The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 92

wwwtonnMeMn.com THE TENNESSEAN Friday, October 19, 2001 3VV WILLIAMSON: COMMUNITY NEWS 1276 Lewisburg Pike, Franklin 591-9998 imile: Beauty queen Pinal navsf boot camp provides intensive training r4 Thurs. 12-8 Fri. 12-8 Sat. 10-6 HUGE markdowns on Leather Furniture, Mattresses, Living Room Tables, Pictures, Lamps more less and Stephanie Culberson, Miss Tennessee America 2001 and the second runner-up for Miss I Hwy96 Lewisburg Pike i i IB Hwy43i) under die slogan "Follow Your Dreams." The man read her remark. "Follow your dreams.

That's very hard to do in Russia," he said. Thomas said: "I grew up thinking that circumstances determined my future. But I realized that decisions determine your destiny. Who the judges pick, that's an opinioa But you decide whether you win or lose." An "unapologetic optimist" and CLOSING OUR DOORS FOREVER! IF URGENT PUBLIC LIQUIDATION BEGINS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 21 r4 America. But the real mission of the workshops won't be turning out winners.

Thomas is more focused on looking for each girl's unique, inner personality and on training participants to win in life. "I'm not so concerned about whether you walk away with a crown. I want the girls to be real with themselves and with each other. Whether you ever win or not or even if you ever enter a pageant, these are skills you can use in life, whether it's with being president of your PTA or speaking in front of the Chamber of Commerce," she said. This will be the third boot camp Thomas has rua This session will see participants from teen-agers in their first pageant to 30-year-olds dreaming of the Mrs.

America crowa They will come from all over Tennessee and even out of state. These beauty queen hopefuls need to develop their own sense of mission and purpose during the interview usually a big portion of the final score at many pageants. "You don't want to give pat aaswers about what you think others want to hear. The judges will pay more attention to a fresh girl who is willing to be real" Thomas said. Growing up poor in rural Mississippi, Thomas didn't start out to become a pageant contestant.

She didn't even think it was possible. But then her best friend, at 11, was seriously injured in a car accident The doctor's told her that she would never walk agaia Not only did she walk, she won the Miss America Junior I ligh crowa "That taught me that I could follow my dreams against impossible odds. That this is real and that faith, determination and persistence really can pay off," Thomas said. In 1990, Thomas competed as Mrs. Tennessee in the Mrs.

ica pageant, held that year in Russia. Thomas didn't wia but as she was coming off the stage she was approached by a man seeking her autograph. "I felt kind of strange about it Considering that I didn't wia" she remembers. But the man said that he admired her determinatioa She relented and signed her name Brentwood resident, Thomas is a sought-after motivational speaker, the author of five motivational tapes and two-term president of the Tennessee Speakers Associa-tioa Still, some approach her suspiciously when they hear she's a former beauty queea "We get a bad rap. People will assume were shallow, that we have no depth.

They think, 'How hard can it be to smile and wave?" That's tough to overcome when you're a professional speaker. But you learn so much more than how to do hair," she said. And Thomas aims to bring her message of hope beyond the beauty pageant circuit On Nov. 17, she will lead a boot camp for divorced womea Topics covered include how to build self-esteem, financial planning, dating secrets, wardrobe and appearance, the "guilt trip" and how to find Mr. Right and weed out Mr.

Wrong. The workshop at the Wildhorse Sakxin in Nashville also will feature line dancing and relatioaship tips from a man's perspective. Like the beauty queen workshops, Thomas also has experienced what she teaches to divorced womea "These workshops will give women a safe environment to tell their fears. It's OK to be afraid, but not if you're paralyzed by fear. I want to help women find their inner value," she said.

In the future, Thomas hopes to lead boot camps for businesswomen and "for the soul." Now 42, Thomas is the mother of a 15-year-old soa recently remarried and the stepmother to two. "I'm a dealer in hope. If you can look up, you can get up," she said. To register for either the boot 5310 Mt. View Road Hickory Hollow American Keyboard Gallery, Nashville's exclusive Steinway and Baldwin dealer is closing its Hickory Hollow Showroom forever! A massive liquidation of all pianos down to the bare walls has been ordered.

This is your chance to purchase the piano of your dreams during the biggest piano liquidation in Tennessee history. To Secure Priority Advanced Appointment You Must Call American Keyboard Gallery Now 615-731-5900 By Special Permission New Used Steinway Pianos Will Be Available Special Financing Available Every piano and keyboard will be sold at prices far below market value. BALDWIN BOSTON SAMICK ROLAND WURLITZER YAMAHA MORE New Used Digitals CD Player Pianos Rental Returns Scratched camp for beauty queeas or divorced women or to receive Thomas' free e-mailed newsletter, Motivatkmal Monday, visit or www.Win-nersByChoice.com or call 1-800-U2-DREAM or 370-5910. 0 in YfWIOl II I8IB0IKC Program: Hard work puts meals on wheels 3 UiUkUiMMiili greets every volunteer with a friendly, "I know them." He will also tag along with drivers delivering meals. "He is faithful, punctual, cheerful and willing to work without complaint With James, everything is new and exciting," Rainey said.

The Fairview site for the Mid-Cumberland Meals On Wheels program is in desperate need of volunteers. Drivers are especially needed now that the program is operating at five days a week. Volunteers can pick what days they can work. Deliveries usually take an hour, but can last longer if a driver likes to visit more with a clients. "Right now I could use 30 more volunteers," Rainey said.

There are two Thursdays in the month where Rainey has no volunteers who can deliver meals. For more information about volunteer opportunities for the Fairview Meals On Wheels program, call Rainey at 799-0424. on the top of individual lunches that denote a diabetic menu. "James will be the first one to tell me if I've forgotten anything. This is what he does every day," Rainey said whole family has taken BedweU under wing.

Her husband, Baxter, finds his way into many of Bedwell's conversations. When Rainey's son recently got married, BedweU was there with a gift, blue sand in a vial with "Florida" written across the top. The gift now sits on the son's entertainment center. "I've learned patience from James. If good companioaship for the both of us," she said.

For Rainey, BedweU is also one of the best administrative assistants. He ushers each guest into her office with flair, always makes sure that she knows when the phone is ringing and puts each fax immediately on her desk. He never forgets a face and im am xtm mw mm -f, I Route: 840 opens eyes and access i 1 ceremony platform, Saltsman noted that Tennessee is within one day's delivery to 75 of American consumers. He said this portion of 840 will get about 500 trucks a day out of Nashville. After orange barrels and barricades were moved following the departure of a caravan from the ribbon-cutting site, 18-wheelers within minutes became part of what from now on will be perpetual motion.

1 Though the route of the new highway is strikingly scenic, the sight of several once-isolated rural retreats now close to the right-of-way illustrates Sipes's words. Most at the ceremony, though, see it as a trade-off. This road right here is going to save lives," Callicott said. And as jubilant truckers on 1-65 honked as they passed under the tilt. (- J4 Lexus Certified PRi'OWNID CARS Classifieds The TENNESSEAN Every day matter, wwwttnrttmtnjiom Call 242-SALE.