Organizers Plan a Return of the Miss Saline Pageant

These days, just about everything is canceled.

So it's nice to hear about plans to bring something back.

Kim Bryant and Molly Coy have plans to bring back the Miss Saline Pageant.

Last year, for the first time since 1947, no young woman was crowned Miss Saline. Katrene Starling, the longtime organizer of the pageant, decided it was time to hang up the sash and retire. Nobody immediately stepped in.

The Saline Community Fair came and went without the pageant.

Bryant and Coy decided to bring it back. Both well versed on the pageant. Kim's daughter, Brittany, was crowned in 2018, and Molly's daughter, Amanda, was crowned the year before.

"My daughter was very disappointed to learn there wouldn't be a pageant in 2019. She's eager to crown the 71st Miss Saline, to have someone learn to be an ambassador for the community and a positive role model for young people," Bryant said. "Everywhere she went in the community, whether it was building a scarecrow for Dr. Borer's contest, or giving out ice cream at Zippy's, she had so much fun interacting with younger kids and young girls were eager to meet her."

The plan is to have the pageant from 2-4 p.m., Aug. 8, during Summerfest in Downtown Saline. The contestants will also participate in some evening activities Aug. 7. First prize is $2,000 in scholarships. The runner-up will receive a $500 scholarship and the second runner-up will receive a $250 scholarship.

Contestants will model an evening gown, participate in an opening number and be prepared to answer two questions on stage.

Interested students can register online by clicking here. Prospective contestants can ask questions during an April 19 Zoom conference (email misssalinescholarship@gmail.com for log-in information). Saline photographer Heidi McClelland will take headshots of the contestants.

The deadline for registration is June 1.

The pageant is also looking for sponsors. Bryant understands that some local business owners probably aren't looking to spend money right now but, she said, they don't have to provide the donation money until later in the year. Interested donors should also email misssalinescholarship@gmail.com.

For more information visit https://misssalinescholarship.weebly.com/ or email misssalinescholarship@gmail.com.

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