As director of the Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant, and on behalf of its executive committee, we would like to thank the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce, which sponsored the pageant hosted on Jan. 21.

We would also like to thank our 14 corporate advertisers and more than 70 contributing gift and scholarship sponsors, as well as Brian DeLong of The Business Center of Southwestern Michigan, which provides in-kind float storage.

We are very grateful to the many individuals, businesses and organizations who have contributed to the Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Fund this past year, allowing us to award $9,000 in college of choice scholarships at our 78th pageant. This effort was led by Deb Cuthbert, a longtime executive committee member and her daughter, Abby Cuthbert Johnson, Miss Dowagiac 1998.

During the past 16 years, $59,850 in scholarships have been awarded to 75 recipients, thanks to their efforts.

We would also like to thank the family and friends of Judy Dodd for their contributions, resulting in a $1,000 Judy Dodd Memorial Community Service Scholarship at this year’s pageant.

This year’s pageant, themed “The Secret Garden,” was the result of the teamwork of nearly 60 volunteers: Abby Johnson, Joe Jason, Teddy Bjore, Joseph Hassle, Gary Booth, Janie Reifenberg, Joe Silvia, Kellie Prak, Ashley Franklin, Audrey Maxey, Eileen Sprinsteen, Kimberly Proffit, Erica Wainwright, Izzy McIntosh, Makenna Staley, Taylor Palmer, James Dodd, Dr. Frank Butts, Jeff Winters, Alejandra Moreno, Bob Barney, Jim Kusa, Ryan Murray, Kim Robison, Mike and Carrie Freeman, Michelle Stambaugh, Joe Voldrich, Amanda Hassle, Amy Schmidt, Tori Smith, Brittany Yauchstetter, Brittany Wilson, Sharon Underwood, Reba Stull, Jackie Green, Beth Staley, Sara Palmer and the women of the Zeta Chi Sorority.

We also thank Scott Rose for sharing his amazing photography skills with us, attending everything from practices, dress rehearsal and pageant night, to the many events with our court of honor throughout the year.

Another big thank you to Rich McCormick of Preferred Printing, who provides ticket and program printing as an in-kind service to the pageant.

We would also like to thank the businesses who volunteered with the pageant: Baker’s Rhapsody, Booth’s Country Florist, Dowagiac City Hall, Dowagiac Cleaners, Dowagiac Area History Museum, Dowagiac Police Department, Dowagiac COA, D & R Sports, Honor Credit Union, Imperial Furniture, Leader Publications, Manor Mini-Mart, Preferred Printing, Round Oak Revisited, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Miss Michele & Company and WGTO.

A huge thank you to Dowagiac Union Schools for providing the performing arts center for pageant practices and to Lincoln and the student crew who produced the pageant.

We would like to share our sincere appreciation of the pageant’s executive committee: Patty Booth, Deb Cuthbert, Vickie Phillipson, Tracy Urbanski and Nancy Vylonis. Your continuous dedication and support of this program has been essential to its success in providing so many opportunities to students within our community.

The 2016 Miss Dowagiac Court of Honor has done an outstanding job representing the Dowagiac community throughout this past year. Anne, Brittany and Di’mann — we are proud of the confident and successful young women you have become.

To Madison Phelps, Miss Dowagiac 2017, Emily Dodd, First Runner-up, Amanda DeLong, Second Runner-up, and Vivianna Lucio, Miss Congeniality: we look forward to the many memories in this next year.  We are confident you will do an amazing job representing Dowagiac.

 

JESSICA VOLDRICH

Miss Dowagiac Scholarship Pageant Director