It was a beautiful Saturday (March 26), as I drove to Buena Park to attend the MS SR Orange County Pageant, which took place in the Buena Park Senior Citizens Center. The support rendered by Queen Norma Morein, MS SR San Diego 2011, and her court, Elvia Harris and Beverly Weurding, 1st and 2nd Runners Up to the Crown, making appearances, visiting with members of the audience, and graciously spending time selling raffle tickets was outstanding.
They were joined by well known San Diego MS SR Pageant and Talent Show participants, Peggy Padilla and Jane Wagner. (See Jane’s photo in finale.) Peggy was MS SR San Diego 2011 Director, and Jane was there for an appearance, as MS SR County Pageant Winner in 2010. (A little bird told me that all these ladies raised a record $700 selling raffle tickets.) Peggy and Jane had performed dances extraordinaire in San Diego’s 2011 Annual Talent Show, and they belong to the Cameo Club, a performance group, whose membership comprises MS SR Pageants participants, of which, Peggy is president.
Eleven lovely ladies graced the stage for the MS SR Orange County Pageant. Each contestant was interviewed personally by the judges prior to the pageant. After a preliminary introduction on stage, the ladies walked the ramp, showing grace, poise, and stage presence; presented her Philosophy of Life reflecting insight into her inner beauty; and presented a talent number to show vitality. In all, the judges are looking for the lady who best personifies “The Age of Elegance”…..No easy task.
The Judges were Nannette Aviles, owner of the Wellness Coach, Inc. providing corporate programs, nutritional education, and fitness boot camps and retreats; Tony Barr, with 30 years experience in TV films, is a member of the Laguna Woods Theatre Guild, hosts “Entertainment Update” and “The Trading Post” on channel 6; Lynn Knudsen performed on Broadway during the 60s, became a teacher of Expressive Arts, currently performs with the Santa Cruz Follies and is Director of the Market Street Theatre; Elvis Gutierrez, Marketing and Sales Manager for Newport Plaza Retirement Community, is involved with Share Ourselves, the Newport Beach Film Festival, and the Festival of Children and Seniors Making Art; Carol Sholer has served as assistant to the Director of Christian Education and to the Dean of the School of Education at Concordia U., is currently on the Board of Directors for Children’s Relief Mission, active in LA Opera League, and a Hollywood Bowl volunteer. Judges’ Foreman, Edwin Harvey, no stranger to the pageant circle, admirably kept tabs on the judging procedure, and was responsible for the program. (A coup: this column “San Diego Seniors in Motion” and the HillQuest Urban Guide, received media coverage credit — in good company with local news media.)
With Elvis Gutierrez in charge, thanks go to the Newport Beach Plaza Retirement Community and the California Cameo Club who served an excellent luncheon to the pageant participants, and thanks go to Carol Glenn Shallin, model coordinator and choreographer.
During the Judges deliberation, Peggy Padilla did a little “Toe Tapping” to the delight of the audience. (By the way, she was MS SR CA in ’09.) June Wagner was on the move every minute modeling a lovely fur jacket, donated as a door prize by Tony and Millie Bizakis. The contestants, each, wore a fur, from Bizakis Furs during the formal presentation. Voila! Right on Schedule. The Winners: Center-Myrna Moyzer Winner Judy Talbot (3rd Runner up) Sara Doudna-Klein (2nd) Lea London (1st) Marcia Herrera (4th)
Congratulations go to Pam Wheeler, MS SR California 2010, director of the MS SR Orange County Pageant and Marilyn Kohler, director of the MS SR California Pageant who was on hand to assist and to remind us that the three winners from this Pageant and the SD Pageant will be competing equally in the California Pageant on August 20, 2011 at the Rose Theatre in Westminster.
Good luck to all the winners at the MS SR California Pageant.
