Collecting the Sox: Bobbleheads - Indiana Turner

 If you're following me on Instagram (and really why aren't you?) you know I've been showing off my bobblehead collection periodically one by one. I realized that I should be doing that here as well so everyone can see them. So, let's continue the "Collecting the Sox" series to show some of the things a Red Sox fan might collect.

Like this one...

Obviously, this is a bobblehead to promote the Indiana Jones franchise. Put out in 2023, I'm guessing the focus was on the Dial of Destiny entry. Remember that one?

Pretty bland offering here. I can't be sure, but I think a lot of these secondary promotion bobbleheads are just designed once for every team. I imagine lots of teams gave away bobbleheads showing a player wearing the leather jacket and leaning on a bat. That way only the head would need a new mold. However it came about, I needed to add this one to my collection.

What do you think of it?

Collecting the Sox - Baseballs: 2018 Opening Day

If you're following me on Instagram (and really why aren't you?) you know I've been showing off my baseball collection periodically one by one. I realized that I should be doing that here as well so everyone can see them. So, let's continue the "Collecting the Sox" series to show some of the things a Red Sox fan might collect.

Like this baseball...

For a ling time I collected pins when I went to games. But, as pics got more expensive, and slightly more awkward to display, I reverted to baseballs. Obviously, they're a great baseball collectible. Most of the big games and events have baseballs specific to them. 

Like 2018 Opening Day. Naturally, some balls are more impressive than others. But, this ball has a nice pop of color on it that I enjoy. The classic logo on the front is a pretty common way to go with these. 

Makes for a nice collectible.

What do you think?

Collecting the Sox: Bobbleheads - Jedi Mookie

If you're following me on Instagram (and really why aren't you?) you know I've been showing off my bobblehead collection periodically one by one. I realized that I should be doing that here as well so everyone can see them. So, let's continue the "Collecting the Sox" series to show some of the things a Red Sox fan might collect.

Like this one...

This is, of course, a bobblehead from Star Wars night in 2017. Recently, the Sox have been on a bit of a jersey kick when it comes to Star Wars. But, I definitely mis the bobbleheads.

Admittedly, there's nothing super creative about this offering. Just Mookie in jedi robes using a lightsaber as a bat. (I fell like that wouldn't work very well.) But, as a Sox collector who is also a Star Wars fan, this fits into the collection very nicely.

What do you think of it?

Singing the National Anthem at Fenway Park for the Savannah Bananas Game!

By Whitney Doucet

OK… where do I even start?! Singing the national anthem at Fenway Park for the sold-out Savannah Bananas game on July 6th was seriously one of the coolest things I’ve ever done.

If you’ve never seen the Bananas play—let me just say, you are missing OUT. They are the most fun, over-the-top baseball team out there, and people go crazy trying to get tickets. So when I opened my inbox and saw a message asking if I was available to sing the anthem for their game, I immediately said YES. Thankfully, I had the day off. 

It wasn’t until I started telling people that I realized how big of a deal this actually was. Everyone was freaking out, telling me how awesome the Bananas are and how they’ve been trying to get tickets forever. That’s when it really hit me—I got super lucky.

I threw on my white pants and a bright yellow Savannah Bananas jersey (obviously had to dress the part), and headed to Fenway with my husband, who came along to film the day—and he crushed it, by the way. When we got there, we were greeted by the sweetest girl named Chloe who took us down to the Red Sox dugout—I’m talking, the dugout where legends have sat. Just being in that space felt surreal.

We ended up right near the owners of the Bananas who were so kind and welcoming. And then it was time—I walked out onto the field and sang the national anthem in front of a completely packed stadium. Right after I finished, I literally walked by Doug Flutie. Like… no big deal, right?! 

After that, we found our seats, grabbed a massive slice of pizza, and just soaked it all in. The game was absolutely wild in the best way—nonstop entertainment from start to finish. I’m officially a huge Savannah Bananas fan now and I really hope I get to go to another game in the future, whether I’m singing or just cheering in the stands.

Seriously, what a day. One I’ll never forget. 

Watch the Anthem here!! https://youtu.be/B3qeJem7FOc

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This story has been posted simultaneously here and on the Section 36 Music blog.

Collecting the Sox: Bobblehead Trio

If you're following me on Instagram (and really why aren't you?) you know I've been showing off my bobblehead collection periodically one by one. I realized that I should be doing that here as well so everyone can see them. So, I'm reviving an old "Collecting the Sox" series to show some of the things a Red Sox fan might collect.

Let's start things off with a three bobblehead set...

This trio might be a lot of fun, or it might make you a little sad...depending on your point of view. They were given away during separate games during the 2018 season. So, you have to attend all three games (or try your luck on ebay) to complete the set.

Which I think is fun. I feel like the Betts one would be odd to have just on its own, but the other two would look perfectly fine alone if you only collect Xander. But, together, they make for a great presentation piece and a callback to one of the great Red Sox teams.

What do you think of it? Them?

Find Love at Fenway – Behind the Scenes of My New Music Video

By Whitney Doucet

There’s no place like Fenway Park—especially when you’re a lifelong Red Sox fan like me. So when it came time to film the music video for my latest single Find Love, I knew there was only one place that truly made sense: right in the heart of Section 36 territory, in one of the most beautiful cities in the world—Boston, MA.

The idea actually hit me while reflecting on one of the lyrics in my song:“The sun shines bright over your city / Boston sure looks good on you.”And I thought to myself—we HAVE to shoot that at Fenway Park.

My husband was behind the camera (and even made a hilarious cameo), my best friend Elaina came to support and made a quick appearance in the video, and my husband’s cousin Chris stepped in as the “love interest”—a role he handled like a total pro.

We kicked things off on Lansdowne Street, singing with the Green Monster looming behind me like the legend it is. The energy there is unmatched—it's the heartbeat of Fenway, with people zipping by in Red Sox hats, and a sea of blue, red, marathon yellow, and Monster green apparel glowing in the summer sun. We even filmed some fun skipping shots of me and Chris making our way down Lansdowne, laughing and having a fun moment.

My husband got us Green Monster tickets, and we filmed from what has to be the best view in the house. I made sure to stay respectful of the fans around us—because believe me, as a Sox fan, I get it! I even took breaks between takes just to soak in the game. The crack of the bat, the smooth voice of the announcer, the roar of the crowd—the sound of a Boston summer dream.

We explored every corner we could—filming in the stairwells behind the Monster, by the famous Fenway bricks, and of course, grabbing the ultimate ballpark treat. There’s one moment in the video where I’m about to dive into a classic vanilla soft serve with rainbow sprinkles served in a Sox baseball cap… and suddenly my husband walks by and steals the first bite! My reaction is total shock followed by laughter—and yep, it’s 100% real, I guess I should have gotten him an ice cream too! 

Filming Find Love at Fenway felt like giving baseball fans a mini tour of all the nooks and crannies that make the park so magical. Whether you’ve been a hundred times or have always dreamed of going, I hope this video lets you see just how special Fenway is.

I’ll be back at Fenway on July 6th to sing the National Anthem for the Savannah Bananas game! I can’t wait! 

I’m so proud of this video, and I hope it inspires you to find love—in the music, in the ballpark, and in all the unexpected places life takes you.

Watch Find Love on Youtube: Fenway Video

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This story has been posted simultaneously here and on the Section 36 Music blog.

Is That What I Said?

I mean, they sort of listened. In my last post, I said that after the Red Sox called up Roman Anthony they had a problem. They just had too many starters. Especially with players comng back from injury, there was a logjam. Something needed to be done. They needed to trade an infielder or an outfielder, or both, preferably for pitching.

So, I suppose that's what they did.

But, I don't think I said "trade your best hitter on a pretty team-friendly $300 million contract to get back marginal pitching in basically a salary dump.

Although, I'm not exactly surprised. When I saw the alert on my phone, my reaction was "wow...it must have been worse than I thought." Obviously, the Red Sox and Devers had a rocky relationship of late. After signing him to a ten year deal, the Sox basically treated him like dirt. At the same time, he didn't exactly act like a model employee. Was some of that literally lost in translation? Possibly. But, at some point there's too much there for there not to be an issue.

The latest story is that the Sox expect certain things from a $300 million player that Devers wasn't giving them. We've heard that story since the early years of the ownership, off the field. One of the main talking points when they were trading for ARod was that he was willing to play along and suck up to partners at team events and dinners. Nomar, on the other hand, had no interest in that. At the time, they actually justified ARod's huge contract by saying he would bring in more revenue in the boardrooms than Nomar or Manny ever could. I don't know for sure, but I'm guessing Devers was closer to Nomar than ARod.

Of course the biggest place that turned up was on the field. After signing Devers to a face-of-the-franchise level deal, they asked him to change positions to make room for an inferior player on a likely one-year deal. That's a terrible look from the Sox. This organization once called up a veteran player at the end of the season just to send a message to other aging vets that the team would do right by them. This is the opposite. "Come sign with us, and we'll hose you the first chance we get" isn't a great sales pitch. It's also not a great look to the fans. "Hey we signed this fan favorite for ten years. His jersey is now a safe buy. Oops, just kidding."

I obviously don't know the whole story. Were the Sox cold on Devers all along? Was his signing always an overreaction to losing Bogaerts? (Do the Sox need to stop throwing away good plans once they stick to them? Yes.) Could this make them quickly sign all their youngsters to longer term deals as a way to save face? If this wasn't a long-term issue that only popped up this season, will signing Bregman end up being one of the worst moves this team ever made?

I honestly don't know much about the players the Sox got in return. I know none of them have won a Cy Young, nor were they favored to win one this year. So, I'm guessing this is a downgrade. Some SF fans online were sad to see them go, but that was mostly based on potential. Like when Sox fans were sad to see Teel go...but were fine with it since it brought Crochet. This feels more like a depth move at best...especially this year. While those pieces are important to a championship team...you usually don't give up an all-star to get them. Teams pushing for the playoffs do the opposite.

So, speaking of the playoffs, where do the Sox go from here? 

It all depends on the kids now. Moving forward, once Bregman is back, it looks like the everyday lineup includes Bregman, Mayer, Story, Campbell, Anthony, Abreu, Rafaela, Duran, and Narváez? In some combination of field and DH? That's the best nine players though, correct? So if Anthony and Mayer perform like Devers, the Sox will be more than OK. If only one does, they'll be close. If neither does, they'll be in trouble. 

So I guess it's wait and see. there's just less margin for error than there used to be. And, the pitchers may need to help more than they have been. But the Sox are currently a half game out of the wild card after playing without Bregman and Abreu. The talent is still there.

It's just a matter of winning.

The Gang's All Here

Yesterday the Red Sox called up #1 overall prospect Roman Anthony. He joined Marcelo Mayer and Kristian Campbell to complete the Big Three, or Golden Trio, or Stardust Triplets, or whatever we're calling them. And that's a great sign for the future of the Sox. Which really only leaves one question. 

Now What?

I was not in the camp that said Anthony needed to be called up RIGHT NOW. Sure he deserves it. But, it was the question of what the Sox would do with him. The injuries made the decision a little easier...just like with Mayer...but what's the plan? Now that the clock is running, you can't bench them or even demote them...can you? So, how does it all shake out.

Ideally, without injuries, the Sox outfield has Duran, Abreu, Rafaella, and now Anthony. The infield has Bregman, Story, Mayer, Campbell, and Casas. That's how it looks this year, and probably next year. Story likely won't opt out. And, following his injury, I'm not so sure about Bregman. And those are just "projected starters". So, in case you can't count...they have too many infielders and too many outfielders. Something has to give.

My assumption is that at the deadline, the Sox would figure out how to move at least one of those players. Then, they would call up the kids afterwords. Unless, of course, trading the kids is the move.

Rafaella and Campbell are on team friendly long-term contracts. Which either means they're here to stay, or are incredibly valuable trade chips. 

But something needs to be done, pretty quickly. And, I admit, I don't know what the move is. Nor do I particularly care. I just need to trade an infielder and/or outfielder and get a different position in return. There's a couple ways to do it. Go big, and try for Skenes, or smaller and safer. What would Anthony and Mayer get you back? How about Abreu? Durran? Where's the other starting pitcher market? I'll admit that I didn't know who Crochet was until suddenly he became the trendy target for the Sox. Who else do I now know about? Where are the pitchers that come with high priced vets? Is there a Beckett-Lowell deal that get a vet first baseman as well?

Anyone have a plan?

Not Quiiiiiiite What I Was Hoping For

Red Sox baseball is back!!!

And that's the best thing I can say about it at the moment.

The first week or so of the season is always wonky. Everyone's top pitchers all line up for basically the only time all season. At the same time, though, none of them are in physical condition to dominate. So you get a coin flip of which pitcher happens to get the feel of things at which time of the game.

On the other hand, all the hitters are still figuring things out. Maybe it's their timing. maybe it's a new role with the team. Maybe both. Line-ups are a bit weird as Cora tries to get everyone that "first at-bat" under their belts as soon as possible.

Schedules are also a mess with day games and night games tossed into a bowl and pulled out seemingly at random. 

Which is a way to say, whether a team starts 5-0 or 0-5, you can't read much into it. It's not an indication of who the team is. 

Although, I'd prefer to have gone 5-0. 

Thankfully they won that first one, or we'd have to hear all those annoying retellings of how often a team that starts 0-3 wins whatever. 

But, they didn't go 0-5. They started the season with that important victory. A solid pitching performance, and solid hitting. Exactly what you want from an opening game. And, despite the loss, they got more of the same in game two. If Crochet and Houck are going to be those pitchers all season, the Sox are going to win a lot of games. 

The next two games were one-run losses. Again, solid from both sides. Again, both sides of the ball you can assume will be better than that the rest of the year.

The fifth game in five days was a little more lopsided after making the cross country flight without a day off. Honestly, if you went though the schedule before the season, those are the types of games you'd probably circle as schedule losses. 

So, even at 1-4 the Sox are in a very good spot. Raffy will start crushing it soon, adding a needed element to the line-up. Looks like they have their ace for the foreseeable future. I'm definitely looking forward to October Baseball.

I can't wait.

Ready For My Fantasy?

Fantasy Baseball team, I mean. Yup. It’s time for your least favorite post of the year. The one where I discuss the fantasy team I drafted for this season! I know. The only thing worse than talking about fantasy teams is blogging about them. But, what better way to celebrate the start of the season? Plus, I apparently haven't done this in a while, so I gave you a break.

Just as a quick reminder, this is a nine team 5x5 league, with 30 roster spots. So, it's a big league. You have three keepers, and they take the place of your draft pick in whatever round you originally drafted the player. (I love that detail.) I had the seventh pick in a wraparound draft. Got that?
So, who did I get?

C - W. Contreras MIL

1B - B. Harper PHI

2B - C. Rafaela BOS

3B - R. Devers BOS

SS - O. Cruz PIT

CI - T. Casas BOS

MI - D. Swanson CHC

OF - M. Trout LAA

OF - I. Happ CHC

OF - J. Duran BOS

OF - T. Ward LAA

U - L Gurriel Je ARI

U - J. Young WSH

U - T. Story BOS

B - W. Abreu BOS
B - D. Moore SEA

SP - G. Crochet BOS

SP - L. Webb SF

SP - B. Miller SEA

RP - J. Hader HOU

RP - M. Miller ATH

P - T. Houck BOS

P - J. Steele CHC

P - W. Buehler BOS

P - M. Gore WSH

B - G. Jax MIN

B - J. Adam SD

B - G. Whitlock BOS

B - L. Erceg

B - B. Bello BOS

My three keepers were Rafael Devers (round ten), Contreras (round twelve) and Jarren Duran (round thirteen). So, nice set of reinforcements in the middle of the draft. I grabbed Harper in the first round.

From there, I was able to grab plenty of Red Sox players. I'm always actually surprised with how many I end up with. Obviously, Devers is a legit pick that you don't need to be a Sox fan to grab. Same with Duran. Especially in the double digit rounds. Crochet was my second round pick. Which might seem high, but remember most of the best players weren't available to draft. Casas I got in the eighth round. Maybe too high, but not that bad. Houck, for a reigning all star, was a steal in the 16th round. Rafaella I felt was a good grab in the 18th. Epecially since he can play infield and outfield. Story, Abreu, and Buehler were taken much to late in the 21st, 22nd, and 23rd rounds. Whitlock was a steal at 27 if he's the bullpen stud he can be. And, Bello at 28 was almost criminal. So, eleven Red Sox, but none of them seem crazy to me.

So, while I know you probably need to see the rest of my league to decide how my team will do, I welcome any comments on any of my selections. 

Think I got any good ones?

Revised List of 36: Best Players I’ve Seen Play In Person

OK. Before the season starts, it's time to take care of some housekeeping. I didn't update this list after the latest Hall of Fame class was announced.  

As I’ve said, I make this list based mostly on awards. After all, my grandkids are more likely to ask me if I’ve seen a former MVP than some player who played well for a while. I also assume a Hall of Fame probably automatically makes the list.

And, at this point, it's basically all Hall of Famers. Which is why I don't update it after the MVP awards are announced anymore.

Which of the 2025 class makes the cut? I'm glad you asked. Dick Allen and Dave parker were before my time, so they don't make it. Billy Wagner, I am amazed to say, I never saw play. Even thought he was with the Sox for a year, I guess he never pitched in a game I attended. CC Sabathia I saw play twice. I even recapped those games when I asked if he was any good. Ichiro I saw play live three times. I also recounted thos games in a previous post.

Thankfully, Ichiro was already on the list because of course he was. Sabathia, though, is a new addition. So, he has to bump someone off. Looking at the list, there are five slots held by people not in the HOF (now that Ichiro is in). Bonds, Clemens, Pujols, A-Rod, and Trout. I'll let Pujols and Trout keep their slots because they'll both make it back on the list eventually anyway. Bonds and Clemens probably won't make it, but they have too many awards to take off quite yet. A-Rod has fewer accomplishments and is, well, A-Rod. So, he gets the boot this time.

So, here’s the new list.

1. Roberto Alomar (HOF)

2. Adrian Beltre (HOF)

3. Wade Boggs (HOF)

4. Barry Bonds (MVP)

5. Roger Clemens (MVP, CYA)

6. Dennis Eckersley (HOF)

7. Tom Glavine (HOF)

8. Ken Griffey Jr (HOF, All-Century Team)

9. Vladimir Guerrero (HOF) 

10. Todd Helton (HOF)

11. Rickey Henderson (HOF)

12. Derek Jeter (HOF)

13. Randy Johnson (HOF)

14. Chipper Jones (HOF)

15. Greg Maddux (HOF)

16. Edgar Martinez (HOF)

17. Pedro Martinez (HOF)

18. Joe Mauer (HOF)

19. Fred McGriff (HOF)

20. Mike Mussina (HOF)

21. David Ortiz (HOF)

22. Mike Piazza (HOF)

23. Kirby Puckett (HOF)

24. Albert Pujols (MVP)

25. Jim Rice (HOF)

26. Cal Ripken (HOF)

27. Mariano Rivera (HOF)

28. Ivan Rodriguez (HOF)

29. Scott Rolen (ROY, HOF)

30. CC Sabathia (HOF)

31. John Smoltz (HOF)

32. Ichiro Suzuki (HOF)

33. Frank Thomas (HOF)

34. Jim Thome (HOF)

35. Mike Trout (MVP)

36. Larry Walker (HOF)

Who’s on your list?

Go Red! 2014 Topps Target Red Kelly Johnson

February is American Heart Month. As a nod to the Go Red for Women activities going on this month to help raise awareness, I thought I'd contribute several "red" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month.

Let's talk about this card...

Kelly Johnson played ten gmes for the Red Sox in 2014. He was acquired from the Yankees at the deadline for Stephen Drew. A month later, he was traded to the Orioles in a four players deal. So, obviously, not a lot to say about his Red Sox career. Glad he was able to get a card out of it, though.

It's a simple card. I'm guessing there weren't a ton of pictures to choose from. I don't actually remember the Red sox wearing the blue and red combo like that. That's nice to see. Otherwise, it's a rather non-descript card. Which I guess you get every once in a while.

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Photo: Jon Adams

I'm sure you all remember Mina Smith from her interview with us. Through her social impact initiative "Love Your Neighbor" she is fundraising for the American Heart Association. I highly recommend you support her efforts with a donation if you are able. You can find the link here.

Support her efforts, and Go Red!

Go Red! 2014 Topps Target Red David Ross

 February is American Heart Month. As a nod to the Go Red for Women activities going on this month to help raise awareness, I thought I'd contribute several "red" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month.

Let's talk about this card...

Hard to forget David Ross! Especially for me, since I was in the park as he caught the last strike of the 2013 World Series. He definitely earned that ring on his finger. While his stints in Boston weren't long, they made up for it with that championship.

The card itself...I'm not sure what Ross is doing with his fingers. Is he supposed to be showing "3" of something? Or is that the only way he could figure out to make his fingers work to show off the ring? The picture is fantastic though. Even cropped tight, you can see the giant championship banner behind him on the monster. What a great addition to the team collection.

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Photo: Jon Adams

I'm sure you all remember Mina Smith from her interview with us. Through her social impact initiative "Love Your Neighbor" she is fundraising for the American Heart Association. I highly recommend you support her efforts with a donation if you are able. You can find the link here.

Support her efforts, and Go Red!

Go Red! 2014 Topps Target Red Edward Mujica

February is American Heart Month. As a nod to the Go Red for Women activities going on this month to help raise awareness, I thought I'd contribute several "red" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month.

Let's talk about this card...

Remember last time when I said I sometimes forget that AJ Pierzynski was on the Sox? Yeah. Edward Mujica was on the Sox for a season plus, coming out of the pen. He actually appeared in 75 games over those two years, so was used a lot. But, in the championship hangover, that season isn't one that sticks out in my memories...for any of the Sox players.

The card itself...I'll keep saying it. I like the Target Red parallels. I love the idea that every player, even Mujica, has a rare card to chase. Something that every collection can add to make it a bit more special. I will also keep saying that I wish the color red they chose didn't clash with the color red in the Sox logo. But, that's still ok. It's a fun card to have in my binder.

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Photo: Jon Adams

I'm sure you all remember Mina Smith from her interview with us. Through her social impact initiative "Love Your Neighbor" she is fundraising for the American Heart Association. I highly recommend you support her efforts with a donation if you are able. You can find the link here.

Support her efforts, and Go Red!

Go Red! 2014 Topps Target Red AJ Pierzynski

February is American Heart Month. As a nod to the Go Red for Women activities going on this month to help raise awareness, I thought I'd contribute several "red" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month.

Let's talk about this card...

Sometimes forget that Pierzynski was on the Sox. His partial season in 2014 isn't exactly the stuff of legends. Especially since everyone was still in the haze after winning the championship in 2013. But, he served a role batting .250 is 72 games for the Sox that year. Just enough to not be memorable. To me at least.

The card itself...I still say I like the Target Red parallels. It gives something fun to chace in retail packs. It's not ridiculously overwhelming. Just a simple matte red border. Just enough to add some variety ot a collection. I do wish the color red they chose didn't clash with the color red in the Sox logo. But, I guess I can't have everything.

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Photo: Jon Adams

I'm sure you all remember Mina Smith from her interview with us. Through her social impact initiative "Love Your Neighbor" she is fundraising for the American Heart Association. I highly recommend you support her efforts with a donation if you are able. You can find the link here.

Support her efforts, and Go Red!

Go Red! 2014 Topps Red Hot Foil David Ortiz

February is American Heart Month. As a nod to the Go Red for Women activities going on this month to help raise awareness, I thought I'd contribute several "red" themed posts sprinkled throughout the month.

Let's talk about this card...

Not much to say about Ortiz that hasn't been said. From waiver wire pick-up to the greatest clutch hitter in Red Sox history. In 2014, Ortiz had just led the Sox to yet another title...and "led" he did. His numbers in the World Series was the stuff of legends.

The card itself...is a lot. I'm not usually a fan of mixing horizontal cards into a vertical set. They always just look off. Of course, this picture was just made for a horizontal cropping. But, it still sticks out a bit. Plus the red foil makes an already foil heavy set just completely over the top.

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I'm sure you all remember Miss District of Columbia Jude Maboné from her interview with us. Her "heart health" community service initiative is, obviously, quite relevant this month. As such, she's supporting the Simon's Heart campaign this month (and every month). I highly recommend you join her efforts with a donation if you are able. You can find the link here.

Support her efforts, and Go Red!

Isabella Williams Visits Section 36!

Section 36 had another visitor! Isabella Williams is passionate about empowering young girls, loves to travel, and is the current Miss Lake Champlain. I was so excited that she was willing to visit with us to discuss those topics, and a few more. 

So, let's see what happens when Isabella Williams visits Section 36!

What made you decide to try for the Miss Vermont crown as Miss Lake Champlain?

I've been waiting for years to step onto this stage and compete for the title of Miss Vermont. This is my last opportunity before I age out, and I truly believe every challenge, lesson, and moment of preparation has led me to this moment. I’m ready to bring my full self to the job and to the Miss America Organization.

You previously served as Miss Vermont Earth. What did you learn from that experience that will help you when you compete for Miss Vermont?

Serving as Miss Vermont Earth taught me so much about my own strength and resilience. It empowered me to unapologetically pursue my dreams and gave me the confidence to speak passionately about my platform and advocacy work. Those experiences have helped shape me into a confident, purpose-driven woman who’s ready to take on this new title. 

You recently had the opportunity to tour schools in South Africa. What do you remember from that experience?

The school visits in South Africa were unforgettable, especially the teenage girls who welcomed me with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. At each school, their giggles filled the air as I stood before them. When I confidently asked, “Are we ready to begin?” something amazing happened—those giggles turned into cheers. It was a powerful moment to see their respect and encouragement for a woman stepping into a leadership role, something they were not accustomed to seeing. It reminded me of the strength and unity women can inspire, even across cultural divides.

How did you select your community service initiative “Strong Girls Will Change The World”?

Choosing Strong Girls was a no brainer for me. I have been working on this concept, brand, and nonprofit for a couple years now! It started with my first book, Strong Girls, a youth empowerment book filling the space in the education system that should be used to empower young learners. Strong girls is dedicated to empowering the next generation of women to chose themselves, their education, and their individuality. My goal is by empowering a group of students that don’t feel academically secure to keep pushing and trying! 

What can you tell me about your new book, Garden ABCs?

Garden ABCs is designed to make learning fun while teachingchildren where their food comes from and how it grows. In a world where instant food is the norm, I wanted to inspire curiosity about nature and cultivate a deeper connection to the food we eat.

What is your personal fitness routine?

My fitness routine is all about balance—it supports both my mental health and managing my autoimmune condition. Most days, I go for a run with Taylor Swift or Sabrina Carpenter as my soundtrack. To keep things exciting, I also ride horses and join fun dance or workout classes with friends. Staying active is my way of taking care of my body and mind. Eating healthy is just as important to my workout routine! I even have a big garden where I harvest all my ingredients for year round sauces and pickles. 

If you could be a Disney character for a week, who would you choose? Why?

I would choose Belle! Not only because our names are so similar, but also because I admire her values. She embodies intelligence, kindness, and the belief that inner beauty and character matter more than appearances. Plus, I’d love to spend a week surrounded by enchanted objects and an incredible library!

If you had an extra ticket to see the Red Sox play the Rockies, who would you take with you? Why?

I would take my sisters. As we get older, it’s harder to find time to be together, so I treasure every chance we get to strengthen our bond. Moments like that remind me how lucky I am to have them in my life.

Is there a feature or activity at a baseball game that you’d especially like to experience?

I’m a sucker for a corn dog. I’m not sure if stadiums usually have them but I would skip the entire game looking for one! 

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Hopefully she can quickly find one between innings!

As always, I want to thank Isabella for visiting with us, and for sending along the pictures to go with the interview.

I'm sure you'd like to follow along with her during her journey. You should be sure to check out her title's Instagram account, as well as her personal Instagram. They're both great ways to keep track of everything she has going on. 

Thanks again Isabella, and good luck at the Miss Vermont competition! Would love to have another visitor wear that crown!