Murray Journal

Pay It 4ward to website is designed to help others
By Peri Kinder




Stacey-Marie Hansen wants to find out how far a little kindness can go. Hansen, who is Miss Murray 2010, just launched a website dedicated to reporting and acknowledging simple acts of kindness, no matter how small.

At Payit4ward.org, Hansen challenges visitors to do something nice every day for a family member, a close friend, an acquaintance and a complete stranger. After doing these acts of service, she asks that visitors record their experiences on the site to encourage further compassionate works.

"It's a way for everyone to get involved," Hansen said. "Everyone changes the world every day. It just depends on whether you change it for better or worse."

Since the site launched in March, almost 200 people have commented on their good deeds which can be as small as a hug or as big as donating money to Africa or time to the animal shelter.

Hansen got the idea from Rachel Scott, the first person killed during the Columbine shootings in 1999. A month before she was shot, Scott wrote an essay detailing her standards and challenging readers to start a chain reaction by doing something nice every day.

"I have this theory that if one person will go out of their way to show compassion, it will start a chain reaction of the same," Scott wrote. "People never know how far a little kindness can go."

Incorporating that idea, Hansen visits schools, encouraging students to create paper chains with acts of kindness written on each link. Schools interested in participating in the program can email MissMurray2010@gmail.com for more information. Hansen also distributes Pay It 4ward bracelets to help spread the word. As Miss Murray, she is trying to raise $2,000 to purchase 10,000 more bracelets for students across the state.

"Service has always been my life," Hansen said. "I've been very blessed. I've never been really sick or in a bad financial crisis. I just wanted to show my gratitude for everything I have."

Hansen is also looking for Pay It 4ward ambassadors to help strengthen schools, communities or neighborhoods. Information is available at Payit4ward.org.

"The most rewarding part of being Miss Murray is hearing the stories of service," Hansen said. "It's cool to realize the power that one can do."

CAPTION: Stacy-Marie Hansen, second from left, and Murray High students Shannon Oveson, Lindsey Permain and Karly Rodriguez enjoy a service day at the school, part of Hansen's Pay It 4ward initiative.

April Highlights!

Once again, I'm just trying to get a little bit more caught up, so I won't be going in to much detail on any of these events... but they always said a picture is worth a thousand words right???

Ok... April April April... busy! A LOT of Pay it 4ward stuff goin on! If you want to read more about that, please visit Pay it 4ward's blog- Payit4ward-org.blogspot.com!

I had 3 events this month where I got to spend a lot of time with the other Miss Utah girls!!! The first one was a fashion show for a special needs care center in South Jordan. They were showing off their new spring clothes!It was SO MUCH FUN! the best part was actually everyone left! Me, my best friend Jessica (Miss Legacy) and everyone just danced! SOOO much fun! It was also an excellent opportunity to share my platform and prove that anyone can change the wolrd!!! The next one.. which was actually the night before... was our sleepover! Miss Farmington, Miss Roy, Miss Tonga Utah, Miss Oquirrh Mountain, and Miss Murray had a fun sleepover! It's so much fun to just HANG OUT with the girls and not worry about sparkles and crowns and rhinestones! Another fun time I got to have with the girls was Miss Oquihhr Mountain's Black and White affair! She is AWESOME!







I had more DARE graduations and some ribbon cuttings this month too! Very fun!





One event that was really special to me was called "music makes music" and I got to see my best friend Taylor (who is in Brazil for the next yeaarrr!) 's little brother perform and I got to chat with his dad for a long time! this was SUCH a cool organization!!!






I put (/will put, I need to update that one too!) most of my Pay it 4ward info on my Pay it 4ward blog, but I can't forget the fact that Pay it 4ward day was April 29th! We had over 50 countries involved, people all across the US, and here's what we did in Murray for it!!! We got all 1500 MHS Students out serving! HJH definitely did their part too! and Murray City let me talk about Pay it 4ward at out big Chamber event, "The Taste of Murray!"

I used to be so good at posting! Let's start with... March!

Since Pay it 4ward's launch this blog has pretty much been forgotten... So let's do a run through of the last few months and what's going on!

March was so much fun! I'm a state committee member for Utah's Junior Miss, so a lot of my month was spent working on preparing for that week and that week was a lot of work but SO much fun! my favorite part was our princess party! I even got to dress up!!!
I also got to share my pay it 4ward platform with the Junior Miss Girls! it was awesome! I even recruited a few ambassadors!
It gives me a different perspective on these pageants... I was so proud of every single one of them! I wanted the girl who deserved it the most and would get the most of out if to win. I learned that no matter who wins Miss Utah, I'm going to be happy for! I know you don't believe me, but it's completely true! Every single girl there would do a good job to be Miss Utah and I just want the girl that would utilize it the most to be the girl to win! Good luck to whoever you are Miss Utah 2010!





I also got to hang out a lot with my little Miss a ton this month! We made cookies, I went to some of her volley ball games, and we went to Miss Spanish Fork together! what a fun road trip! She also accompanied me to the Pinnacle Awards where I got to give an award to my favorite teacher ever Mrs. Elder!!!






It was also the Make a Wish Gala where I personally raised another 1500 bucks :D I've almost raised $10,000 for them. that's TWO WISHES! we raised a TON more than that that night, but I was excited :D I also got to give sean hannity a bracelet when he came to town and hang out with my Boys n Girls club kids!






So there's a few highlights from the month of March! Hopefully I will get caught up more this weekend! Thank you so much for all your support! Keep on Paying it 4ward!!!

Boys and Girls Club Gala

I love my Little Miss Mykenzy!!!

I've been able to hang out with my little miss a lot recently!
It was her birthday so I got to go to her birthday party, I did her hair for school, and I visited her at school! I also took her to the Westminster game where my mom performed! It's awesome because I've never had a little sister but now I do!

Republican Party Party/Senator Bennet Kickoff

My daddy rents to some people who got us in some pretty cool places. It was fun because I got to talk to my platform with lots of big whigs!

Legislative Day with MYCC

I LOVE hangin out with the Murray Youth Chamber of Commerce kids!