is another one of my awesome sponsors. Thank you for supporting me through my Miss Teenage Manitoba journey, as well as the flights around Manitoba to participate in community events!  I have been able to see places I never imagined. Thank you for everything!

All of the support from my sponsors is greatly appreciated, as well as a huge shoutout to all the people contributing to my fundraiser for Me to We.

I am so proud to say I exceeded my goal of 400 dollars! I sent letters, and met with many people and businesses, as well I had a clothing sale, where I sold items of mine that I no longer needed to raise money!

I want to set an example to other kids that you can make a difference on your own. All you need is passion and motivation! I am so happy to continue supporting Me to We. Craig Kielburger has been such a big role model to me since I was around 10! My first We Day really was life changing, and one of my most significant memories from middle school.

I have been lucky enough to attend 3 We Day’s, with my schools leadership committee. We planned events to raise money such as selling rafiki chains. I am also humbled by participating in We Are Silent.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lbow418LwuQ  -We Are Silent video 

WE are all connected, and there is a bigger picture than just ourselves. I am so happy to continue my passion for WE through Miss Teenage Canada!

Thank you to everyone who has supported me and helped me prepare for Miss Teenage Canada, and helped make a difference in the world. So much love.

xoxo Kate

MyOUTH project.

This can be read in two ways as “my youth,” or “mouth.” My youth stands for mental health in youth, mouth stands for talking and beginning the discussion on mental health.
This is the logo for my mental health campaign.

The colours on the logo I chose for a specific reason each!
Colour can be used to help influence well being.

Red: promotes ,energy, strength, motivation, confidence, will power and courage. It is good for depression, negativity,and shyness.

Yellow: promotes uplifting, cleansing, self respect, and confidence. It is good for depression, despair, fatigue, negativity, sensitivity,and lack of confidence.

Blue: promotes calm, peace, relaxation, it is good for insomnia stress anxiety over excitement and anger.

My campaign is raising awareness for youth mental health, start the conversation, and tackle the stigma. I will educate youth on help that is out there, in a non judgemental safe environment, as well as it is ok to seek help.

let’s start by talking 

Hello! Kate here. This blog post is dedicated to something so close to my heart, as well my platform. I am so proud to share with you all, what I have been working on. 

My platform is mental health, but more specifically I am focused on bringing awareness towards mental health among youth, and the potential struggles youth face today that can effect their mental health. This includes topics such as body image, self worth, and of course bullying.

A few days ago I met with Stephen, and Charlotte who work at the Canadian Mental Health Association in Winnipeg. It has been such an honour to visit the CMHA and help spread word about all the amazing programs they offer. 

What CMHA Manitoba and Winnipeg do is promote the mental health of all Manitobans, as well as offer support and recovery plans for people experiencing mental illness. Did you know 70% of mental health problems begin during childhood adolescence? Did you know 75% of children with mental disorders do not access specialized treatment services? 

My mission is for young people to get access to these available resources. If I knew about the programs offered at CMHA years ago it could have made worlds of a difference. For me middle and high school was hard. I was bullied, sometimes it was so much I didn’t even want to go to school anymore. Classmates made fun of my appearance and the things I was into, like dancing and musical theatre. Having gone through this and not knowing what to do sparks my passion to help other people, and educate them on the resources that are so easily accessible.

I am so proud to help CMHA spread the word on all the amazing tools they have! I am blessed to be able to continuously learn from the amazing staff at the Winnipeg branch! CMHA offers so many courses for individuals and families. They have painting, to yoga, and journaling, as well as mental health education for families. This will equip families on how to support a loved one suffering mental illness! They even have a monthly game night! 

Not enough people know about CMHA and all the amazing things they do. I am so passionate about this topic which is why I will do everything I can to share with youth this amazing safe place! 2018 marks 100 years of the Canadian Mental Health Association, and I am so happy to be able to celebrate this by starting to talk. We need to start conversations about mental health. We must continue to work hard to fight the stigma around mental illness. Everyday should be mental health awareness day! 

There is such easy access to helplines, and they are all 24/7. 

Click the link below to see the emergency Manitoba helplines.

http://klinic.mb.ca/crisis-support/ 

It starts with a conversation. 

-Kate 

https://mbwpg.cmha.ca/ 

Hello it’s Kate!  Since I am Miss Teen Manitoba, I thought I should write some pieces about Manitoba.  There are so many fun, fascinating facts about Manitoba, making writing a short piece difficult but I thought I would cover a few interesting items for now so here it goes!

When I meet people who have not been to Manitoba, I often get the question, “How do you stay warm during your cold winters?”  Yes, it is true, Winnipeg, and the Province of Manitoba can definitely experience cold Winters.  However, for those of  you who do not like cold temperatures and enjoy the heat, parts of Manitoba can exceed 30 °C (86 °F) numerous times each summer, and the heat and humidity together can result in humidex values the mid-40s.    Did you know that Carman, Manitoba, which is approximately 40 minutes southwest of Winnipeg, recorded the second-highest humidex ever in Canada in 2007, measuring 53.0.  Now  that’s hot!  

According to Environment Canada, Manitoba ranked first for clearest skies year round, and second for clearest skies in the summer and I am excited to brag that Manitoba is the sunniest province  in the winter and spring.  Bright, clear skies and warm sun!  What’s not to like about that!!!

Manitoba’s northern sections (including the city of Thompson and Churchill, (which I had the pleasure of visiting) are in the subarctic climate zone. This region features long, cold winters (yes, the cold I already spoke about!) and brief, warm summers.  Overnight temperatures can drop to  −40 °C so it is certainly important to dress warm when travelling in Northern MB in the Winter.  If you love adventure; however, I strongly recommend travelling to northern Manitoba!  There is so much to see and experience. I had a very exciting trip to Churchill, which is noted for its northern polar bear population and commonly referred to as the “Polar Bear Capital”. Yes, I did see some polar bears. What an adventure!  If you would rather go when it is not quite as cold outside, I recommend travelling to Churchill in August to see the beluga whales. Churchill is also known as a beluga whale watching hotspot, a birder’s paradise, and one of the best places to experience the northern lights.   If  you are lucky, you might even get the chance to see both the beluga and polar bear at the same time.  http://everythingchurchill.com/

Festivals

Manitoba has numerous festivals that attract both Manitobans, and other visitors every year including the following to name a few:

Manitoba’s Festival du Voyageur is Western Canada’s largest winter festival.

The Winnipeg Folk Festival, is a year-round arts organization that presents one of North America’s premier outdoor music festivals each July. The summer festival’s cumulative attendance exceeds 70,000 annually and attracts visitors and performers from across North America and around the world.   I attended the 2018 Winnipeg Folk festival for a day earlier in July to check out the music and entertainment.  

Folklorama, held in Winnipeg each August, is noted as the largest and longest-running multicultural festival of its kind in the world. Folklorama began in 1970 as a celebration of Manitoba’s centennial, and has grown into an annual two-week festival of global culture that takes place generally in the first two weeks of August. Over 40 volunteer-run pavilions participate each year, showcasing unique cultures in venues throughout Winnipeg. Pavilions feature lively entertainment, cultural displays, warm hospitality and authentic ethnic cuisine (Delicious!). The 2018 Folklorama runs from August 5-18, 2018.  I recommend that you get a passport to check out as many Pavillions as you can over the two week period. I have experienced the tasty cuisine and treats and entertaining performances at many Pavilion’s over the years.   Follow the links below to learn more about folklorama including admission prices, locations of and much more.  

https://www.folklorama.ca/about

https://www.folklorama.ca/find-a-pavilion

The Icelandic Festival of Manitoba is a volunteer organization dedicated to promoting and sustaining interest in Icelandic culture and descent.   The festival is held every August long weekend in Gimli, Manitoba. You can enjoy Icelandic food, music, entertainment, events/activities, and experience Icelandic culture, and of course, Vikings The 2018 Icelandic Festival dates are August 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th.

https://www.icelandicfestival.com/about/history-vision-mission

The Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival is an alternative theatre festival held each year for twelve days in July. The 28th festival ran July 13–24, 2016 and the 2017 festival ran from July 19–30 and is on now and ends July

https://www.winnipegfringe.com/

Check out the following links if you want to learn more about things to do in Mantioba and things you may not have known about Manitoba.

https://www.travelmanitoba.com/things-to-do/

https://www.travelmanitoba.com/blog/post/32-fun-facts-about-manitoba-that-will-blow-your-mind/

Another must see in Winnipeg is Ballet in the Park. Every year at the end of July the Royal Winnipeg Ballet puts on a show at the Lyric Theatre in Assiniboine Park. I attend Ballet in the Park every year, and it is always mind blowing watching the talented dancers! 

Manitoba is the place to visit!

Xoxo -Kate 

Hey! Its Kate

I am so excited to talk about the the ALS walk finally! A few weeks ago there was a huge fundraiser in Assiniboine Park. The walk brings people together to raising money for a common cause, a cure for ALS and to support Canadians living with ALS. This is my second year being involved in the event. The last one I walked with my family and family friends. This year I was so honoured to be a volunteer guest.

I got to cheer on people as they started and finished the walk! I also met and talked to a lot of people! 40% of the money raised goes to research, and 60% of the money raised goes to client services!

The walk signifies what the disease is. It is a progressive neurodegenerative disease, that robs you of your ability to walk. Eventually it leads to the inability to talk, swallow, and breathe.

The event was able to raise more money than the last walk! This is amazing as it will make a difference in peoples live’s. This will hopefully help find a cure in the future! There are walks happening all across Canada, so if you want to participate or donate check out walkforals.ca !!! 

A few days ago I got to travel up north to Gillam, and Thompson Manitoba. My day started by waking up early to catch my flight (and of course some Tim Horton’s was involved.) The flight was long, but we finally arrived in Gillam, Manitoba. Gillam is located in the Northern region of Manitoba along the Nelson river, it is very close to Churchill, which I have also visited.

I love visiting up North and the Arctic regions. Seeing the polar bears, and the different scenery is so cool. Who knew one province could vary so much in scenery. Everywhere in Manitoba is so different, and its so cool to visit and learn about the places.

Anyways, after our short but sweet stop in Gillam we arrive in Thompson. You are probably wondering why I am travelling up north. Well you see, Calm Air was hosting a community day in Thompson. I was so lucky to be able to volunteer.

We had a bbq, bouncy castles, face painting, and of course a snow cone machine. I was playing with the kids, and watching over the bouncy castles. I made so many little friends it was so much fun. The event went by way to fast!

When everybody left we cleaned everything up and went out for supper with the other volunteers. We went to this really popular burger and hotdog place in Thompson called Popeye’s. If you ever find yourself up north in Thompson I strongly recommend you try it!

It was an amazing day of celebrating the community and I am so thankful for this opportunity (even if the airplane ride consisted of very bad turbulence.) I love travelling around Manitoba, because there is defiantly more to see than just Winnipeg.

Lots of love

-Kate xoxo

Hello, Kate here! My first blog post is dedicated to my amazing sponsors at Hair 2 Dye 4 on Corydon! Thank you so much for doing my hair and getting me all ready for Toronto! These ladies are some of the most amazing, nice and talented people I have ever met! I can’t wait to meet with them again soon!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for providing me with this service, shoutout to Brittany for giving my hair the ultimate makeover. I love love love the hair products they use, they are all natural!!!

So grateful for this sponsership! Check them out for your next hair needs!!

With love, Kate

Hello!

Kate here!

A few weeks ago at the beginning of June I got to participate in the Winnipeg Pride Parade. It was so much fun to be on a float, and show support for the pride community. It was such a fun day and I met some pretty amazing people.

The day started with prep for the parade, and getting on the floats. People began lining up to watch. The parade’s destination brought us to The Forks which is the heart of Winnipeg! There was lots of music and bright colours everywhere, with a huge turn out.

I read a quote on VSCO that read “the world has bigger problems than boys that kiss boys and girls that kiss girls.” I think that is so true. There is lack of education in some places, lack of water in others, poverty, global warming, and lack resources just to list a few.

Mental heath has had a big impact among the Pride community from factors such as bullying. People can be bullied for who they identify as, or who they love. What we need to do is raise awareness and make help more accessible. I will go more in depth about my platform of mental health awareness in another blog post as well as give reference to some helplines!

No one should be ashamed of who they love.  This day was so empowering and I am so glad I could participate and show support in honour of some of my friends and people close to me!