Grace Grell is an amazing young woman with an incredible story and a big heart for helping others in need.
We met Grace when she delivered two boxes of school supplies to support the Boys & Girls Club and KIDSTOP program. Grace won Miss Minnesota Teen for National American Miss, and as a queen, she was given the responsibility to deliver school supplies donated by contestants. Grace will compete for the national title in Hollywood, CA in November.
This wasn’t Grace’s first introduction to supporting a charity. Grace is a gifted artist, and she sells her artwork on her Facebook page, Gifts with Grace, to support Make A Wish Foundation.
Why is she so passionate about giving back? Grace has been personally impacted by this organization. When Grace was three years old, doctors discovered a cancerous tumor in the middle of her brain, which affected her vision. By age 14, Grace had lost half her vision. She is now legally blind.
But Grace won’t let blindness stop her from doing the things she loves. She has always loved to paint, and her paintings are making a big difference in children’s lives. Grace hopes to raise enough money to pay for another child’s wish, since her wish to go to the Bahamas was granted a couple of years ago.
“When I was younger, painting was a way to tell my parents how I was feeling without verbalizing it,” Grace said. Depending on her mood, she would paint using certain colors. “Now it’s developed into a way to show people how I see the world. It’s a good way to show people how I perceive things.”
Grace Grell has also participated in a number of pageants, including Miss Minnesota Teen. She also dances with Just For Kix.
“I had to learn how to walk and without falling off the stage,” Grace explained. She said there are two stage types in pageants. She gets the exact dimensions from directors or she will ask to walk on the stage in advance. With increased experience, Grace has developed confidence on the stage for both dance recitals and pageants.
Grace chose to support the Boys & Girls Club and KIDSTOP program with these school supplies for a couple of reasons. First, she is a ROCORI KIDSTOP alumnus, and she knows first-hand how quickly supplies deplete in the art rotations especially. She is also involved in the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Twin Cities to promote inner beauty for girls through National American Miss pageants.
“Grace is a wonderful young woman who exhibits both outer and inner beauty,” said Deb Nebosis, Director of Development. “We at the Boys & Girls Club are proud that she has risen up out of the KIDSTOP program, and now she’s giving back to the community.”