St. Clair County citizens teamed up with celebrity waiters, the 2009 Junior Miss participants and their little sisters to raise more than $4,000 in cash scholarships at the fourth annual St. Clair County Jr. Miss Scholarship Program Celebrity Waiter Dinner.The dinner, called “Teaming Up for Scholarships”, was held Monday in the cafeteria at St. Clair County High School in Odenville.
The 12 celebrity waiters were Lisa Berry, Mandy Cox, Gary Hanner, Dr. George Harris, Judge Bill Hereford, Leah Faith Knotts, Marie Manning, Richard Minor, Robert Minor, Bill Morris, Dennis Russell and Judge Wallace Wyatt.
The dinner was catered by Mike and Sonya Bowling and their daughters from Bowling BBQ.
Kathy Soltis, program director for the St. Clair County Junior Miss Scholarship Program, said she appreciated St. Clair County High School and assistant principal Dean Isdell for the use of the cafeteria.
“We had a very successful fund raising event,” Soltis said. “Terry Green, with Windstream, presented their corporate sponsorship check for $1,000. Our own 2008 Junior Miss, Laura Hornsby, was there to accept the check on behalf of the Junior Miss Program. Marie Manning announced that Jefferson State Community College was granting a two-year full tuition and fees scholarship to the 2009 St. Clair County Junior Miss. This scholarship is worth more than $7,000.”
Green, the local manager for Windstream, said his company is proud to be part of the local Jr. Miss program.
“It has been good for us,” Green said. “We have received some advertisement out of it over the past couple of years. The greatest thing, however, is we support these young ladies. The people involved in this program are outstanding. It just goes hand in hand with Windstrean being the local company and we all being part of a community and giving back. We are just glad to be a little part of this great program.”
Soltis said she appreciated the hard work and support of all the celebrity waiters.
“We have six wonderfully talented Jr. Miss participants and along with their little sisters they worked hard serving our patrons for scholarship tips,” said Soltis.
It’s not too late to make a contribution to this worthy scholarship program. Donations may be mailed to St. Clair County Jr. Miss Program, P. O. Box 644, Moody, Alabama 35004.
“We greatly appreciate the support of our community in helping raise scholarship money for these deserving young ladies to further their education,” Soltis said.
National sponsors of America’s Junior Miss include the City of Mobile, Mobile County, and the Mitchell Company. Category sponsors include Alabama Power, Encore Rehabilitation, Mobile Gas, Regions Bank, and Wintzell’s Oyster House. The 51st Annual America’s Junior Miss National Finals will be held in Mobile, Alabama, June 26-28, 2008.
