Avalon Pier Cam

At Miss OC Ice-Breaker, current contestants meet former queen

Miss Ocean City 2012 will be crowned this Saturday night at the Music Pier when 18 beautiful, intelligent and talented young ladies compete for the title and the opportunity to serve as official greeter of America’s Greatest Family Resort.

The Miss Ocean City Scholarship Pageant, celebrating its 42nd anniversary and sponsored by the Exchange Club of Ocean City, has awarded over $200,000 to young women interested in furthering their education. Contestants recently met with pageant directors and hostesses for the pre-pageant Ice-Breaker at the Ocean Reef Club House. Vonnie and Ed Price hosted.

Reigning Miss Ocean City Rachel Reese chatted with contestants as they waited their turn in front of the camera and I chatted with Judy Larkin, mother of contestant, Katie Larkin. I apologized to hostess chair Sue Doll, whose picture was cut off in committee publicity photos, as she frantically jotted down names and telephone numbers on the contestant/hostess sheets for distribution at the meeting.

Contestants lined up on the clubhouse steps for a photo shoot with Rachel Reese. Jjudge’s chair Gretchen Bingham and hostess Barb Adams had to wait while this columnist moved contestants around according to height and color of outfit.

Once back in the clubhouse, pageant chair Maribeth Neall convened the meeting explaining logistics and itinerary for rehearsals and the parade. Exchange President Jon Batastini welcomed contestants and thanked them for participating, then he rushed off to officiate at his first Exchange Club Dinner meeting at the Tuckahoe Inn.

Exchange Pageant Director Jack Dershimer introduced Marie Martino Manos, Miss Ocean City 1951, who spoke with pride about her reign while her husband, Alex Manos, beamed.

Ticket chair Linda Gronert encouraged contestants to get ticket orders in early, then contestant chair Kara Hill called each young lady up to draw her competition number with Alexandra Canal drawing the dreaded No. 1.

Following the meeting hostesses got acquainted with the contestants while enjoying ice cream sundaes and cake. Suzan LaRosa and Jane Lugo helped Vonnie Price scoop ice cream as everyone forgot about diets topping off their sundaes with hot fudge, wet nuts, whipped cream and other goodies.

Devon Vanderslice reports her grandmother, Marty Vanderslice, is getting around great and has shed her walker following hip and ankle surgery and should be back biking the boardwalk real soon. As the evening drew to a close I spotted Joyce Trofa, Dottie McClain, Andrea Paul, Rose Haas and Joan Currens helping with cleanup of the clubhouse.

wet, windy, grey….avalon Pier « Emotion recollected in ...

Sitting here looking out the window ,it is wet, windy, cold, grey, 34 degrees and just plain Blah!  Welcome to Indiana in March.  Knowing it is just plain nasty here, I just had to check out what it is like in the OBX.  Well it looks wet, windy, grey but Oh’ it is 62 degrees there!!!  Personally I think I would take, the grey, wet, windy , ”62″ degree days anytime there over the 34 degree days here.  What do you think? 

But you know any kind of weather at the beach beats the heck out of here!!!