Sean C. Morgan
Anne Marie Miller was named Sportsman’s Holiday Queen Thursday night, and Jared Severns, Brady Severns and Justin Wales won the talent contest as the Sweet Home Drum Corps during the Chips ‘n’ Splinters talent show and coronation. Cub Scout Pack 363 won the Sportsman’s Holiday Parade sweepstakes on Saturday.
Miller’s first act was to declare the beginning of Sportsman’s Holiday.
First Princess was Candalynn Johnson. Miller also was named Miss Congeniality and sold the most raffle tickets – 827. Final tallies indicated that Johnson sold 676. Kayla Mackenzie Wickline sold 406, and Chancey Fuesler sold 594. They received half of the number of tickets they sold in scholarship money.
The Drum Corps won two three-day passes to the Oregon Jamboree. Tagen Johnson finished second, winning a pair of three-day passes to the Harvest Moon Blues Festival. Paul Rowton Jr. placed third in the talent show, winning $50.
Also competing in the talent show were Cheyenne Patton and Cody Cannon.
Miller said she was surprised she won the queen title.
“This is completely outside my comfort zone,” Miller said. “I’m glad I did it. It’s amazing.”
That’s one of the reasons she joined the court, she said. She wanted to get outside her comfort zone, and she achieved her goal.
All four princesses talked about setting goals during their speeches.
“Even when life is hard and you want to give up, you cannot give in,” Miller said. She related the story of Shelley Mann, who won the Olympic gold medal in the 100 butterfly in 1956.
A victim of polio at age 6, her parents took her to the pool to aid her recovery.
She set goals, Miller said, first to swim the width of the pool, then the length and then several lengths. She set goals until she won the gold medal.
She related the story of the hare and the tortoise, explaining that steadiness and persistence pay off.
“When I was young, I wanted to be good at math,” Miller said. Her brother would come home and tell her what he learned, and she got a jump in the subject.
She has spent the latter half of her life learning from her older siblings and setting goals, she said. Her current goal is to finish college with no debt. She plans to attend Brigham Young University, where she will major in engineering and minor in accounting, and then go on a mission for her church.
Miller is the daughter of John and Diane Miller. She is a 2012 graduate of Sweet Home High School.
The talent competition was judged on theme, talent and presentation.
The court was judged based on interviews, poise, personality, speeches and an impromptu question.
Judges were Democrat-Herald county reporter and former The New Era Publisher Alex Paul, victim’s advocate Beth Shook of the Linn County District Attorney’s Office, incoming Linn County District Attorney Doug Marteeny, retired Spanish teacher Cynde Burford, and Oregon Jamboree Event Manager Erin Regrutto.
The parade included 55 entries and was led by grand marshals Howard and Lerena Ruby.
Parade winners include the following:
Equestrian: Rip and Walon Logan riding mules, first place; Rhinestone Riders, second; Casey and Alex Stutz youth riders, third.
Churches: Little Promises, first place; Sweet Home Nazarene Church, second; Sweet Home United Methodist Christian men’s group, third.
Community Royalty Courts: Lebanon Strawberry Festival Court, first place; Sweet Home Sportsman’s Holiday Court, second.
Commercial: Elite Performance Academy and Sweet Home Safeway, first place; A&W, second; Sweet Home Sanitation, third.
Youth Groups: Cub Scout Pack 363, first place; Cub Scout Pack 395, second.
Fraternal Organizations: Boys and Girls Club, first place; Sweet Home VFW, second; Sweet Home Alumni Foundation, third.
Walkers and Performing Groups: Sweet Home High School Dance Team, first place; Not Another Zombie Movie, second.
Any Vehicle, 1970 to present: Bob Day, Chevy S-10, first place; Timberline Logging, second.
Any Vehicle, Pre-1970: John Down ’65 Jeep, first place; Timber Tech, second; Liberty Rock, third.