Miss Ellsworth planning culminates in pageant

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When the curtain goes up on Thursday, June 26, at Ellsworth High School, a year of planning and special events will culminate with the Miss Ellsworth Pageant.

The gala event begins at 7 p.m. amid much ceremony. This year, some 37 Future Misses will also take the stage with introductions and dancing. The evening will feature introductions of visiting royalty and current royalty, button drawing and introductions of the current Miss Ellsworth candidates. Before the evening is done, Ellsworth will have a new royal court to preside over not only the Cheese Curd Festival, but all the exciting activities throughout the coming year.

Advance sales tickets are available at the chamber office for $6 and at the door for $7.

Introducing, the 2008-09 Miss Ellsworth candidates:

Bailey Marhoun

Bailey Marhoun is the 16-year-old daughter of William and Bonnie Marhoun. She has an older sister, Jocelyn.

Being a part of the Miss Ellsworth Royalty would be an honor for Bailey because she feels being crowned makes you an active and important representative of the great town of Ellsworth. According to Bailey, Ellsworth is really a great community because everybody knows everybody and you can always find a helping hand or smiling face.

Bailey has been a part of the Ellsworth High School (EHS) tennis team throughout high school and was a number one varsity singles in her sophomore year. The team voted her captain in her junior year.

She has been a varsity cheerleader for two years and captains of two squads, wrestling and football. Bailey is also active in EHS Drama and acted in a musical in the fall of her junior year, and had a role in the most recent spring play.

Maintaining a “B” average, Bailey has several school honors and has lettered in varsity tennis, cheerleading and academics.

In the winter months, Bailey’s passion is snowboarding, having competed in national competition. She also coaches a snowboard team. In the summer, she likes to sail and go hot air ballooning with her family.

Her future plans include a four-year college, plans to major in health and fitness, and hopes to become a personal trainer.

Bailey wants to send appreciation to her sponsors, Quinn Motors, Ideal Sportswear, Flat Pennies Ice Cream and Fitness Influence.

Ashley Saunders

Ashley Saunders is the 16-year-old daughter of Carolyn Gaslin and Mike Saunders, and is ending her sophomore year at EHS. She comes from a family of three brothers and five sisters.

Being Miss Ellsworth would be dream come true for Ashley because she grew up doing pageants and once told her mother “one day I will be Miss Ellsworth.” Ashley feels being a candidate for Miss Ellsworth 2008-2009 is a pleasure. She feels “showing little girls that you can do whatever you put your mind to would be an amazing privilege.”

Being born and raised in Ellsworth, Ashley feels Ellsworth would be a great place to build a family. It is an amazing and peaceful community where everyone knows everyone. Ellsworth, according to Ashley, is a great town “…somewhere where you can build everlasting memories with friends and family.”

Ashley says she just loves to dance and to sing, but only sings by herself. They keep horses and she loves to ride. Throughout most of her life, she had done some modeling and just loves to walk down the runway in high heels and pose in front of the camera.

In school, Ashley has won honors and was one of the homecoming candidates. She was also the captain of the JV Dance line. She is a member of the B honor roll.

After graduation, Ashley would like to take a program to learn to be a wedding planner.

Ashley expressed appreciation to her sponsors, Je-Ca Accounting, LLC, d.b.a. Jeannie Thompson Accounting, Jo-Jo’s Jewelry and Little New York.

She invites everyone to join her and the rest of the Miss Ellsworth candidates at the pageant on June 26.

Rebecca Thorson

Rebecca Thorson, the daughter of Rick and Katie Thorson, is a junior at EHS and is very excited to be running for Miss Ellsworth.

Rebecca says she loves meeting people and has a strong desire to be a role model for young people. She says, “even being a candidate has opened so many doors for me.” She feels being Miss Ellsworth is not just an opportunity, but an honor. Rebecca says she will put her heart and soul into representing Ellsworth.

To Rebecca, Ellsworth is a quaint little town with a close proximity to the Twin Cities.

“Ellsworth has a very personal and comfortable feel to it.” She added, “People greet you as you walk down main street and, while shopping at the grocery store, you run into an old friend.” To Rebecca, being Miss Ellsworth means representing the Ellsworth community and the Ellsworth Chamber of Commerce with poise.

Rebecca’s interests are centered around her faith. The past three summers, she went to Mexico on mission trips, working with children in poor communities. She has been very involved in theatre and has been in three productions, and soon will be in a fourth. She has also been involved in forensics. She is on the varsity tennis team and many other school activities.

She is a member of the National Honor Society and is in the top 20 percent of her class. She plans to attend a four-year college with either a political science or education major.

Rebecca Thorson expressed her appreciation to her sponsors, Hinck’s Economart, Freier’s Electric and Heating, Scott’s Outdoor Store and Pizza Man.

Keisha Taylor

Keisha Taylor is a 17-year-old junior at Ellsworth High School and the daughter of Jim and Deb Taylor. Keisha shares her Hager City home with her parents and two puppies named “Sammi” and “Hunnie.”

She always thought it would be fun to vie for the title of Miss Ellsworth and now it is all happening. She feels it is important to serve as a positive role model to younger girls. She likes Ellsworth for many reasons, including the fact it is a small town where you know everyone. Keisha says, “In June, we have the Cheese Curd Festival…the Pierce County Fair in August…with their special events.”

Taylor is an avid outdoors enthusiast who enjoys participating and watching sports. Her real passion, however, is cheerleading, having joined when she was in ninth grade. She is now on the varsity cheerleading squad. She likes to hang with her friends or spend time camping, swimming and riding a four-wheeler. She also was in volleyball for her first two years in school.

When not in school, she is employed at The Bluffs Bar and Grill in Hager City, where she buses tables and helps set up for wedding receptions.

After school, her plans include cosmetology school in Red Wing followed by a year in business school with ultimate plans of opening her own hair studio in Rochester, Minn.

With only a couple months into her experiences as a candidate for Miss Ellsworth, Keisha has enjoyed being caught up in the fundraisers and special events, having sold a bunch of tickets and participating in many fun activities so far.

Keisha commends her sponsors, Plummer Concrete, Pierce County Meats, Feuerhelm Langer, LTD, and MDMA Equipment.

Tags: community, miss, ellsworth, cheese, curd, festival