Michelle L. Huey

Ruidoso News

Twenty-six-year-old Vanessa Hernandez was recently crowned Miss New Mexico United States 2016.

As she pursues her dream of becoming Miss United States, she will host a four-person golf Scramble at Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino in Mescalero at 1 p.m. Sunday.

"I am excited," Hernandez said. "It's going to be a really fun day. We have a lot of fun prizes from local businesses."

Hernandez is an enrolled member of the Mescalero Apache Tribe and works at the Inn. Over the last six years, she has coached many young ladies with Cinderella Pageants and shares her passion of mentoring young women as part of Beauty with a Purpose. Her goal is to empower young women across New Mexico to reach their dreams with Lady Grace and the importance of giving back and representing their communities.

"My beauty with a purpose is to empower young ladies in my community," Hernandez states on her missnmgolftournament.com website. "Pageantry has taught me to be confident in my own skin, dedicate to my goals whole-heartedly and give and serve humbly to my community. I plan to utilize my crown as a voice to speak to the young generation and to lead by example in encouraging young girls across New Mexico to achieve their dreams."



Help Hernandez achieve her goal of winning Miss United States and see why IMG Championship Golf Course recently garnered the No. 23 spot in Golf Digest’s “Top 40 Casino Golf Courses” ranking.

"If you've never been on our golf course, its beautiful," Hernadez said. "I really wanted an opportunity to showcase the land that we have and one of our recreational activities and to bring together the community to have a healthy, fun, family affair."

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Funds raised from the tournament will help Hernandez as she competes for the title of Miss United States July 30 through Aug. 4 in Las Vegas.

Registration begins at noon and the cost is $75 per person. Players have a chance to win hole-in-one prizes. Dinner is provided after the tournament.

To learn more, go to missnmgolftournament.com or call the IMG Pro Shop at 575-464-7941.

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