Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, July 22, 1995 TAG: 9507240066
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: MARY BISHOP STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
It's the people who donate the bouquets, the tuxedos and the doughnuts. It's the ushers and all the other local volunteers who keep the Miss Virginia pageant going.
And this week, these faithful folks are sad - and a little nervous.
"We've fought hard to keep it in the Roanoke Valley," said Marti Spraker, owner of Adventure Travel and a pageant worker for 29 years. She fears the ouster of Andrea Ballengee as Miss Virginia will inspire another place like Virginia Beach to lobby the Miss America organization and lure the state pageant away from Roanoke.
"It worries me that we're going to lose the pageant, especially since we don't even have a representative" in the pageant, said Donna Conner, who donated silk flowers for the hotel room of one of the dignitaries. This year, Botetourt County was the only local community to field a contestant.
Billie Sue Musselwhite, a longtime volunteer and wife of pageant board member Steve Musselwhite, estimated the contest brings more than $1 million to the Roanoke Valley in hotel rentals and other spending by guests and participants. The televised pageant reaches across the state and into neighboring ones.
"Think about it," Steve Musselwhite said. "What event do we have in the Roanoke Valley that gets statewide exposure on TV, goes into Washington, parts of Maryland, Tennessee and North Carolina? I don't know of any event that showcases the Roanoke Valley like Miss Virginia does."
He hopes the damage is temporary, and so does Helen Kirkwood, a 13-year chaperone for contestants. "It has weakened us, I'd say, but I think we can recover," said Kirkwood, chaperone for Miss Danville this year.
"I think it's just a little flaw that got found," said Jamie Pence, manager of Mitchell's Formal Wear. She donated tuxes for the master of ceremonies, dancers and ushers.
"It's not a representation of the pageant," she said. "It's a representation of her" - meaning Ballengee.
Spraker said Ballengee didn't just hurt herself, other contestants and pageant officials when she exaggerated her achievements. She hurt all the individuals and local companies that give their labor, gifts and money.
"A lot of us donate a lot time and to have this scandal," she said, "it really hurts you. We all love the pageant."
Evelyn Barger's worked with the pageant a long time, too. "I guess my question about all this is how come the pageant doesn't check out all the credentials before?" She fears honest contestants might be reluctant to seek the crown.
Barger's 10-year-old daughter was disillusioned by the news about Ballengee's embellished school record. "She said, 'Oh, Mommy, that's awful. When I'm in the pageant, I won't tell no lies.'"
Staff writer Dwayne Yancey contributed information to this story.
by CNB