
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, July 10, 1993                   TAG: 9307100249
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: C-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: WENDI GIBSON RICHERT STAFF WRITER
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FRIENDS HAVE LOTS TO SHARE, INCLUDING LIMELIGHT

The stage lights were dimming, and most of the audience had headed for the door Friday night as the Miss Virginia Pageant's two preliminary winners stood hand in hand on the stage, surrounded by seven young girls eager for an autograph.

Miss Lynchburg Scholarship Festival, Nancy Glisson, and Miss Richmond, Stacey Bellamy, captured the talent and swimsuit awards, respectively, in the second night of preliminary competition. They will return to the Roanoke Civic Center auditorium tonight to vie for the Miss Virginia title.

Glisson, a graduate of Virginia Tech, won the talent award for her rendition of Dolly Parton's "I'll Always Love You." She left the audience applauding before she even finished the song, recently brought back to life by Whitney Houston.

"I took a risk," she said of her choice of a popular tune, which begins a cappella and continues with breathtakingly long notes. The risk paid off as she nailed every note with a smile.

Glisson last competed in the pageant in 1989, but this year - the 40th for the Miss Virginia Pageant - was Bellamy's first. The Virginia Commonwealth University sophomore won the swimsuit award after dancing a ballet en pointe in Thursday's preliminary competition.

"Oh, it feels wonderful," the dance and choreography major said, hugging her trophy in one hand, Glisson's hand in her other.

The two are good friends and agree they've shared plenty of pointers and support during this week's sunup-to-sundown rehearsals, dinners, receptions and competition.

This year's pageant brings 32 Virginia women to the Roanoke stage and ends tonight when 1992 Miss Virginia, Lora Lynn Flattum, crowns the '93 winner.

Tickets for tonight's pageant are sold out.

by CNB