Yesterday was the beginning of the Vermilion County Fair and the 50th Anniversary of the Miss Vermilion County Fair Pageant. It was terrific going back to support the organization, but even more so because I got to be there with Mrs. Iowa, Loni McNertney, whom I grew up with in Danville. We would cheer each other on during pageant time - she competed in the Fair Circuit, and I competed in MAO. I remember the most GORGEOUS gown Loni used to wear...still not many compare to it...good memories!
The two of us drove miles to get there, got to reacquaint ourselves with some friendly faces and meet some new ones...and then the storms hit...LITERALLY! Clouds rolled in like gang-busters and soon torrential downpours...not conducive to a great outdoor pageant, that's for sure! It was fun though, getting to hang out with the girls in the tent they had hoping for the rain to pass.
Sadly, it was not to be, and we had to make a run for it to our cars to get to the new location. Now Loni, being the seasoned park vet and having experienced this happening herself during her competition days, slides her shoes off like a pro and says, "Get ready to run! Take your shoes off, girl! I don't want you to break an ankle!" (and that's love, ladies, because there was a huge opportunity for sabotage!!! ;) HAHAHA...You'll find that Loni is probably one of the last people on earth to ever do something like that. She's the type who sits down and does the competition's hair and makeup so EVERYONE looks good.)
There's something pretty spectacular (and kinda comical) seeing a bunch of pageant queens running through park mud in crowns and sashes barefoot, kicking up said mud, and grass, and rocks...and eeewwwww... as they go! Had we not feared ruining our cameras and freezing, it would have been a GREAT photo op! We also had a very kind gentleman who's been with the Pageant for years, happen to meet us at the entrance in a golf cart, and offered to take us to our car. Talk about serious timing!!! God Bless that man!!!
The pageant continued indoors - much later - but without a hitch and it was a great show. Getting to address the crowd as hometown girls as well as share our beginnings in pageantry together, where we are now, and about the Mrs. America System was a pretty cool highlight of the evening. Despite everyone looking like drowned rats, we all had a really good time. More good memories made!
My thanks to Loni for meeting up and driving us to the different locations. You, my dear, are stunning as ever, a class act, and I can't wait to hang out at nationals together! Thank you to Marilyn and Linda, directors of the Miss Vermilion County Fair Pageant for making us feel so welcome and special, and pulling it all together to make a great pageant for these very hard-working girls. A very special thank you to Dee Lane for opening her home to me (former Mrs. Illinois America who lives not too far from Danville) so that I would not have to drive home at midnight. That's sisterhood! Thank you for being so concerned about my safety, thank you for my BEAUTIFUL bedroom to sleep in, and thank you for awesome coffee in the morning to get me going before my long trip home.
Photos are:
Loni and I in the stands before the storm hit...see it rolling in behind us?!?!
All of us in the tent
With Miss Vermilion County 2008
With one of the contestants (niece of Amy Wright, who's also been a huge part of Loni's and my pageant past - love you, girl!)
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