|
Kristie Anderson of Elkhart was chosen Miss Congeniality. Second
runner-up was Amber Turner of Chestnut. First runner-up was Jessica
Lindgren of Atlanta. Also competing were Jordan Gallagher of Lincoln
and Kristin Miller of Elkhart. Katelyn Frontone exercised her last
formal duties as the 2006 Miss Logan County Fair queen. Frontone
served as hostess for this year's pageant, themed "An Enchanted
Dream."
As though to match that theme, the winds were calm and temps were
pleasant -- perfect fair weather for the participants and the crowd
to enjoy the Logan County Fair grandstand event.
The candidates performed a choreographed number to "A Dream Is a
Wish Your Heart Makes," introduced themselves and competed in beauty
and physique.
In the final round, master of ceremonies Cameron Kurtz asked each
contestant the following: "Tonight's pageant has a fairy tale theme.
As you know, most fairy tales have a happy ending. If you could,
explain an issue facing Logan County or the state of Illinois and
explain your fairy tale ending."
Answers ranged from increasing hybrid car use of ethanol to
support Illinois agriculture to getting a state balanced budget
before the start of the state fair. Robinson said that as a "poor
college student," her happy ending would be to get gas prices
lowered.
The crowd was also entertained by the presentation of past Logan
County Fair queens.
Present were:
-
2004: Melissa Brisbin
-
2002: Amy Rohrer
Morgan
-
2000: Elizabeth Stoll
Wrage
-
1974: Elise Gleason
Anderson
-
1968: Peggy Neal
Melcher
-
1955: Peggy Letterle
Thompson
-
1945: Evelyn Oltmans
Belcher
-
1941: Irma Kaesebier
Leesman
[to top of second column]
 |
 Each queen reminisced about her past experience unique to the
year she was chosen.
-
Elizabeth Stoll
Wrage sent greetings from her sister, 2003 Queen Katheryne
Stoll. It was the first year that Katheryne, who has a lifelong
history of attending with her family and participating in
competitions at the fair, would miss.
-
After years of
trading cattle show titles with her brother Donnie, Peggy Neal
Melcher defied her father and moved from the cattle barns to the
pageant runway. She not only won the Logan County queen title,
but also went on to be one of the 12 finalists at the state
pageant.
-
The year of 1945
the pageant saw VE Day, Evelyn Oltmans recalled. People were
very happy, and the grandstand crowd broke all attendance
records, with everyone wanting to get out and see each other to
talk.
-
1941 Irma
Kaesebier Leesman said she would not have believed that she
would be standing before the 2007 crowd as a former queen.
Delighted, she said, "If anyone had told me that, I'd have
laughed in your face."
What will new Queen Robinson recall in future years? The year
ahead, as shared by past queens, will be a busy and memorable one of
comings and goings all year long. But it all begins this week as she
reigns as hostess of the Logan County Fair. She'll present lots of
trophies, greet fairgoers, introduce events; she'll be very busy.
In a couple of weeks she'll begin her duties as an emissary of
Logan County when she attends the Illinois State Fair with other
county fair queens. At a lunch event she will have her picture taken
with the governor.
Another state event, often recalled by past queens as a
nerve-racking, but valuable experience, is the state pageant that
occurs in the new year.
If you make a trip out to the fair this week you will likely see
Miss 2007 Logan County Fair Ali Robinson somewhere there.
Wednesday night's grandstand event is grain truck and stock car
racing. (Click
here to see each day's competitions, activities and grandstand
events.)
[Jan
Youngquist] |
