Pageant winners from Shell Factory event
The Shell Factory & Nature Park hosted the Miss Lee County US International and Miss Lee County Teen World pageant on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Winners included Miss Lee County US International Leeza Freeland; Miss Lee County Teen World Ashley Wilkinson; and Makayla Murray, Miss Lee County Sunset Teen World.
“There were two divisions – the Miss and the Teen,” said Donna Ellis, marketing director for the Shell Factory. “The teen competition was for girls from the ages 13 to 17 and the Miss from 18 to 26.
“It is the official preliminary pageant for the Miss Teen Florida World and Miss Florida U.S. International. The winners will go to the state pageant in April.”
Local North Fort Myers judges included Kim Constantine, executive director of the North Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce and April Walker of April’s Hair Designs.
The emcee was Gary Firestone from Firestone & Cimring Advertising.
“He has had experience in emceeing preliminary pageants for Miss America,” said Ellis. “He was a great choice because he has a wonderful voice and good sense of humor and a charismatic personality.”
This was Sandi Spahn’s first year as the pageant director. She helped Cape Coral resident Donna Snow, who is Miss Southwest Florida U.S. International, with her sponsorship to enter that contest.