Three to compete for Greene County Fair Queen title
WAYNESBURG 鈥揟hree young ladies will compete on Sunday, Aug. 9, to determine who will be crowned the 2015 Miss Greene County Fair Queen.
The new fair queen will reign over all contests and events related to this year鈥檚 fair, which will be held Aug. 9-15 at the county fairgrounds.
She will serve as the fair鈥檚 ambassador at all special events and represent the Greene County Fair in area parades.
The 2015 Miss Greene County Fair Queen will compete in the Pennsylvania State Fair Queen Contest, which will be held in January 2016 in Hershey.
The new queen will be determined by a personal interview, a brief speech on 鈥淲hy You Should Come to the Greene County Fair,鈥� a written essay about the fair and an evening gown competition.
The public can watch Miss Greene County Fair contestants give their speeches at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9, at the fairgrounds.
The winner will succeed Sadie Wright of Mt. Morris, the 18-year-old daughter of Jeff and Pam Wright.
This year鈥檚 contestants are:
n Brittany Bonnema, the 16-year-old daughter of Jason Bonnema and Jamie Keller. Brittany will be a junior this year at West Greene Middle-Senior High School. Her academic and athletic honors include Greenhand and Chapter degrees and an interview award, all in FFA; two-year letter in softball; and named to the All-County softball team. This school year, she will serve as class treasurer and FFA secretary.
Extracurricular activities include 4-H, FFA, Envirothon, science club and Women鈥檚 Auxiliary Post 416.
Outside of school, she enjoys hunting, fishing, working with her animals and working in the school greenhouse.
She said she wants to be crowned Fair Queen because she wants to influence younger children to follow in her footsteps and help others to better themselves.
Following graduation, she plans to attend college and major in nursing and oncology, and one day have a career in working with radiation and giving chemo treatments to children.
n Lindsey Renee Gilbert, the 16-year-old daughter of James 鈥淩ichard鈥� and Heather Gilbert of Waynesburg. Lindsey will be a senior at Waynesburg Central High School this year. Her academic accolades include winning honors awards in English and history. She has also placed first in a FFA public speaking competition and won Duchess in 2012 and 2013 and Queen in 2014 for the Lunn American Netherland Dwarf Rabbit Club.
Extracurricular activities include FFA, student council, Alpha, Beta and 4-H. Her clubs include rabbit, sheep breeding, goat and market lamb. She has held offices in many clubs, including FFA and 4-H, and she is a licensed registrar with American Rabbit Breeders Association.
She said she wants to be Fair Queen because she has always dreamed of winning the title since she witnessed her first competition in 2008, when one of her 4-H mentors was crowned queen.
After graduation, she plans to attend college and pursue a career in becoming an attorney.
n Lesley Tift, the 19-year-old daughter of Wes and Justine Tift. Lesley graduated from Jefferson-Morgan High School in 2014. She was named to the honor roll all four years, was a member of student council and choir, and performed in the Jefferson-Morgan marching band for seven years.
She is currently enrolled at Slippery Rock University, where she is studying to obtain a degree in nursing. Her goal is to work at a children鈥檚 hospital after receiving her degree.
She was her high school鈥檚 representative in the 2013 Pa. Bituminous Coal Queen pageant.
She said her earliest memory of the Greene County Fair is building demolition derby cars with her father.
She said she wants to be crowned Fair Queen because she feels she could represent the fair well, and she believes she would be a good role model as Fair Queen.