SHYNESS TURNS TO CONFIDENCE

WURTSBORO-- Twenty-four year-old Felicia Ramos suffered with shyness and low self esteem as a young girl in high school but through her participation in beauty pageants she now not only exudes confidence but has become a humanitarian helping many charitable organizations.
At Kingston High School Felicia noted that "I didn't branch out with friends because I never wanted to be let down." Art was her favorite high school subject.
She credits pageantry as "giving me confidence and a whole new approach to life with the ability to now inspire young girls to fulfill their goals and dreams."
"I started competing in pageants as an excuse to wear my prom dress again but then I never stopped and never looked back, Ramos said.
No stranger to pageantry Felicia in 2009 won the title of Miss Sullivan County "Miss America" Southeast New York and New York, in 2010 she was crowned Miss Catskill International and in April of this year won the title of Miss Sullivan County International 2011 at the Villa Roma Resort.
In October this year she will compete for the Miss New York International title at the Villa Roma.
Her move to Sullivan County was propagated because of her attendance as a student at Sullivan County Community College and the purchase of her home.
Felicia is engaged to her high school sweetheart of seven years and they make their home together in Wurtsboro.
She plans on attending SUNY New Paltz in the spring of next year to major in communications and a career in public relations.
At the present time Felicia is employed at Kohl's Distribution Center in Wurtsboro.
A life changing event in Felicia's life took place when she met Aimee Swift, the owner of the Beauty Doctors salon in Bloomingburg and was told the story how Aimee was severely abused as a child and how she decided to make it her mission to make sure no child is treated the way she was treated.
In January 2010 Swift started the very first Childhelp chapter in New York now known as the Hudson Valley NY Childhelp Chapter (HVNY Childhelp).
Started in 1959 by Sara O'Meara and Yvonne Fedderson, Childhelp is a leading national non-profit organization dedicated to helping victims of child abuse and neglect and at-risk children. Their approach focuses on advocacy, prevention, treatment and community outreach.
The national Child Abuse hotline is 1-800-4-A-CHILD. This organization offered residential treatment centers, therapeutic foster care, child abuse prevention, education and training.
Felicia immediately because a member and advocate for the HVNY Childhelp and served as a judge in the organizations first fundraiser, a pageant called the "Diva Feva" Pageant on April 18.
As a dedicated humanitarian Felicia also works with other charitable organizations including Charity Water, Children's Miracle Network, Relay For Life, TLC (Teen Link to Community) and March of Dimes.
Aimee stated that the pageant "demonstrated inner sparkle and outer fabulous in the contestants and helped raise over $1,000."
Felicia is seeking members for the local chapter and is working on raising awareness along with fund raisers so that "one day a safe haven can be built in the Hudson Valley for abused children." The next fundraiser is a $6 pancake breakfast at Middletown Applebee's June 26 from 8 to 10 a.m.
Anyone interested in learning more about Hudson Valley NY Childhelp or would like to make a donation can contact Aimee Swift at 845-733-6945, email hvnychildhelp@yahoo.com or on Facebook at HVNYCHILDHELP.