(Washington, DC) Sandra Bears, Ms. Senior District of Columbia, was one of 10 women chosen to compete in the finals at the Ms. Senior America Pageant held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
After two preliminaries and the announcement of the finalist she was the favorite of many in the audience who enjoyed her rendition of “At Last.” Bears competed with 28 other representatives from across the nation and the US Virgin Islands.
“I hope I didn’t embarrass the District,” said Bears humbly. “A lot of the contestants and people I don’t even know have come up to me and say that they think that I am going to win – I just hope so.”
Ms. Senior DC competed in the finals with representatives from New York, Tennessee, Florida, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Nevada, Rhode Island and California. Bears is the first District contestant to make the finals. Each contestant was judged on a personal interview with the judges, their philosophy of life, talent and evening gown presentations.
Helen McCarney from New York was crowned Ms. Senior America. A vocalist who added comedic touches to her singing, McCarney sang a medley beginning with “New York, New York” and ending with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” In addition, she ended her philosophy of life with her own style of rap, imitating her grandchildren with a pink baseball cap turned backwards.
Women 60 years of age and older compete in the annual pageant that was started to identify and showcase role models who may have forgotten their value after they have raised their families. The first national pageant was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey in 1980.