Some of my best childhood memories are competing in the local little miss pageants. I started singing on stage when I was six years old, and I originally started competing because it was an opportunity to sing on stage. After the first pageant, I came off stage exclaiming that was the most fun I have ever had, and the rest is history!
The Miss America System is an amazing organization that gives young women the tools to be the epitome of the modern woman. Titleholders are stylish, smart, talented, caring, and aware of what is going on in the world. Most of all, the Miss America Organization encourages young women to get out in their communities and volunteer their time to a variety worthy causes.
I meet several young girls who tell me they want to hold a title be active in our community, without being required to go and compete at the state level. I don't think there's a thing in the world wrong with that, and I wanted to be the one to give them that opportunity!
So as a fundraiser for Miss Arkansas, I decided to hold the first annual Miss Twin Cities Pageant! Any girl ages zero and up could compete in the beauty portion and optional talent portion. Sunday April 13 we crowned our winners!
Miss Talent Winner Sarah Barakat, Junior Miss Twin Cities and Junior Miss Talent Winner Olivia George, Baby Miss Twin Cities Makinlie Ashford, Klancy Johnson Miss White River, Ashley Marx Miss Twin Cities, Little Miss Twin Cities Mollie Kate Browning, Miss Teen Twin Cities Isabelle Robertson, and Teen Talent Winner Tori Grace Wilson
I can't wait to start working with these girls and get them out and about serving our community!! They're stunning inside and out!!
I had the vision, but it took a lot of work to make it a reality. I am so fortunate that my community embraced me in this effort and helped me make the pageant a huge success!! A huge thank you goes to:
- Diana and Josh Morriss at the Silvermoon on Broad. This is one of the most beautiful and historic venues in Texarkana.
- Sticks and Stones for donating gorgeous bouquets to each of our winners.
- Traditions Formal and Bridal for donating two crowns to our winners.
- April Graves of Images by April for donating mini photo sessions to each of our photogenic winners.
- SMART Productions for donating one free hour of studio time to each of our talent winners.
- Debbie Brower of ALT Magazine for setting up our Miss Twin Cities website and advertising in ALT Magazine
- Poff Communications and Pageant Consultant for donating coaching sessions to both Miss Teen Twin Cities and Miss Twin Cities
- All of the many people who volunteered their Sunday afternoon to make this day run smoothly- my wonderful family, Frank Poff, Sue Tyler, Cindy Peterson, Shawn Edmonds, Kristie Dempsey, and Debbie Brower.
- My beautiful Diamond State Princesses who helped me pass out awards: Eva Kathryn Johnson, Emma McMillen, and Julianne Naples
- All of the parents and the beautiful contestants. Thank you for your hard work and your support!!
Karen Johnson, Josh Morriss, Diana Morriss (who we "crowned" for all of her hard work!), Klancy Johnson Miss White River, Debbie Brower, Frank Poff (who was also our excellent emcee for the afternoon), and Kristie Dempsey (our auditor)
I can tell you, I knew this would be a lot of hard work, but there is nothing like experiencing it. I have such a huge respect for the Miss Arkansas Organization!! I don't know how they keep up with 46 contestants!! I am in awe of each and every one of you that work tirelessly behind the scenes to make our Miss Arkansas experience so special!!
This was AWESOME for my first rodeo on the other side, and I can't wait to continue this tradition. May this be the first of many Miss Twin Cities pageant to come!
Thanks again for stopping by!
Klancy
