I was honored to sing the National Anthem at the
Brainerd Race for the Cure

Megan Herickhoff - Miss Teen Minnesota International 2008
and Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
honoring Mary Kay Sanders at the Brainerd Race for the Cure

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008,
Megan Herickhoff - Miss Teen Minnesota International 2008
and Tina Rosenthal - Miss Minnesota International 2008
along with Miss Minnesota America - Angie McDermott with 2 little princesses at the Parade in Tina's hometown of Austin, Minnesota

The Minnesota Queens in front of a Minnesota landmark,
the Hormel Foods SPAM Museum in Austin, Minnesota

We will find a crown anywhere!!
Even right here on the "porta-potties"!

We're off to Nationals!
Tina Rosenthal - Miss Minnesota International 2008
Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008 and
Megan Herickhoff - Miss Teen Minnesota International 2008
at our "Send-Off" party

An Unprecedented Collection of Royalty!
Kelly Jahner Byrne - Mrs. Minnesota International 2001,
Trixie Overcashier - Mrs. Minnesota International 1998,
Angela Hasemen - Mrs. Minnesota International 2006,
Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008,
Donnell Rank - Ms. Minnesota International 2007,
Allison Stavrakis - Mrs. Minnesota International 1988, and
Holly Ernst - Mrs. Minnesota International 2003
all at our "Send-Off" party

Holly Ernst - Mrs. Minnesota International 2003, myself,
Molly Michelson - Mrs. Minneapolis 2009, Angeline Gard - Mrs. Stillwater 2009 and Donnell Rank - Mrs. Minnesota International 2007
together at our "Send-Off" party

I was thrilled to be a judge at the Big Lake Ambassadors Pageant
along with Nancy Paradeise - Mrs Minnesota International 2004

Jamie Woods - Mrs Dakota Co 2009 and I were honored to
appear at the Eagan Funfest Ambassadors Pageant

I had a chance to meet the new Mrs Dakota County,
Jamie Woods while at the Eagan Funfest Ambassadors Pageant

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
and Megan Herickhoff - Miss Teen Minnesota Intl 2008
were special guests at the Miss Sauk Rapids Pageant.
They had a chance to "show off" their beautifully
embroidered  new pageant jackets!

 Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
and Megan Herickhoff - Miss Teen Minnesota Intl 2008 had an opportunity to pose with other visiting royalty,
this is a Princess from Clearwater

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
and Megan Herickhoff - Miss Teen Minnesota Intl 2008
pose with Miss Monticello and one of her Princesses

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 was honored to make an appearance at the Mrs Minnesota America Pageant. She met up with pageant friends, Donnell Rank - Mrs Minnesota International 2007 and Tamara Jett - Mrs. Ham Lake 2008.

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
also had a chance to visit with
Holly Ernst - Mrs. Minnesota International 2003

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
was joined by Tina Rosenthal - Miss Minnesota
International 2008 for an appearance at the
Dan Patch Days Parade in Savage

Megan Herickhoff - Miss Teen Minnesota International 2008,
Tina Rosenthal - Miss Minnesota International 2008, and
Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 all enjoying
a great day at the Minnesota Special Olympics with some
of the awesome athletes

 Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 met this wonderful  little girl in the audience at the
Minnesota Special Olympics, her sister was one of the athletes.

This little sweetie pie thought that Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 was "Cinderella" with her crown.
Leisha was proud to take part in this year's Walk for Wishes
for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Minnesota

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 had a
chance to visit with many special guests at the event...

...This is Corrine and Victor. They are both "wish children" for the
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Minnesota

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 and
 Tina Rosenthal - Miss Minnesota International 2008  
meet a very special Make-A-Wish child and her sister.

Tina Rosenthal - Miss Minnesota International 2008 and
Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
posed with the Radio Disney Dance Team that was
performing at the Walk for Wishes event

The event was made even more special with an appearance by "Crunch", the Minnesota Timberwolves mascot!

...of course not to be outdone by a fur covered wolf, we also met "Sharky", the mascot for Underwater World at the Mall of America!

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 was
a special guest at the 2008 Miss Princeton Pageant.
Pictured here with this year's contestants.

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
had a chance to pose with Princeton's outgoing royalty...

...and the new 2008 Miss Princeton and her princesses!

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
recently met with the reigning Miss St. Francis...

...and the current Wright County Princess of the Fair!

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
met this special Make-A-Wish child at the
annual Ride for Wishes event

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 visited the kindergarten and first grade classes at Westwood Elementary in Eagan to read her book to the students.

Another class at Westwood Elementary in Eagan...

...and another

This is a very special girl, Anna at Westwood Elementary in Eagan.

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
met Max and his family at the Golf Galaxy in Woodbury,
as I was able to grant his wish on behalf of the Make-A-Wish
Foundation of Minnesota.
Max's wish was anything and everything golf.

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 presented Jennifer Olson - Mrs. Ramsey County 2009
and her husband with her banner.

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008
emceed the Miss Chisholm Pageant.
Posing here with the new Miss Chisholm and her court.

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 visited with Denise at the Minnesota Sesquicentennial event.
Minnesota's 150th birthday celebration.

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 just finished a
Make-A-Wish Foundation presentation at the Burnsville Rotary!

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 with the
Miss Chisholm 2008 contestants in Hinckley. We had a wonderful time getting to know each other over dinner.
Leisha will be the emcee at the pageant.

Megan Herickhoff - Miss Teen Minnesota International 2008, Tina Rosenthal - Miss Minnesota International 2008, Teri Handrahan's daughter, and Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International at the Susan G Komen Race for the Cure on Mother's Day

A loving tribute for the wonderful Mary Kay Sanders at the
Susan G Komen Race for the Cure. She did touch so many lives.

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 with Kendra and
Tina Rosenthal - Miss Minnesota International 2008 at
the American Heart Association Heart Walk.

We stopped by the "Got Milk" booth while at the Heart Walk.
We were laughing so hard, Tina's mustache kept falling off!
We had such a blast.

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 along with
Make-A-Wish volunteer Kami have just granted a Wish
to Latesha (center). She and her family will be off to
Disney World on Mother's Day!

Newly crowned North Dakota Queens with Megan
Herickhoff - Miss Teen Minnesota 2008 and
Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008

Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008 visits with
Dakota at Gillette's Children's Hospital. Leisha just finished
reading her children's book to Dakota.

Leisha Gust - Mrs Minnesota International 2008 visits Farmington
Elementary School to read the children's book she published
to the Kindergarten class.

During a full day at Farmington Elementary, she also met
and read to the school's 1st and 3rd graders...

...plus the 3rd and 5th graders...

...not to mention a class of active 4th graders...

...and finally a combined class of 4th and 5th graders.

Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008
spoke recently at the Monticello Rotary.

Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008
at the Big Lake Fashion Show for Make-A-Wish. 
Pictured here with visiting royalty from East Bethel.

Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008
was also joined by Anoka County royalty.

Visiting queens from Big Lake and the Big Lake Jr. Royalty were also a part of the Make-A-Wish Fashion Show.

 Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008 at the "Wish Ball". This is a very special MAW child and her sister.
Their family was honored that evening.

Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008 at the
Make-A-Wish "Wish Ball" on April 19th raising money for our
MAW children. Here with Richard Marx who performed
that evening with his singing partner Matt.

All of Minnesota's Royalty was on hand April 5th at the Mall of America to help with "Operation Glass Slipper". (l-r) Miss Teen Minnesota International 2008 - Megan Herickhoff, Mrs. Minnesota International 2008 - Leisha Gust and Miss Minnesota International 2008 - Tina Rosenthal.

I enjoyed a moment of silliness with the "Fairy God Mother" at the Operation Glass Slipper event. They prom gowns at no charge to high school girls in the greater Minneapolis-St. Paul area whose financial circumstances make it otherwise impossible for the to purchase prom apparel.

 I was reunited with many friends and past Pageant Queens at
a Ladies Night Out. I was spoke about the Make-A-Wish
Foundation of Minnesota and my journey to become
Mrs. Minnesota International 2008.

Nothing compares to the thrill of waking up for the first
 time as Mrs. Minnesota International 2008!

Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008 with her
two sons, Dan and Jamie

Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008 enjoys
the moment with her family

Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008 welcomed the support of her in-laws Ron and Addie Gust at this year's pageant.

Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008 with her
husband, Micron.

My first pose as the newly crowned Mrs. Minnesota International 2008. Along side my fellow queens, Miss Teen Minnesota International 2008 - Megan Herickoff and Miss Minnesota International 2008 - Tina Rosenthal.

Leisha Gust - Mrs. Minnesota International 2008