A2 ✹ Harbor Country News ✹ Friday, March 18, 2011

for,” and her “amazing dad,” who she thanked for his “unconditional support.”

Lastly, Heit thanked God for giving her what she called “the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Crowned First Runner-up to Bowman was Molly Griffin of New Buffalo, the daughter of Barry and Nancy Griffin.

Asked how she felt about her selection to the Miss Blossom-time Court, Griffin said it was “awesome.”

“I’ve always looked up to the the girls who have participated in the pageant,” she added. “Now that I’ve gone through it, I’m going to do my best to represent New Buffalo the best way I can.”

The New Buffalo High School junior said she plans to attend Michigan State University to major in business and hospital-ity, eventually opening her own event-coordinating business. She too will minor in Spanish.

Named Second Runner-up to Miss Blossomtime 2011 was De-navvia Mojet’ of Benton Harbor, the daughter of Cedric and Toshi Stokes and Denaryl Mojet’.

Currently a student at Berrien Springs High School, Mojet’ plans to attend Michigan Tech-nological University’s College of

Engineering after she graduates.Other local contestants compet-

ing for the Miss Blossomtime crown included Miss Bridgman Kelsey Stevenson and Miss Three Oaks Eva Balich.

Stevenson, the daughter of Dan Stevenson and Kristen Dow, was named one of the ten finalists in the competition — along with Miss Watervliet Kelsey Rog-ers, Miss South Haven Brianne Hooper, Miss Heart of Blos-somtime Elizabeth Kolden, Miss Edwardsburg Julia Myers, Miss St. Joseph Lara Saad, Miss Ste-vensville Symone Tripodis and the three eventual winners — but did not make it to the final five.

Balich, the daughter of John and Susanne Balich earned $500 as the recipient of the Bob

Braamse Community Service Award.

True to the evening’s theme, “Blossomtime Celebrates Clas-sic TV,” the five finalists in the competition (Bowman, Griffin, Mojet’, Miss Edwardsburg Julia Myers and Miss Stevensvile Symone Tripodis) were brought out in front of the audience from behind props designed to resemble the television sets from the 1960s, complete with rabbit-ear antennae.

Master of ceremonies Phil McDonald quipped, “This is not cable TV, this is live TV!”

Co-emcee Lainie Lu How-ard Von Behren, a former Miss Blossomtime, added, “This is three-D TV! Look who’s behind the screen!”

All of the Miss Blossomtime contestants participated in the Sunday, March 13, Showcase of Queens event, which was held along with the 2011 Mr. Blos-somtime Pageant.

Bowman received two Show-case awards in the judged areas of “Photogenic” (which she shared with Elissa Walter of Berrien Springs and Miss Watervliet Kelsey Rogers) and Commu-nications (also awarded to Miss Stevensvile Symone Tripodis and Julia Myers of Edwardsburg).

Miss Three Oaks Eva Balich was one of three winners in the Modeling competition. The other two were Miss Eau Claire Brit-tany Hopkins and Rogers.

Mike Semenic of Three Oaks completed his year as Mr. Blossomtime on Sunday by participating in a madcap “Addams Family” dance with members of his court (including First Runner-up Ruben Hanohano of New Buffalo) as well as Heit and her Miss Blossomtime court before crowning Darren Mc-Cormick of Benton Harbor as Mr. Blossomtime 2011. Rounding out the court were First Runner-up Cody Sposato of Watervliet (he succeeds Ruben Hanohano of New Buffalo), Second runner up David Reimers of St. Joseph, and Mr. Nice Guy DeAvondre Jones of Benton Harbor.

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First Runner-up to Mr. Blossomtime 2010 Ruben Hanohano, Miss Blossomtime 2010 Kyra Heit and Mr. Blossomtime 2010 Micheal Semenic portray members of The Addams Family during the Sunday, March 13, Mr. Blossomtime Pageant.

Miss Three Oaks Eva Balich takes the stage for the “Glitz & Glamour” portion of the March 13 Blossom-time Showcase of Queens.

Lisa Bowman begins the traditional walk across the stage after being crowned the new Miss Blossomtime.

Miss New Buffalo Molly Griffin invites everyone to din-ner while portraying “Granny” from “The Beverly Hillbil-lies” while performing her Blossomtime Showcase of Queens “ad” on Sunday, March 13.

Miss Blossomtime contestants conclude their “dreamy” opening number on Monday, March 14. For more, see page D5.