Bi2-L«ncaster Farming, Saturday, October 1, 1988
A Look At
Pennsylvania Dairy
Princess Coronation
BY
EVERETT NEWSWANGER
Managing Editor
HARRISBURG (Dauphin)
The huge ballroom is quiet as if
everyone is holding their breath.
You could have heard a glass of
milk drop. On stage, the second
runner-up, Laurie Sterner, Mont
gomery County Dairy Princess,
has received her banner. And so
has first runner-up, Tammy Sue
Balthaser, Berks County Dairy
Princess.
“And now, ladies and gentle
men,” the Master of Ceremonies
intones dramatically as he pauses
between each word, “the new 1989
Pennsylvania State Dairy Princess
is ... from 8eav....” The applause
and cheers break in to cover up the
announcement The face of the
young lady seated front center on
stage registers complete
surprise—disbelief. And then the
realization of the enormity of the
moment brings tears. Kimberly
Bonzo, Beaver/Lawrence County
Dairy Princess, is the new Pen
nsylvania State Dairy Princess.
The process of selecting a state
dairy princess to represent the
number one dairy industry in Pen
nsylvania started last spring when
dairy farmers’ daughters entered
the competition to earn the right to
represent their home county. In
July, the 40 selected county dairy
princesses along with the county
alternates attended a summer
seminar at Shippensburg Universi
ty to prepare themselves to prom
ote milk and dairy products at the
State Dairy Princess Becky Sonnen with State Depart
ment of Agriculture Representative Steve Crawford.
Williams.
local level and to receive informa
tion for the possibility that they
might be selected to represent the
industry on the state level.
Last Saturday night, the climax
to this process was staged at the
Harrisburg Mariott Inn. A four
hour show iricluded the introduc
tion of each county dairy princess
to the panel of four judges,
selected skits that individual prin
cesses will use in their presenta
tions this year, and recognition of
individuals involved in the dairy
princess program.
As the new princess strolled
down the walkway after a short
emotional acceptance speech that
gave God and family credit for her
success, Kim received a super
charged applause that had been
waiting to explode. When this
17-year-old daughter of Gayle and
Kay Bonzo, Rochester, took her
place on the wicker throne, no one
waited to be told the meeting was
adjourned. Her fellow contestants
rushed en masse to be the first to
greet the new princess.
Kim has a major interest in mus
ic at Freedom Area High School.
As a senior, she is a member and
secretary of the high school chor
us, a member of the marching, con
cert and jazz bands, and is a drum
majorette. An honor student, Kim
is listed in “Who’s Who In Ameri
can High School Students.”
The Berks County first runner
up, Tammy Sue Balthaser, is the
daughter of Wilson and LaVeme
Balthaser, Bcmville. Tammy Sue
The
graduated in June from Hamburg
Area High School and now attends
the Berks campus of Penn State
University. She was president of
her senior class and a member of
the National Honor Society.
Laurie Sterner, Montgomery
County Dairy Princess and second
runner-up, is the daughter of Linda
and George Sterner, Bechtelsville.
Laurie hopes to graduate from
Messiah College in the field of
music education and youth mini
stry. She is president of her church
youth group and is a member of the
Honor Society at her Boyertown
Area High School.
The outgoing state dairy prin
cess, Becky Sonnen, who crowned
.Miss Bonzo, said in her farewell
address that each of the counties
could be proud of their individual
dairy princesses. “They are all ter
rific,” Becky said.
Along with meeting the Gover
nor, baseball player Mike Schmidt,
and the State Ag Secretary, Becky
listed as one of the highlights of
her year the meeting of a class of
special education first and second
The judges plus one. Left to right: Dr. Lee Majeskle, Lowell Lindsey, Lynn Bullen
and Julie Reppard with Master of Ceremonies, Grover Gouker.
gfc a, the newt, jnla State
Dairy Princess, Beaver-Lawrence Counties’, Kimberly Bon
zo.”
grade children who were openly
appreciative and receptive to her
appearance in their classroom.
“Meeting little children, passing
out ‘I Love Milk’ stickers, and get
ting to know a lot of new friends
were highlights of my year,” Beck
y said. ‘This has been the most
rewarding year of my life. I can
not, I will not forget this year, rep
resenting the dairy industry we all
love.”
The Miss Congeniality Award
went to Sue Eisenhart, York Coun
ty Dairy Princess. This honor was
(Turn to Page B 13)
Becky says farswel