Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts, Patti Panzarino of East Wareham, will be one of the more than 30 contestants competing for Ms. Wheelchair America on August 11.

The winner will be announced at the Crowning Ceremony to take place at the Renaissance Providence Downtown Hotel in Providence, Rhode Island on Saturday, August 11, from 4 to 8 p.m.

“Ms. Wheelchair America promotes awareness of women with disabilities," said Panzarino. "These women, each with their own individual gifts and talents, share the same goals of empowerment and advocacy. The crown gives us a voice to be recognized, and the opportunity to be that national voice is both exciting and energizing,”

Co-hosted by the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation and the Ms. Wheelchair Rhode Island Foundation, the Ms. Wheelchair America 2013 competition incorporates a week-long “Leadership Institute,” including activities, leadership workshops, mentoring, networking, and judging sessions with a panel of diverse judges from across the country.

“Unlike ‘beauty’ pageants, Ms. Wheelchair America is not a contest to select the most attractive individual,” says Kristen Connors, the first Ms. Wheelchair Rhode Island, Ms. Wheelchair America 2006, and now President of the Ms. Wheelchair America Board. “The judges look at the contestants’ achievements along with their advocacy, communication, and presentation skills to select the most accomplished and articulate spokeswoman for persons with disabilities. Our contestants are women who have achieved many things in their lives, including advanced degrees and successful careers despite their mobility challenges.”

The selected representative must be able to communicate the needs and the accomplishments of the more than 52 million Americans living with disabilities to the general public, the business community and the legislature.

For more information about the Ms. Wheelchair America pageant, visit www.mswheelchairamerica2013.org, www.mswheelchairamerica.org, or visit the Ms. Wheelchair America 2013 Pageant on Facebook.

Anyone can support Ms. Wheelchair America 2013 with a vote for the People's Choice Award.

For more information, please visit www.mswheelchairamerica2013.org/home/peoples_choice.

The contestant with the most votes as of 10 p.m. EST on Friday, August 10, will receive the People's Choice Award.

The vote is also a $1 donation which will go towards supporting the pageant, Ms. Wheelchair America’s 2013 travel expenses, and the home-state program of the People's Choice Award winner.

Votes are considered a donation to the Ms. Wheelchair Massachusetts Foundation, a 501(c)3, and are tax deductible as allowed by the IRS.