Best of Luck to the Miss West Central Ohio Program!

This Saturday I will be attending the Miss West Central Ohio Scholarship Program in St. Marys Ohio. The pageant will be held on a classic vaudeville stage which I have enjoyed performing on several times, in the St. Marys Theatre and Grand Opera House. Doors open at 8 p.m. for the 9 p.m. show. Penny-pinchers need not dig for the $10 ticket fee and couch potatoes in the area need not leave home, as the pageant is being broadcast live on Lima's NBC affiliate, WLIO Channel 35.

The stunning Kyrsten Chambers [above] will be relinquishing her title. At Miss Ohio Kyrsten and I were not only beside one another in contestant order, but we also shared several lunches together and I really enjoyed getting to know her. Of all the contestants I've chatted with over the years, she really stands out as having devoted incredible amounts of time to her platform (Youth Literacy).

Kyrsten will be joined onstage by not just one, but two former Miss Americas! Miss America 1988 Kaye Lani Rae Rafko-Wilson [pictured below] emceed last year's Miss West Central Ohio pageant and she will be back for a second year. She is remembered as the Miss America who inspired the requirement of contestant Platforms, as she was already a registered nurse when she won and spent her reign visiting hospitals.

Kaye Lani will be joined by the woman who crowned her, Miss America 1987 Kellye Cash [seen below]. Like her famous uncle Johnny Cash, she is a recording artist. Kellye's website reports "'she makes approximately 100 appearances each year at charitable and political events, pageants, churches, crusades, youth camps, and ladies' conferences and occasionally takes roles in professional theater. Kellye has recently played the part of Patsy Cline in five productions and/or tours of the musical, "Always...Patsy Cline'"













Clearly, this is going to be one incredible show! Oh, but I almost forgot the most necessary part... continue to the next post to learn more about the young women vying for the Miss West Central Ohio crown.