Althea P. Jones named Golden Years Queen

This past Saturday was a night full of ace-high entertainment that had a packed audience saying “Yee-haw!” and when the rip-roaring fun came to a close, it was Althea P. Jones who earned herself top honors and the crown of Ms. Senior Golden Years 2023.

Taking place inside the Saddle West Showroom on June 10, the Ms. Senior Golden Years Pageant celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, with the very first queen crowned in 2003. Two decades later, the pageant continues to bring together ladies age 60 or better to help them grow their own self-confidence amid what members call a true sisterhood.

The evening kicked off with a welcome from master of ceremonies Stephani Elliott, the granddaughter of Ms. Senior Golden Years Founder and Executive Director B.J. Hetrick-Irwin, followed by an invocation from Deacon Rick Minch and the Pledge of Allegiance, led by Lt. Col. Tom Waters. Ms. Senior Golden Years 2022 Ellie Wilshusen took to the stage for a reading of her queen’s creed before the spotlight was shown on the 2023 contestants for the first time.

The theme of this year’s pageant was “You’re Looking at Country” and there were plenty of western tunes incorporated into the evening’s entertainment. From dances to “Redneck Women” by 2005 queen Jackie Greco and “Coal Miner’s Daughter” by Phyllis Howell to a performance of “Friends in Low Places” by Donnie Fontaine and even songs created and sung by local vocalist John Michael Ferrari, it was clear to see that the crowd enjoyed every moment of the guest entertainment.

But it was the contestants themselves who were the stars of the show, which included a variety of segments, such as talent, evening gown and what is believed to be the only bathing suit segment in any senior pageant. Contestants included Tina Olsen, Peggy Wilshusen, Saundra Fisher, Linda Wright, Ronda Aid, Marjorie Washington-Nears and Jones, all of whom made a delighted Hetrick-Irwin extraordinarily proud.

It was a difficult decision for the judging panel, consisting of Nathan Tannebaum, Charlie Christy and Bruce Jabbour, to make but when all was said and done, Jones was ultimately selected as Ms. Senior Golden Years Queen 2023. Joining her on the queen’s court are first runner-up Aid and second runner-up Washington-Nears.

Each year, the special award of Miss Congeniality is decided not by the judges but by the contestants themselves. For 2023, Wright was chosen to take the title of Miss Congeniality.

There was one other award handed out Saturday night, one honoring former pageant contestant Sally La Rocca. Hetrick-Irwin explained that this award is given to someone who has shown incredible bravery, courage and dedication to the Ms. Senior Golden Years organization. This year, the Sally La Rocca Courage Award went to Golden Years member Alice Saitta, in recognition of all she has done for both the organization and the community as a whole.

Now that the pageant has come to an end, Jones will be representing the organization at all sorts of local events over the next year. In addition, she will be pursuing her pageant platform, which is “Harmony Coach For All Ages.”

“Living life with purpose is my motto,” Jones stated of her platform. “As a harmony coach, I bring awareness and introduce wise counsel to those who are looking for answers. It doesn’t matter what ethnicity, gender, age or location. My role as a harmony coach is to sound the alarm that love can mend our minds, bodies and souls, making each of us whole within the family structure… I am the co-founder and president of GO Sounds Performing Arts Academy, Inc., which is a non-profit organization providing support to children and families from low socioeconomic communities in Nye County, Clark County, Indianapolis, IN, Champaign-Urbana, IL, CoreCivic NV Southern Detention Center, Dept. of Juvenile Justice Service, Spring Mountain Youth Camp and High Desert State Prison. All welcome me with open arms as the ‘Harmony Coach Chaplain.’”

For more information on Ms. Senior Golden Years contact Hetrick-Irwin at 775-727-7011.

Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com