Planning a party that raises money for your scholarship fund is fun! There are several events that can double as fundraisers for your pageant. Here are some ways to raise funds for your pageant that are classic as well as cutting edge. Get your community involved!

Fashion Shows:

In past years, the Miss Montana program has put together fundraiser fashion shows. The idea sparked from program book ad sales and culminated in a charity event for the pageant. "I decided this would be a great way to let Bozeman (Montana) know about Miss Montana and the Children's Miracle Network," says Nicole Yost, 2011 Miss Montana contestant.

She got clearance from the Shodair Children's Hospital to hold the fashion show in their honor, and they were more than open to the idea.

"Glen Newhart at Shodair was a great help," says Nicole. "He sent me brochures, fliers, and other supplies."

Other local businesses chipped in, donating raffle items and free samples, and volunteering their time the day of the fashion show. Ultimately, Nicole was able to raise a healthy sum for the Shodair Children's Hospital while also introducing Bozeman to the Miss Montana pageant.

Virtual Donations:

Now that social media is a large part of pageantry, with Facebook and Twitter feeds providing news and information on a daily basis, some fundraising events have entered virtual reality. Many state pageants have a People's Choice award, where the most "popular" contestant is given a small scholarship award or similar recognition.

In 2011, the Miss Florida pageant took this tradition and went viral with it. They set up a website advertising their People's Choice competition and all the necessary details–for example, the fact that the winner of the competition would be a semifinalist at the state pageant. Anyone could vote online for a contestant, for the price of $1. Voting was unlimited and all proceeds went to the Miss Florida Scholarship Organization. They were able to raise a lot from this promotion and with minimal effort on their part.

Raising money for your pageant or Children's Miracle Network is a constant task, as all pageant volunteers know. By planning events that involved your community–whether it is a new idea or a classic concept–you can put the "fun" back in fundraising.

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Join the Miss Oakland County Scholarship Pageant for a good meal and fundraising this week. Pageant participants will receive a percentage of the proceeds from meals purchased Wednesday, June 6 from 4-8 p.m. at the Walled Lake Big Boy at 800 N Pontiac Trail Road.

Mention to your waitress that you are visiting for the Miss America/Miss Oakland County Pageant to designate a portion of your bill for the scholarship organization.

Visit the Miss Oakland County Scholarship Organization website for more details!

The next Miss Oakland County will be July 14 at the Costick Center in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Source and photo: Miss Oakland County

Pageants aren't the only ones who need to fundraise–contestants also need to raise money for Children's Miracle Network, as well as their own personal platform organizations.

Each year, the Miss America Organization makes more than $45 million scholarship dollars available to young women on the local, state, and national level. Fundraising is a large function of local and state pageants, as well as on the national level. But it isn't just pageants that are raising money and opening doors. Contestants at each level raise money for the Children's Miracle Network, as well as charitable groups connected to their personal platforms. Fundraising is no an easy task n this unstable economic climate, but contestants still manage to raise money. There are a variety of ways to do this, from holding special events to other promotions.

Miss Prairie Rose 2012 Cat Taylor found a fun way to raise money for her personal platform, "Be Aware It's In the Air: Weather Safety," and her community service project, "Tiaras For Tornado Safety." At large events, like the National Weather Festival, Cat sells small tiaras, mostly to young girls. She gets to education the children on emergency weather preparedness, and the girls walk away with a glamorous trinket. Cat is able to purchase the tiaras for a small price, and all of her profits enable her to provide portable weather radios to local school administrators.

"It is always fun to see the girls' happy faces when they walk past my booth as a newly crowned princess," explains Cat.

Here are some other basic fundraising ideas:

• Hold a rummage sale or carwash in your neighborhood
• Ask family, friends, and co-workers for their donations–every $5 counts!
• Coordinate an event, like a benefit concert or bowling party
• Work closely with your chosen organization, like CMN or the American Cancer Association, and see if they have any scheduled fundraisers coming up
• Volunteer to waitress at a local restaurant in exchange for donated tips or a percentage of that evening's sales. Recruit your fellow contestants to help

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An untimely tornado on February 29 postponed Dancing with the Stars Branson, but producers of the show made lemonade of the situation by redirecting funds raised to aid those affected by the storm.

Miss Branson 2012, Tippe Emmott, was asked to participate in the Dancing with the Stars event which took place March 7 at an alternative venue. Dancers and Miss Branson helped to raise $33,299 that will be donated to those recovering from the damage of the tornado.

Tippe will compete for Miss Missouri in June.

Source: Susan Fiedler, Co-Executive Director Miss Springfield and Miss Branson

This weekend, Miss America 2011 Teresa Scanlan visited Omaha to support the American Heart Association. Click in to read more!