Mrs. Alabama Nursing Home, Verdell Goodson, has done many things in her 79 years life, but speaking in Troy had not been one of them until this Monday.

Goodson is from Enterprise and was named Mrs. Nursing Home Alabama during a statewide competition at the Hyatt Regency Birmingham – The Wynfrey Hotel in Hoover.

Goodson took time out of her busy schedule to talk with the residents at Troy Health and Rehab.

Goodson said that she has been enjoying her reign as Mrs. Nursing Home Alabama. “I am so honored and so proud to win the pageant and especially in our great state of Alabama,” Goodson said. “I’ve been out visiting, at ribbon cuttings, and other social events. It’s always a blessing to meet new people.”

Goodson hopes to use her position to educate the public on what it is like to live in a nursing home. “I would love to enlighten the public to life in a nursing home,” Goodson said. “People don’t understand what it is actually like and are hesitant to learn more. It really is the best you can do when you lose your independence. It has been ideal for me and my husband. I’d said it was one of the best decisions I’ve made.”

Participating in pageants is something new for Goodson. “I never entered into pageants when I was in school,” Goodson said. “I worked as a teenager, but I am enjoying it in my old age.”

Goodson said that she would mainly speak to the residents about remaining active in their later years. “We’re going to talk about participating in activities and being as active and healthy as they can be,” Goodson said.

Troy’s entrant into the Miss Alabama Nursing Home pageant, Fannie Boswell, was also on hand to speak with residents.

She described the pageant in Birmingham as being “very fine” and laughed as she said her favorite part of the pageant was the food.

She even gave some advice to some of the residents. “Even if you’re 86 years old, you can still enjoy life,” Boswell said.