Ms. Wheelchair America — 46 Years Of Advocacy

Kelly-Boyd-imLast year’s winner of our national “be there” contest was Kelly Boyd. Her empowering story motivated all of us to think outside of the box and live life to the fullest by helping others. In her story, Kelly shared with us that it was her involvement in the Ms. Wheelchair program that was the stepping stone to her rewarding career in emergency management.

Today, Kelly is one of over 500 state titleholders who have participated in the Ms. Wheelchair America program in the last 20 years. In 1972, there were three contestants. Today there are 30 state titleholders who have won the ability to compete for this year’s crown August 14–20 in Erie, PA. Each contestant is selected for their accomplishments in advocacy, achievement, communication and presentation. The winner makes guest appearances across the U.S. promoting their platform.

If you take a moment and read each of the winners’ bios on their website, you’ll discover that the Ms. Wheelchair America pageant creates life-changing opportunities for its participants. Twenty years ago, Elaine Stefanowicz was crowned Ms. Wheelchair America. Her participation helped her win a full scholarship, and today she serves on the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment and is an Educational Planner at Green River Community College in Auburn, WA.

Elaine and Kelly are just two of the hundreds of women who have participated in the Ms. Wheelchair America pageant whose passion has driven them to connect with what matters most. In honor of the Ms. Wheelchair America pageant and the passionate women who participate, MobilityWorks is proud to be the accessible vehicle sponsor for the 2018 pageant.