Pageant set for Saturday

By JAINE TREADWELL

Features Editor

For the first time, but hopefully, not for the last, the Troy pageant program has been expanded to include pre-teens and teens.

On Saturday, March 12, the Tri Omega social and service organization will sponsor the Pre-Teen Miss Troy and Teen Miss Troy Pageant at 6:30 p.m. at Troy Elementary School.

Mashone Fleming, pageant coordinator, said the pageant will fill the gap between the Little Miss Troy and the Miss Troy pageants.

"Troy is one of the few towns that don’t have a pageant for girls in the in between ages," Fleming said. "The Twilighters

sponsor the Little Miss Troy pageant and the Twenty-One Club sponsors the Miss Troy. Tri Omega is the only Triple "T" club that doesn’t sponsor a pageant, so we decided a pre-teen and teen pageant would give girls in the ‘gap’ a chance to participate in a pageant. It will also be a fund raiser for our club."

The winners of the pre-teen and teen titles will not participate in the National Peanut Festival pageant in Dothan in the fall.

"Since most towns now have ‘middle" age pageants, there is a good possibility that in the near future the National Peanut Festival could add the pre-teen and teen competitions to their pageant," Fleming said.

"We wanted to try having a pageant for these age groups and see how it goes over. If there seems to be enough interest, this pageant could become an annual event."

The pre-teen competition is for girls in grades six, seven and eight and the teen division is for those in grades nine and 10.

Fleming said there is still time enter the pageant. Friday noon is the deadline. Entry forms are available at The Messenger office.

"The pageant is open to girls who live in the city limits of Troy or attend a Troy school," Fleming said.

The participants will be judged on evening gown presentation and an off-stage interview. The finalists will answer a question on stage.

Admission is $3 in advance and tickets are available from any Tri Omega club member. Tickets at the door are $5.