Local woman to compete in Mrs. America Pageant

By CATHERINE STORTZ RIPLEY/C-T News Editor

Tuesday, August 22, 2006 1:09 PM CDT

Lanie Beetsma leaves tomorrow (Wednesday) for Tucson, Ariz., where she will compete for the title of Mrs. America. She was honored with a reception Saturday at the Grand River Area Family YMCA. C-T Photo/Catherine Stortz Ripley

Lanie Beetsma always had an interest in the Miss America Organization, but a busy college schedule interspersed with internships kept her from pursuing those ambitions.

Although marriage now precludes her from a chance at the Miss America experience, the Chillicothe woman has an opportunity to become Mrs. America. First as Mrs. Green Hills, Beetsma was crowned this past April in Chillicothe as Mrs. Missouri and will now represent the state in the Mrs. America Pageant.

She leaves tomorrow (Wednesday) for Tucson, Ariz., where she will compete with 50 other women for the national title.

Beetsma, 24, is the former Lanie Ast, of Nevada, Mo., and is married to Brad Beetsma, a 1999 Chillicothe High School graduate. The two reside in Chillicothe.

As a Mrs. America Pageant contestant, Beetsma will spend 16 days at Loew's Ventana Resort, just outside of Tucson. While the last few days are reserved for actual pageant competitions, the first several days are set aside for contestants to learn routines and dances for the pageant, make public appearances and shoot commercials for pageant sponsors. The preliminary competition will be on Sunday, Sept. 3. Then, on Wednesday, Sept. 6, Mrs. America will be crowned.

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