2026 SESSION

INTRODUCED

26108889D

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 242

Offered March 3, 2026

Commending the Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Scholarship Pageant.

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Patron—Wachsmann

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WHEREAS, since 2000, the Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Scholarship Pageant has celebrated leadership, community service, and county fair advocacy, becoming a proud local tradition; and

WHEREAS, the Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Scholarship Pageant was established by Rhonda Pugh Demsko (now Ostman), in partnership with Alan Nogiec, the former director of Isle of Wight County Parks and Recreation and fair manager, to create a program that would serve as an ambassadorial platform for young women while strengthening the Isle of Wight County Fair's connection to the community and the Virginia Association of Fairs; and

WHEREAS, Rhonda Ostman directed the Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Scholarship Pageant for its first 12 years, guiding it through a period of growth and establishing a strong foundation that emphasized professionalism, public speaking, and community involvement; from 2013 to 2014, the pageant continued under the co-direction of Katie Callow (now Whisenant) and Kaitlin Gudger, ensuring continuity during a transitional period; and

WHEREAS, in 2015, the Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Scholarship Pageant was not held, but Cathy Richards of the Isle of Wight County Fair Committee coordinated the selection of a fair queen through an essay contest, maintaining the fair's presence within the Virginia Association of Fairs system for the next few years; and

WHEREAS, the Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Scholarship Pageant was revamped in 2018 by Jenilee Hallman and Regine Walme-Edwards, who continue to serve as the pageant's co-directors; under their leadership, the pageant has experienced renewed participation and success, once again providing contestants with opportunities for personal growth, scholarship, and statewide representation; and

WHEREAS, since its inception, the Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Scholarship Pageant has proudly sent representatives to the Miss Virginia Association of Fairs Pageant, with numerous titleholders earning top placements at the state level; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, That the Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Scholarship Pageant hereby be commended for its years of service to young women in the region; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Jenilee Hallman and Regine Walme-Edwards, co-directors of the Miss Isle of Wight County Fair Scholarship Pageant, as an expression of the House of Delegates' admiration for the pageant's achievements in promoting agriculture, education, and community pride.