In addition to Melinda Wolfe, center, finalists selected from 33 contestants include from left, Samantha Barrett, Bradford County; Melissa Burdick, Potter County; Heidi Lynn Miller, Dauphin County; Emily Cloninger, Centre County; Lucinda Bray, Berks County; and Desarai Lyn Oshop, Lawrence County. SUN Area Dairy Princess Rises To Cream Of The Crop LOU ANN GOOD Lancaster Farming Staff HARRISBURG (Dauphin Co.) Enthusiasm vibrated from the 35 county dairy princesses vying for the state crown at the 44th annual Penn sylvania Dairy Princess Corona tion last Saturday at the Sheraton Inn, Harrisburg. Although only one Melinda Sue Wolfe could walk away with the state title, the 35 con testants will carry their enthusi asm in promoting dairy products in their home counties. Assisting Melinda in state promotion are First Alternate Heidi Linn Miller, Dauphin County, and Second Alternate Emily Kerr Cloninger, Centre County. Melinda, the 19-year-old daughter of Dean and Rinda Wolfe, Milton, is from a 485- head dairy farm in Northumber land County. As SUN Area dairy princess, she represents not only her own county but also Snyder, Union, and Montour counties. Her family’s 300-acre Wolfe’s Powerline Dairy has been in the family for three generations. Melinda’s heartwarming speech, “My American Hero” paid tribute to her father. She Joining Pennsylvania Dairy Princess Melinda Sue Wolfe are dairy royalty from sur rounding states. From left, Maryland Dairy Princess Jill Torene, New Jersey State Dairy Princess Nicki Goger, Melinda, and New York State Dairy Princess Marianne Moody. tooK Uie audience behind the scenes of “her hero” who keeps things running smoothly despite not ever having a day that some thing doesn’t go wrong on the farm. “Why run ragged for so little return?” she asks. “Perhaps be cause farming is in his blood. Or that he sees blood, sweat, and blisters as battle wounds of living his lifelong dream. Each evening, she said, her dad ignores his tired body to get one more thing done. 4 (Men like my dad make me proud to say, ‘l’m a farmer’s daughter.’ 9 9 “My greatest admiration is for my dad and others like him,” she said. For this reason, she declared the day Farmer Appreciation Day. “Men like my dad make me proud to say, Tm a farmer’s daughter,”’ Melinda said. In addition to Melinda’s speech, that given by Lawrence County Dairy Princess Desaria Oshop was also cited as award winning. The two speeches and two award-winning skit presen tations are selected during pre liminary pageant festivities. Desaria’s speech centered on “the boots I’m wearing.” A pho tograph that hangs on the wall of her parents’ home in New Galilee shows her as a toddler wearing a pair of oversized work boots. She talked about what those boots represent and how the boots are a better fit today. The boots represent the things she learned growing up on a farm. Melinda Wolfe Pennsylvania Dairy Princess The things she learned work ing side by side with her mother in the milk parlor, how cow comfort, vaccination, and strong cows are needcd.The necessity of maintaining sanitation with out cutting corners to ensure milk quality, and the value of teamwork that results in pro ducing millions of pounds of dairy products for families and schools. “I still wear those boots, only they are a better fit today,” Melinda Sue Wolfe, representing Northumberland, Snyder, Union, and Montour counties, not only clinched the state dairy princess title but also Miss Congeniality, top speech award, and honorable mention in scrapbook competition. Desaria said. “I thank God that I can grow up on a dairy farm to produce a product that makes an amazing difference in so many lives.” Taking the two top awards in a skit presentation were Brad ford County Dairy Princess Samantha Barrett and Berks County Dairy Princess Lucinda Bray. Samantha’s skit protrayed the Adventures of Milky Mouse and his' obsession with dairy prod ucts. Filled with cute rhymes, lots of energy, and surprises, Samantha’s skit revealed how Milky Mouse outwitted the gi gantic mouse trap to attain his favorite cheese. His quick wits, strong bones, and intelligence were attributed to his consump tion of dairy products. In her presentation, Lucinda dressed as state trooper Cindy Bray of the dairy patrol inspect ing typical lunches of school stu dents. “Good health is no accident. Eat healthy. Stay healthy,” she said as she signed off. After a rigorous two days of judging, seven finalists were se lected to contend for the state crown. In front of the audience, final ists needed to answer the im promptu question: What is the most important lesson you have learned that will help guide you in the future? Secretary of Agriculture Samuel Hayes poses one last time with the 1999-2000 Pennsylvania Royalty. From left, Lori Connelly, Rebecca Kilgore, and Amanda Gllkinson. Lori Connelly bids fare well before crowning her successor. Melinda, at the time a finalist, answered that she believes the most important lesson she has learned is how much she doesn’t know, how much she has to learn, and how much she needs to live life to the fullest every day. Lucinda Bray, Berks County dairy princess, answered that the most important thing she has earned is a good work ethic. (Turn to Pago B 3)
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers