The Miss Minden scholarship pageant has been moved up by a month or two, meaning this year, the pageant will have been held twice in one year.
Baylee Howell was crowned Miss Minden 2015 in February, but Miss Minden 2016 will be crowned Dec. 5, Jennifer Spurlock, president of the Young Women’s Service Club, said.
“In years past, the Young Women’s Service Club usually has the Miss Minden pageant in January or February,” she said. “We’ve discussed this for several years; we knew we needed to back the pageant up a few months to give our winner more time to prepare for Miss Louisiana.”
Spurlock says there is much that goes into preparation for the Miss Louisiana pageant, a forerunner to the Miss America pageant. With the Miss Minden pageant set for early in the year, it only gives her a couple of weeks to submit her material for the Miss Louisiana pageant, such as music and talent information.
“That’s not very long to get all that together,” she said. “Then there’s a lot of paperwork required, community service she has to do, and she has to raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network. Each contestant for Miss Louisiana has a lot of things they have to do in order to get ready for Miss Louisiana.” The Children’s Miracle Network is the philanthropic charity for Miss Louisiana, Spurlock said.
“This year we decided to give her more time by moving the pageant back,” she said. “Businesses who sponsor the pageant and for interested contestants, we want them to know now.”
The pageant will be done on an annual basis following the 2016 pageant, she added.
The Little Miss Minden pageant as well as the Miss Minden Teen Princess pageant will be conducted before the Miss Minden pageant the night of Dec. 5.
Entry forms are available now for interested contestants, Spurlock said, adding that a pageant registration and meet and greet will take place from 1 until 3 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 1, at Her’s Bridal, located at 728 Main Street in Minden.
The gathering is for interested contestants and their parents to get together and learn more about the pageant, qualification requirements and what to expect to participate.
The winner chosen as the 2016 Miss Minden will receive a $2,200 scholarship to the college of her choice, plus a $150 cash award. First runner-up will receive a $1,250 scholarship to the college of her choice plus a $100 cash award. Second runner-up will receive a $1,000 scholarship to the college of her choice and a $75 cash award. Also, a $75 cash award will be presented to non-finalist talent award.
Along the same lines, from 4:30 until 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 3, the Hannah McFarland Scholarship Fundraiser benefit will be at Eastside Missionary Baptist Church. Plates of red beans and rice, catered by Bon Temps, will be available for $9 each. The pick-up location will be on the ticket.