Lunch with Miss America, Memories for a Lifetime

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From left; Miss Ocean City Madison Leigh Kennelly with Miss America Cara Mund pose with Abby, and Anna Berman, of Ocean City and Medford.

By Maddy Vitale Anna Silverberg had to make sure she looked just right for her photo with Miss America 2018 Cara Mund, who was at Jon & Patty’s Coffee Bar & Bistro, 637 Asbury Ave. in Ocean City Sunday afternoon for a meet and greet. So, Anna, a 3 ½ year-old from Egg Harbor township, walked up to Mund who was all smiles, paused, and took off her jacket. Now Anna was picture-ready. Anna’s big brother Nick, 7, and their parents Christine and Adam watched in amusement as did a full room of spectators waiting to get their photo taken with Mund. “We didn’t even know she was going to be here,” Adam Silverberg said. “She looks like a fairy princess, doesn’t she?” Christine asked her daughter. Anna had one thing to say about meeting Miss America. “I want to wear a dress just like hers,” she said.

Miss America Cara Mund is all smiles with Alexis Allegretto. Alexis Allegretto, 12, was all smiles when it was her turn to have her picture taken with Mund. Her dad, Michael Allegretto, Ocean City’s Director of Community Services, made it a point to get Mund’s autograph for his daughter.

Michael Allegretto gets an autograph from Miss America Cara Mund for his daughter Alexis. Mund, 23, of North Dakota, smiled while fans came up to get their photos taken with her and autographs. From age 3 ½ to 80 – well 81 to be exact – fans who came to Jon & Patty’s specifically to meet Mund, or customers who were there to get a good meal, her happy demeanor and smile seemed contagious.

Miss America Cara Mund wishes David Wagner a happy 81st birthday Sunday. His wife Merry smiles. Family member Jack Wagner is on the left. Mund even took some time away from posing for photos to wish Ocean City resident David Wagner a happy 81^st birthday. “She made my day,” Wagner said. Wagner and his wife Merry had a full table of close friends and family with them to share in Wagner’s important day. Carmella Salati, who joined the Wagners for their celebration, said Miss America was a nice surprise and a fun way to start off the day. This was Mund’s second stop in Ocean City over Girls Weekend. She helped kick off the weekend Friday night co-hosting a fashion show at Glazed Over Studios, 704 Asbury Ave., with Ocean City Special Events Coordinator Michael Hartman.

Miss America Cara Mund with Ocean City's Special Events Coordinator Michael Hartman. Ocean City’s Special Events Coordinator Michael Hartman made the Miss America visits possible for Girls Weekend and said, “We are hoping we have a new partnership with the Miss America Organization and more appearances in the upcoming months.” Mund said she loves the Jersey Shore and described it as one of her favorite places. “I heard a lot of good thing about Ocean City and how it was a place I needed to visit,” Mund told OCNJdaily.com. “There is a nice feel here and it is wonderful to be at the shore. I love the Ocean.” Tour Manager for the Miss America Organization Julie Hoffman said, “She feels like the Jersey Shore is her second home.”

From left; Miss Ocean City Madison Leigh Kennelly with Miss America Cara Mund pose with Abby and Anna Berman, of Ocean City and Medford. Anissa Berman was happy to bring her daughters Abby, 14, and Anna, 11, of Medford and Ocean City, to Jon & Patty’s to meet Miss America. The girls are both in pageants. “Between the fashion show and meeting Miss America, it has been a fun weekend and it is great for the community,” Berman said. According to the Miss America Organization website www.missamerica.org Mund is an Ivy League Honors graduate from Brown University who plans on becoming a lawyer. At age 14, Mund founded North Dakota’s Annual Make-A-Wish Fashion Show. For 10 years, she helped 23 Wish Kids’ lives, became a “Certified Wish Granter,” and raised over $78,500 for Make-A-Wish.