*grateful That's the exact opposite of my interactions w/Ashley, both as an ED & as a person I've known for many years. What your post tells me is this: 1) It wasn't your choice to be excluded from the program, 2) Ashley somehow didn't give you the strokes you felt you deserved, & 3) You need some perspective if ANY pageant week can be considered "one of the worst weeks" of your life. Personally, I thought the week ran as smoothly as could be expected. I found the environment much more positive & hopeful, much less tense, dramatic & contentious, than it has been in years. The result was an absolutely stunning, capable Miss Illinois who has already represented our program exceptionally well in the first 2 weeks. Rather than mentioning the positive things, you have instead chosen to be consistent w/what has been a fatal flaw in the organization in the past-somehow making it all about you. If you simply cannot be positive, then your attitude will not be missed. -- ILLINOIS Pageants Board

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Subject	Author	Date
Amen! Well said. Having the Board down was a welcome respite. Why must women attack women? If you can't say it to someone's face, don't say it at all. The new Board did a FABULOUS job. They created an organization from scratch, and brought back many wonderful title holders. Amelia and Sherri have not complained about the judging. They loved the pageant and though it was professionally done. Stop making up stories. I am excited to see what the future holds. Our Miss Illinois is amazing, and I can't wait to see how she does at Miss America. (NT)	No name	21:07:05 06/30/16 Thu


So proud of our new Miss Illinois team! They are a very talented, dedicated group of young women who have competed together in the past and are banding together to create a strong program in Illinois. They are off to an amazing start. (NT)	No name	13:47:11 07/03/16 Sun


I made the "glad to be done" comment, and you've taken it upon yourself to be a know-it-all, and you are incorrect in your assumptions. First of all, it was my choice to be done. I know Ashley and personally contacted her when she was awarded the state program and wished her well. However, I lost faith in MAO because they took nine years to finally fix the problems in Illinois, despite being made aware of the issues in year 1!!! In addition, I saw the quality of volunteers spiral downward under the last leadership, and as I see people post comments here about the behavior of the left-overs from the A.S. days, that is why I made the comment that I'm happy to be done. So you were way off base! Since I lost faith in MAO, I have decided to stay away because I think it's best. Ashley brings her own perspective to the program and needs to bring in people who will bring a freshness to the program. My time in the program has come and gone, at my choice. Let's leave it at that. ;) (NT)	No name	23:09:17 07/04/16 Mon
Well, I'm sorry, but I just can't leave it at that. If you are the OP, are you not the same one who disparaged Ashley and said pageant week was one of the worst weeks of your life? Now, because you weren't able to stir up a He-Man Ashley-Haters Club from others on this board, you're trying to change your angle and imply you're looking out for her and the future of the program?!? Something (or everything) in your rebuttal reeks of b.s., so I stand by my original suspicions and, by all means, you should stand by whatever story makes you feel better today. I think it's clear Ashley has a handle on things and, if you read the other posts, other people think so as well. In the end, I'm happy for you that you never have to suffer the indignity of attending another pageant week as long as you live. You made a good choice for yourself. (NT) -- No name, 10:01:25 07/05/16 Tue You are so off base........I NEVER made the comment about pageant week being the worst week of my life. Where the heck do you get off lecturing people based upon incorrect assumptions from an anonymous message board? Gheez people, lighten up! I have no issue with Ashley running the program and wish her well. (NT) -- No name, 23:08:39 07/08/16 Fri If you click into the "Glad to be done" post you claim you wrote, you will find this: "I am absolutely delighted to no longer be affiliated with the Miss Illinois program. The director is rude, hateful, and pretty much stuck on herself. It was one of the worst weeks of my life! If I never have to deal with her again, I will forever be greatful." Now, did you write the "Glad to be done" post or not? Before telling people to lighten up, you may want to check your crazy and try to either A) Remember what you've said, or B) Not claim to have written other people's posts. (NT) -- No name, 07:04:18 07/09/16 Sat

Not everyone in the former group was evil! Look around.. in the organization. Directors, photographers, choreographers, stylists, parents, volunteer workers, contestants, local directors, security, field directors, judges, production directors, etc are still very active in the organization. All of them maintained a relationship of some sort with the Schwerdtmanns. Others still provide sponsorships and scholarships. Others offer support by attending the state pageant every night and volunteering to help during the week. PLEASE stop the continuing criticism of ALL that came before the change. Some of those "horrible" human beings made it possible for this change to finally happen. I'm sure it wasn't an easy thing for them. Some deserve your respect. (NT)	No name	08:42:41 07/05/16 Tue
They may not have been evil, but if they knew the bad behavior of the past leadership and continued to come back and hold their tongue, then they were enablers in the process. Specifically, people like Katie Frank have no business ever being involved again, since she spent nine years being someone's personaly boot-licking lackey. (NT) -- No name, 09:42:33 07/05/16 Tue Katie Frank was never mentioned in this post and has no position in the new organization. (NT) -- No name, 10:06:32 07/05/16 Tue Amen! Not everyone needed to be shown the door. The greatest tragedy in all of this, at least to me, is that there are those who are so attached to their resentment that they can't move past it. But that's just clear validation for why they should no longer be involved in the program. With such a bright future, why are we still talking about the dark past? It's irrelevant. Maybe that's the thing: the complainers are desperately clinging to their lost relevance while everyone else is moving forward. (NT) -- No name, 10:24:16 07/05/16 Tue