By Ed Townsend
FERNDALE — November 16, 2004 – A filled-to-capacity Granite Associates auditorium Sunday afternoon saw three new Miss Sullivan County Pageant winners crowned for the year 2004.
Crowned Miss Sullivan County Young Miss was Katelin Jester, 6, from the Tri-Valley school district.
Crowned Miss Sullivan County Pre-Teen was Taylor Paige Fracasse, 12, a student at Liberty Middle School, and crowned Miss Sullivan County Teenager was Bianca Rappaport, 14, who attends Fallsburg Central High School.
The three replace 2003 Pageant winners Miss Sullivan County Pre-Teen Ariana Kaminski, Miss Young Miss Christiana Poli and Miss Sullivan County Teenager Tiffany Parker.
Pageant directors include Christina Howe, Maurice Gerry and Amy Bernhardt.
The pageant events included an opening number by the entire Sullivan County Pageant contestants, young miss presentation in casual wear, presentation of pre-teen contestants in sports wear, Young Miss presentation in party wear, presentation of pre-teen contestants in formal wear, presentation of teenager contestants and speeches in formal wear.
The crowning of 2004 Miss Sullivan County Young Miss was to follow, then the crowd witnessed the crowning 2004 Miss Sullivan County Pre-Teen, the final question of miss teenager contestants and the crowning of Miss Sullivan County Teenager.
There were six young miss contestants, seven pre-teen contestants and 11 teenager contestants.
Mistress of ceremonies was Howe.
Gerry directed the majority of the Pageant activities and in written remarks in the back of the program directory thanked parents, relatives and friends of the Miss Sullivan County Pageant "for your support and generosity in making this event a reality each year."
“Because of the constant demands on our county budget, there are no funds available for this event,” Gerry said. “We rely on folks like yourselves to help us make this possible for girls that enter each year."
Gerry noted that the pageant "is a learning experience for all of them and the girls gain self-confidence, make new friends, share experiences, and the very fact that they are competing makes everyone a winner.
"I look forward each year to the 'new crop' of Sullivan County girls that I get to meet . . . they are a credit to our community and to all the girls, I want to wish you every happiness, continued success and the joy of knowing you were part of the 2004 Miss Sullivan County Pageant," Gerry said.
He gave special thanks to his staff, associates, volunteers and friends for their constant support and especially thanked Bernhardt who has been his assistant for all these years and to Howe who returned from London to help make this pageant a success.