by Shelley Bennett
The past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of pageants, parades, and the Noah Kahan show, an indie/alt/country folk concert in the middle of Hel… I mean Wheatland.
I’m calling it the Summer of Sofie.
And did I mention that every place we go is experiencing a record-breaking heat wave?
So, I’m trying to stay hydrated and be on time and make the most of every moment before my youngest heads off to college. Gulp.
We’ve traveled to the Miss Yuba/Sutter competition, where Princess Sof, Ambassadress Hayley, and MLC Chalise were welcomed as visiting royalty. It was a great night to preview the fair food and watch their youth showcase their talents.
Then it was on to the Manteca Youth Focus competition led by my friend Shim Lacy. This program has always been an inspiration to me. They had 43 participants in three different age groups and awarded more than $9000 in scholarship money!
I was honored to serve as a judge and blown away by the accomplishments of these teens! Each contestant chooses a cause to raise money for and educate the community on. It was so uplifting to hear what a difference they have made in their town.
The Chester 4th of July parade never disappoints and this year’s was over the top. Chalise’s dad Randy drove the girls in a cute little convertible and our Miss Lassen County contestants followed on foot, passing out candy and patriotic beads.
The royal tour ended with the parade at the Paul Bunyan Mountain and Blues Festival in Westwood. I love seeing small towns put on their best. The park was filled with vendors, water slides, jump houses, and tests of skill and strength for the logging show. It was a reminder of when this little berg was one of the biggest cities in CA.
To witness little girls’ faces light up when they see the girls in their sparkles and crowns is just the best. One sweet one made the heart sign with her chubby hands and yelled “Princess Power” to them. Others just enveloped them in hugs.
Then there was the group of 12-13 year old boys who rode by in the back of a truck. Their chins dropped and one mumbled “Slay queen” as they passed.
Speaking of Miss Lassen County pageant contestants, they have been busy practicing the opening number, preparing their talents, and answering impromptu questions with ease.
It’s nice to know that I have Becky (Lee) Hubbard to stand in for me. A mom can only be so many places at once!
Here’s your first look at these 10 amazing young women:
From top to bottom in the first row: Lily Ammon, Cali Palmer, Madi Boyer, Lindalba Moraga, and Julienne Bennett. In the second row: Abby Vincent, Gianna Hooker, Kylee Tancreto, Windy Littrell, and Rilynne Peterson.
Thank you to Tressa Guess of Thunder Mountain Photography for taking the pictures and Al and Joy Robbins for our beautiful Mediterranean-inspired backdrop.
The Miss Lassen County Scholarship pageant is next week, Wednesday July 17th on the main stage and tickets are available! This year our current court (Chalise and company) are hosting a pre-show starting at 7:00, with the pageant following at 8:00.
You won’t want to miss this showcase of local talent! It really does make you feel hopeful when you watch teens (our future) suck up their courage, accept the challenge, and tell you all about themselves , their involvement in the community, and their plans for college and beyond. On stage. In front of everyone.
You will be in awe.
Remember when news was ‘newsy’? When you read about weddings, family events and engagement announcements in the newspaper? If you have something that might be newsworthy, please submit it to [email protected] and I’ll do my best to include it here in “The Good Stuff.”
