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Vandenberg spouse to participate in 2011 Mrs. California United States Pageant
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- A civilian employee, who is attached to the ground safety office here, is currently preparing to compete in the Mrs. California United States Pageant scheduled to be held at the Civic Arts Plaza in Thousand Oaks on April 8-10.
Christy Bell, a 30th Space Wing secretary, along with approximately 16 other contestants will try to win the title of Mrs. California United States during the televised 25th anniversary of the state pageant.
After becoming Mrs. Central Coast in August 2010, Mrs. Bell decided to take her desire to the next level of pageantry by applying to enter the 2011 Mrs. California United States Pageant, which is a pageant for accomplished married women of California.
"Competing in pageants for me is all about gaining confidence and meeting new people, especially since I am an Air Force wife," said Mrs. Bell, who will participate in her fifth pageant in April. "This is something I really enjoy."
Mrs. Bell has been married to her husband Staff Sgt. Jon Bell, a 30th Space Communications Squadron network administrator, for eight years.
"I am really proud of what she is doing," said Sergeant Bell. "She is a very intelligent person. I know that doing these pageants really helps her self-confidence and I'm all for that."
Mrs. Bell's platform for the upcoming pageant is one that hits close to home for her - lung cancer awareness.
"I have lost both of my grandmothers to lung cancer and my mother has been battling lung cancer for four years now," said Mrs. Bell.
Being a pageant queen hasn't been a life-long dream of Mrs. Bell. Rather, the desire to spread lung cancer awareness to large audiences was the determining factor that solidified her decision to pursue the state title.
Instead of allowing the pain associated with cancer overwhelm her life, Mrs. Bell has decided she would be proactive about reaching out to the community.
"Becoming Mrs. California would give me the opportunity to take my platform of lung cancer awareness to another level so that I can use the title to speak about it around the state of California," the native of Southern California said. "Lung cancer is the number one cancer killer for both men and women."
Conclusive statistics have demonstrated over the years that lung cancer alone takes more victims than breast cancer, ovarian cancer and uterine cancer combined.
Mrs. Bell is involved with the California group, Bonnie J. Adario Lung Cancer Foundation, the Lung Cancer Alliance, and will be participating in the Inaugural Free to Breathe Yogathon with the National Lung Cancer Partnership on March 20 in Los Angeles. This fundraiser for lung cancer research and awareness is open to all persons who wish to participate. Donations can also be made in a participant's or team's name. To make a general donation or a donation specifically in the name of Mrs. Bell, click here.
For those people who are interested in supporting Mrs. Bell on the night of the pageant, tickets will be available at the door of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza.