Airman donates $50,000 crown to help less fortunate Published Sept. 23, 2004 MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. -- It's said, "Diamonds are a girl's best friend." One McGuire Airman gave up her diamonds to help some new friends.Senior Airman Myriam Cubi-Vaca, 305th Operations Group information manager, has donated the diamond-studded $50,000 crown she won as Miss Ecuador International 2002 to two charitable organizations.Airman Cubi-Vaca began competing in pageants at the age of 17."I was the soccer player type that was stuck to baggy jeans and hated skirts," said Airman Cubi-Vaca. "So my dad made it a point to push me to compete in pageants. I've won Miss Ecuador, Miss Ecuador International, Miss Ecuador for New York City and Miss Ecuador National throughout my career. It was a shock because I have no modeling experience nor have I done any thing like this before. It has truly been a blessing."After earning her titles she said she felt a need to give back. With the need for help being so great, she said it was difficult to choose just one organization to help.Airman Cubi-Vaca was able to come to a decision with some help from her family."My parents decided to take a trip last year to Hogar de Santa Marianita in Ecuador to possibly adopt a child," she said. "After returning from the small orphanage, they told me of the serious financial trouble the orphanage was having. The government was providing housing and utilities, but they were left on their own to find food, clothing and medicine for the children. This was terrible, considering there were 25 children at the orphanage in need of help."During this time her parents made her aware of a convent that also needed help, La gruta de La Paz, Hermanas Clarissas, she said. The nuns of the convent were trying to build a better convent in order to continue to help the poor and homeless of the region.The conditions in which the convent operated were terrible. The only shelter they had was falling apart. The worst part of it, she said, was that they did not receive any help from the government."I was so moved by these two cases that I decided to start a fundraiser with the Ecuadorian organizations I used to represent," said Airman Cubi-Vaca. "Unfortunately, I was turned down, because all the actual candidates and the current Miss Ecuador were working with them on a new project that pushed my project last."Airman Cubi-Vaca refused to be discouraged and continued to look for ways to help, when she received some good news."I got news from my agency that I would be getting my crown, that traditionally is cashed in for its value or donated to an organization of our choice," said the pageant queen. "It hit me -- I would divide the value of the crown and send $25,000 to each organization."Like any normal 23-year-old, I struggled for a few hours because I wanted to get a 2004 BMW," she said. "But I figured I'd rather go to sleep at night knowing that kids were getting a good meal and the convent was continuing to help people."Airman Cubi-Vaca donated the crown worth a total of $50,000 to the two non-profit organizations during a private ceremony late last month.During her three-and-a-half-week trip to Ecuador, Airman Cubi-Vaca visited both organizations and had an opportunity to stay in the convent for a few days and share in their experiences."I cried in the orphanage when a wonderful little girl ran to give me a big hug and kiss as a thank you," she said. "It was the best gift I have ever received."While visiting the convent the founder greeted her and told her of their future plans to improve the convent.During her time at the convent she toured the facilities and heard stories from the homeless about how they had arrived at the institution."I cried there also after hearing how people lost so much but were so grateful to have so little," she said. "I was blessed with a set of angels (my parents), great sisters and a bunch of friends who will do anything to see me happy. What else do I need? I feel I have everything I need, and it would be selfish to try to keep more for me and not share with wonderful people that need more care and help than I."She said the experience was unforgettable."The feeling was so great when I finally donated the crown ... I wouldn't trade that for anything in the world," she said."Children are our future," she added. "They will be our future leaders, and these kids don't have parents or family members to help them build their future. I think life was very unfair to them, but if I can help get them the essentials they need to keep them alive to lead us in the future then I will." Air Mobility Command News Service is a service of the Internal Division Office of Public Affairs 503 Ward Drive, Room 214 Scott Air Force Base, Illinois 62225-5335 618-229-7821