“I was extremely excited. It made me feel that all the hard work and preparation was worth it,” said the 23-year-old Menzer. “I put a lot into it and to have the opportunity and to receive such a great award is an honor.”
The new Miss Rio Rancho gets a $10,000 scholarship and an all expense paid trip to the Miss New Mexico Pageant in Alamogordo.
 Miss Rio Rancho Heather Menzer is flanked by Bill Stanage (left), who helped sponsor the pageant, and Mayor Mike Williams. They are holding her $10,000 scholarship pageant check. Observer - Jimmy Currier Photo |
Menzer attends the University of New Mexico School of Medicine and expects to receive her MD in 2011.
She recently finished her undergraduate work, commencing in May from Colorado State University with a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering.
The talented brunette came out shining in the four segments of the competition: evening gown, fitness/swimsuit, talent and an interview.
As Miss Rio Rancho, Menzer not only gets to wear a tiara, but also is an ambassador for the City of Vision.
Her goals as Miss Rio Rancho include, promoting her platform of organ and tissue donation, being a spokesperson for Children’s Miracle Network, representing the Miss America system in a favorable light and letting people understand the benefits of the program and representing Rio Rancho.
“I want the community to know who I am and I want to be a good representative,” she said. “I will be at community functions and be an ambassador to the Rio Rancho Chamber of Commerce.”
Menzer also wants to use the Miss Rio Rancho title to promote her platform of donating life, specifically promoting organ and tissue donation.
“I truly believe that by having the title of Miss Rio Rancho, I will save lives. “Donate Life”, promoting Tissue & Organ Donation, is a worthy cause that needs more exposure,” she said. “Promoting such an important issue and saving lives while doing it, will be good for both the Miss America program and for the 98,000 people waiting for a transplant. I have come to the conclusion that not many people will refuse the gift of life. If you would be willing to accept this gift in a time of need in order to save your life or a loved one, why not offer this gift to others? I am an organ donor and am committed to promote the issue to others. I can attest that organ donation saves lives, for I have worked closely with those who were saved as a result of a self-less donation.”
Menzer knows first hand the value of tissue donation.
In May of 2004, she tore the ACL in her right knee for the third time.
It was donated tissue that allowed her to recuperate quickly.
“One person in this world unfortunately lost their life, and because of his or her generosity and respect for life, the donor was able to help me in a time of need,” Menzer said. “It seems only logical if I am willing to receive, that I should be willing to offer the same gift to others in a similar situation; therefore, I too have become a registered donor.”
Before the donation, Menzer was not a donor, but she said that selfless gift from a donor opened her eyes.
Therefore, her goal is to increase awareness of organ and tissue donation and the number of donors.
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