Pageant attracts big crowd at East Franklin

Johnna Oliver is crowned Miss Relay for Life for the fourth and fifth grade division. | Melissa Cason/FCT

EAST FRANKLIN – The 2010 Miss Relay for Life Pageant turned out to be a huge success as a fundraiser for the Oak Grove Freewill Baptist Church Relay for Life team.
Team captain Carol Hall said 79 girls ranging from birth to 17 participated in the event Saturday night.

Catherine Hall, age 1, takes her turn during the Miss Relay pageant last weekend. | Melissa Cason/FCT

“We were very pleased with the response we received for this fundraiser,” Hall said.
“We didn’t really know how this would go, but I think we did very well.”
Hall said the event went so well they have decided to do it again next year.
“We are planning to make this an annual event so we hope everyone will get their girls ready to do it again next spring,” Hall said.
Each division had a photogenic winner, second alternate, first alternate and a winner. Each contestant received a trophy for their participation.
Hall said the out of area judges decided the winners based on a points system. Dress was not included as part of the judging criteria.
“We had some parents call about pageant dresses or Sunday dress,” Hall said.
“The judges were instructed not to judge on the contestants dress so the girls who wanted to wear the pageant dresses could wear them.”
The winners will be recognized at this year’s Relay for Life.
In addition to this fundraiser, the Oak Grove Relay team hosts a softball tournament each year along with other smaller fundraisers.
“We will be having the softball tournament this summer for next year’s Relay for Life,” Hall said.
Last year, the Oak Grove Relay team raised $3,300 for the Relay for Life.
The 2010 Relay for Life will be held Friday, May 7 at 7 p.m. at the RHS stadium with the survivor’s dinner held at First Baptist Church on Jackson Ave. in Russellville on Tuesday, May 4 at 6 p.m.
For more information on this year’s Relay for Life, visit www.cancer.org