Sesquicentennial beauty pageant planned Saturday

A beauty pageant is planned this Saturday night, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. at the Sparta School Auditorium as part of the county's Sesquicentennial Celebration.

According to a news release, five contestants will compete for the Ms. Alleghany Sesquicentennial Crown and four contestants will compete for the Miss Alleghany Sesquicentennial Crown.

The winner in the Ms. competition will receive a crown and $500 in cash; first runner-up will receive $100 in cash. The winner in the Miss competition will receive a crown and a $500 scholarship toward higher education beyond high school; first runner-up will receive $100 in cash. Each contestant will receive a gift bag from the Sesquicentennial Steering Committee.

The Ms. contestants are: Virginia Ruth Halsey, sponsored by the Alleghany Jubilee Red Hatters; Marion Adams, sponsored by The Alleghany Homemakers–Sparta Club; Eula Rae Cook, sponsored by the Rotary Club of Alleghany; Helen Crouse, sponsored by the Alleghany Women Democrat Group; and Kathryn Abernathy with an anonymous sponsor. The contestants will perform a talent or exhibit a heritage skill. Heritage skills of gardening, story-telling, music, dance and craftsmanship will be reflected by these contestants. Ms. Halsey will invite us into her garden of flowers; Ms. Adams will entertain us with a monologue, Ms. Cook will sing a song. Ms. Crouse will perform a line dance routine and Ms. Abernathy will share her skill of basket making.

The Miss contestants are: Jennifer Crouse, sponsored by Randy Crouse Construction; Ashley Billings, anonymous sponsor; Amanda Galyean, anonymous sponsor; and Chelsea Jones, sponsored by Hair Gallery 21. Miss Crouse will perform a ballet choreographed by her dance teacher of 15 years; Miss Billings will share her woodworking skills by demonstrating the puzzle-piece rocker she built for her baby brother; Miss Galyean will sing and Miss Jones will perform a tap dance. These talents also reflect our heritage of music, dance, and craftsmanship.

The final segment of each competition will be heritage dress (for the Ms. contestants) and evening gowns (for the Miss contestants).