Mrs. Michigan vying for Mrs. America title

By Don Rush

Contrary to the old saying of “whatever happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas,” by the end of this week Oxford will know if resident Kelly Westbrook, 35, will be crowned Mrs. America.

Following an Oxford Village Police escort of one (driven by Police Chief Mike Solwold) a make-shift parade popped up as Westbrook and family drove through downtown Oxford last Thursday afternoon, enroute to Detroit Metro Airport. Before the skies opened and the rain fell, business owners, cheerleaders and the public lined Washington Street to wish Westbrook good luck in Las Vegas for the Mrs. America Pageant.

On May 6, Westbrook, who is an Oxford High School graduate and the Executive Director for Oxford’s Downtown Development Authority, competed in and won the Mrs. Michigan crown. She has spent the summer touring the state as Mrs. Michigan for a number of festivals, events and parades.

The last night of the Mrs. America Pageant is at the Westgate Hotel this coming Saturday. Throughout this week, 51 contestants from across the country rehearsed for the chance to be in Saturday’s finalist competition. The winner of Mrs. America will then go on to compete in the Mrs. World Pageant this December, also in Las Vegas.

On the Mrs. Michigan social media page, Westbrook wrote, “ . . . I’m a Christian, Wife, Momma and all things business entrepreneur! I love to volunteer and help people and I am a huge advocate for Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation – Michigan Chapter. I was diagnosed with UC as a little girl and had three major surgeries the past 2.5 years, leaving me with a colostomy bag before being reversed last year. My whole heart pours into my family, advocacy work and job as the executive director for the Downtown Oxford – DDA!”

She said 50 percent of people nationally have some sort of chronic illness. “So, even though my story relates to UC and Crohn’s, my platform is really about finding hope and keeping a positive attitude through chronic illness in general.”

She also has a blog on Facebook called “Kelly’s Belly — No Colon, Still Rollin” which has chronicled her colostomy journey. She is also working with Rise Above Apparel, a Michigan-based company to co-design a shirt that will feature a “Scar” on the lower portion of the shirt to represent where her colostomy scar is. A portion of the sales proceeds will then go back to the Crohns and Colitis Foundation to help find a cure.

Aside from work and family time and volunteering, she is also co-authoring a book with Greg Ruvolo called, Be Kind.

Once in Vegas for a day, Westbrook sent this reporter a text, “Thank you to my community, family, friends and business owners. I can’t imagine this journey without all of you. Hope to make you proud.”

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