Mrs. Bemidji United States: Local woman to compete for pageant title

Carmen Rock, at-home mother of two young boys, will participate May 22 in the 2010 Mrs. Minnesota United States pageant in Lakeville, Minn.

The pageant is the official preliminary to the Mrs. United States Pageant to be held July 22 in Las Vegas.

Rock said she applied for entry into the pageant online to promote her cause - donate life. She urges drivers to register as organ donors on licenses and hopes to start a program with the Minnesota Department of Corrections to allow inmates serving life sentences to sign up as organ donors.

Rock herself is an organ donor. She gave a kidney to her mother-in-law, Beryl Rock.

Rock is married to Freaman Rock and is the mother of Freaman Rock II, 2, and Gabriel Rock, 1.

The pageant is organized by Future Productions.

"Very few married women ever take the initiative to participate in an event where they are recognized on stage for their beauty and intelligence," said Denise Wallace, pageant executive co-director, in a press release.

To be eligible, contestants must be married, at least 21 and have lived or worked in the state where they are competing. In addition to prizes, the state titleholder will serve as a representative for married women in Minnesota reaching out to charitable and civic organizations, Wallace said.

Rock is seeking sponsors for her bid for Mrs. Minnesota. Sponsors will receive credit in the pageant and on the Web site, as well as tax deductions.

For more information or to pledge sponsorship, go to mrsminnesotaunitedstates.com or call 952-440-4550.