Gimblet earns Miss Tomball crown
Julia Gimblet, a Tomball native but new arrival at THS, won the annual Miss Tomball pageant last Saturday at Salem Lutheran, topping the 36 candidates who spent the week practicing, riding in parades and hoping for a chance to be the town’s leading lady.
“It was nerve wracking,” Gimblet said, though her excitement far exceeded her nerves as she gracefully received the crown and sash of Miss Tomball, the title she will carry for the next year.
Gimblet says that above all she was very excited to be the winner of the pageant, and how glad she was to have been able to meet all her fellow contestants.
Her title as Miss Tomball doesn’t end with the pageant, however. Throughout the year she will be attending a number of ribbon cuttings, city council events, parades and festivals.
“I’m really looking forward to all the experiences and people I’ll be able to meet,” Julia said, “and how much I’ll be able to grow from it.”
The runner ups in the pageant were Rainey Rizzo as fourth runner-up, Sierra Greene third, Hanna Carroll second, and Savana Sipe as first runner-up.
“I’m so blessed to have been given the privilege to participate,” Sipe said. “All of the hard work and preparation I put in really sculpted me into a more confident individual.”
This year’s Miss Congeniality was Jennifer Alfaro. Miss Congeniality is an award voted on by the contestants of the pageant, and is given to the person they feel is the most congenial, charismatic, and inspirational.
Before the pageant began, the contestants gathered that morning to participate in the Holiday Parade.
Each girl decorated a car to take them through the parade, and Katelyn Goree was recognized as the top entry.
Though the preparation for the pageant began far before the morning of, contestants had to take a number of things into consideration. since the signup process and possibly even before, contestants have been immersed in preparation activities such as finding a dress and securing a sponsor.
“The preparation took probably months, we were all prepping for Miss Tomball since April,” Greene said.
The ROTC was involved in the pageant, standing by the stairs to ensure that the girls did not fall or trip.
“I want to thank ROTC for helping, being our escorts and making sure we didn’t fall on our faces,” Greene said.
Near the end of the pageant, last year’s winner, Olivia Bliven, took her last walk upon the stage. After a year of being Miss Tomball, this was to be her last event with the title. She received armfuls of roses and other flowers as she walked down the stage, close to joyful tears as she reflected on a year of her achievements and experiences as she crowned her replacement.
“It’s a wonderful experience,” Miss Tomball Chairwoman Sandy Krug said. “I encourage any young lady who meets the requirements to enter.”
