Aug 8, 2009 3 min read

CARMICHAELS – It was an afternoon full of chatter, laughter and photos for the 14 young women who will be participating in the 2009 Coal Queen Pageant. Candidates and committee members convened at Wana B. Park in Carmichaels to kick off the annual pageant festivities. For the first time, all the candidates were able to meet and spend an afternoon getting to know one another. During the afternoon they all posed for pictures around the park and in the pool. The pictures taken will be showcased in a slideshow the night of the pageant.

Maura Andrews, the 2008 Coal Queen, was also in attendance. Andrews will be relinquishing her crown after a busy year of representing the Carmichaels Chamber of Commerce, Carmichaels Volunteer Fire Department and the Carmichaels Lions Club.

“Maura did a wonderful job this year,” said committee member, Lisa Allison.

However, committee members are excited to see this year’s pageant, as there is a wide array of talent from the contestants. There is a variety of dancing, vocal selections, piano performances, a baton routine and even a gymnastics floor exercise. It’s no doubt that this year’s pageant will be as exciting as any.

Mitchell spent time speaking to the candidates to prep them for the approaching pageant. She’s been the coordinator for five years, which has given Mitchell the experience to provide all kinds of useful tips to help ease the candidates’ nerves with the stress of one of the most talked about events of the summer.

“I felt relaxed and I enjoyed myself a lot,” Andrews commented in regards to the picnic. “It is great, no pressure for me this year. It was great to mingle with the contestants and feel their excitement.”

And there was certainly excitement.

Questions concerning the night of the pageant were asked, silly pictures were taken and there were introductions all around. This annual event is always the first for the candidates to attend, and gives them a laid back setting to get to know each other before the annual pageant.

After lunch and a few more pictures, the candidates bid farewell until their next outing. Candidates and committee members traveled to Morgantown, W.Va., on Aug. 5 for dinner at Back Bay and the performance “CATS” at the Creative Arts Center on the West Virginia University campus.

The pageant will take place on Aug. 23 in the Stan Ferek auditorium at Carmichaels Area High School.

It will begin at 7 p.m.