KIMBERLIE RATCLIFFE, 1989-90

Married Name: Kimberlie Ratcliffe Daizovi

Home: Ossian, IN

Husband's name: Edward Daizovi

Children: Cecilia age 10, Francesca age 8

Current occupation: Human Resource Manager for Visentin USA and President of K.D. Imports, LLC

Past jobs/life situations that have contributed to the richness of my life: I started my career off in the education industry as a substitute teacher and then a library assistant. After having my first child I decided to become a full-time mother/wife until my children entered elementary school. I am now the human resource manager for Visentin USA, and I just started my own business importing Italian wines in 2003. I still find time to volunteer weekly at the elementary school where my daughters attend because my children/family are my first priority. In my spare time, I serve on the Ossian Development Corporation Committee here in our town, and I also serve as the chairman of our church's Education committee.

Hobbies/passions that I enjoy: I love traveling with my family. We have traveled in the US quite a bit, but we have also traveled to Europe and this summer my oldest daughter and I will be going to Japan to watch the World Championship for baton twirling. I also enjoy just staying home around my pool with my family.

Still involved in twirling ? Yes, I am still involved with baton twirling in many ways. I teach and judge baton, but also have two daughters that are national champions, so I am still in the gym every night!!!

What made/makes the Golden Girl position so special: I twirled as the Girl in Black for three years and that was a very rewarding opportunity in itself, but being the Golden Girl brought a whole new meaning to being a feature twirler. The opportunities were endless as being the Golden Girl. I was able to go out into the community to help with many national educational weeks (reading, library, drug-free). Performing for many alumni events, the opportunity to travel to France, and just being an ambassador for Purdue was a unique opportunity. I believe what made my experience the most rewarding though was having the opportunity to twirl as Golden Girl and have my sister, Kelli, right beside me twirling as the Girl in Black. I don't think any person that has held the GG position knows how wonderful it is unless they have held another position in the Purdue band. Being the Golden Girl is truly what it is - GOLDEN!

How being Golden Girl has shaped/impacted my life beyond Purdue: I feel holding a feature position for four years at Purdue helped me attain the confidence and charisma a business person or wife of a business person needs to have in front of a crowd. It also helped me to learn how to improvise in any situation. It allowed me to experience opportunities I would have not had at any other school twirling or just being a student at Purdue.

Favorite memories from being Golden Girl: At age three, when I first began twirling I wore a gold sequin costume and had jet black hair, I told my mom and my aunt that someday I would be the Golden Girl. Of course, they thought it was cute, but never really thought about it again because I had black hair. The day I came home with blonde hair my family knew that the little three year old wasn't kidding. Being the Golden Girl was a dream come true and an opportunity of a lifetime. The Girl in Black was great, but just not the same! The best memory I have while being Golden Girl was twirling with my sister. I think I was more excited when they called her name as the Girl in Black then when they called my name as the Golden Girl. It all sank in very quickly and then I realized, wow, we both are going to do this twirling thing together. What a way to experience such an opportunity.

The friendships I made have been life lasting and also a favorite memory. I may only see them at homecoming, send a Christmas card, or frequent email, but we all have that experience of being in the Purdue University Marching Band together.

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