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Miss Hibiscus: 'Helping women bloom'
A pageant that started with the winner receiving a cardboard tiara has transformed into an event offering life-changing opportunities for young ladies throughout Indian River County.
When Elizabeth Graves Bass won the first Miss Hibiscus pageant in 1953, she stood on stage with her sash and cardboard headpiece. It meant more to her mom than to her, she remembers.
“What started with someone coming backstage and casually saying, ‘Elizabeth is the queen’ is a whole different event now,” Bass says. “I believe the important part of my story begins in 2004 when I was persuaded to chair the pageant committee.”
The first Hibiscus Pageant was held as part of the first Hibiscus Festival in the summer of 1953. The five-day event included a flower show, dancing, a ski show, boat races, a water show, golf, fishing, tennis, bowling, and even a rodeo.
The festival, the brainchild of Harry J. Schultz, editor of the Press-Journal at the time, lasted 10 years but organizers lost their enthusiasm upon Schultz’s retirement.
The Hibiscus Festival was revived in 2004 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the event. It’s been held and has grown every year since.
This year’s festivities begin April 6 with the pageant at the Hibiscus Center followed by the two-day festival April 8 and 9 with a bike ride, music, arts and crafts show and plenty of fun.
For its part, the pageant has evolved as well, focusing more on the good works of the entrants rather than their good looks.
Enter Cindy Goetz
While Bass is still actively involved, a new Miss Hibiscus Pageant chair, makeup artist and radio show host, Cindy Goetz, has taken the reins with Bass’s blessing since 2015. She has worked to make sure Miss Hibiscus is more than just a beauty, but plays a vital role in representing Indian River County as well as using her position to give back to the public.
“The Miss Hibiscus title is a privilege where a young woman can use her inner beauty and leadership abilities to preserve our values as a community and to help it grow in a positive way,” says Goetz. “I’ve seen the pageant winners start their own foundations, speak at events, be escorted like a princess in a parade, read to children, volunteer and organize their own fundraisers for a cause.
“As our new mission statement declares, just like the hibiscus flower, the Miss Hibiscus pageant is, 'Helping women bloom.' "
This year, contestants are participating in a community project called “Adopt a Grandparent” and share their experiences on stage.
Here is a look at some past winners and where they are now:
Rikki Klaus, 2004
The 2004 Miss Hibiscus winner, Rikki Klaus, marked the beginning of the revitalization of the pageant. Klaus is now a news reporter at ABC affiliate WSB-TV in Atlanta.
“I felt on top of the world, honored and alive, as I stood on stage in Downtown Vero Beach in April of 2004 and received the title of Miss Hibiscus. I remember beaming while wearing a white, one-shoulder gown. The first-ever Miss Hibiscus, Elizabeth Graves-Bass, placed a glittering crown on my head. The headline in the paper the next day said, “Sweet as a flower, smelling like a rose.” This was the year the Miss Hibiscus contest made a comeback, after a long hiatus,” remembers Klaus.
“The lessons that took root as Miss Hibiscus stick with me every day. The pageant helped teach me to be an advocate for myself and others, to give myself permission to shine and to face discomfort with grace and grit,” she went on to say. “Soon, I’ll return to Vero Beach and wear another white dress. Even as I get married, that girl who wore the Miss Hibiscus crown will always be inside of me. I’m forever grateful for her and the path I’ve traveled since.”
Delaney Cooksey, 2013
Delaney Cooksey took the crown in 2013. “As a third-generation Vero Beach resident, I cannot think of a better way to give back to my hometown and to honor the family members before me who set a foundation in this great town we call home,” Cooksey says. “I was encouraged to let my voice be heard, fight for things I believe in, and to help change Vero Beach for the better. This opportunity gave me the confidence, professionalism, and poise to grow as a leader and continue serving my community in the later stages of life.”
Cooksey is currently attending the University of Florida with a degree in Health Education and Behavior and will begin pursuing her master's in Occupational Therapy this fall. Her goal is to one day work as an occupational therapist.
Amanda Gard, 2015
“Miss Hibiscus was an incredible experience. It confirmed we made the right decision when I moved from Miami to Vero with my mother to attend Charter High School my freshman year,” says Gard. “I was honored to represent my new town and carry out my platform of creating a multi-school service organization under Main Street Vero Beach called Students Offering Service (SOS).”
Gard is currently attending the University of Florida, where she is majoring in telecommunications. She is involved with Dance Marathon, benefiting the UF Health Shands Children's Miracle Network Hospital, as well as GatorVision, where she works on broadcasts of UF sporting events.
Melanie Coppola, 2016
The current Miss Hibiscus, Melanie Coppola, will be handing over the crown in just a few days.
“Miss Hibiscus has been one of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had. Winning this pageant gave me the opportunity to build the LiveLikeCole Foundation in honor of my brother Cole, who was killed by a drunk driver. I became more involved with our community by supporting nonprofit organizations like The Hibiscus Children’s Center, The Arc of Indian River County, and H.A.L.O. The joy and satisfaction received by helping our community gave me a sense of fulfillment while also giving back to everyone that supported me and my family in our greatest time of need,” she says.
Inspiration
Bass is still involved with the pageant she won so many years ago. Even today she is inspired by the young women willing to put their brains, beauty and commitment to community to the test.
“The absolute best thing for me is getting to know the wonderful young women of this community,” Bass says. “Not just the winners, but each one who has participated. I want to say to these girls THANK YOU for touching my life. You are all winners and I am proud to call you my friends.”
Oh, and that cardboard tiara show so proudly wore in 1953 — it is now a jeweled crown donated by jeweler John Michael Matthews.
The Miss Hibiscus pageant will be held April 6 at the Heritage Center from 7 to 9 p.m. For a complete list of events for the festival April 8 to 9, visit www.mainstreetverobeach.org/hibiscus-festival.
http://www.tcpalm.com/story/specialty-publications/vero-beach/2017/04/05/helping-women-bloom/99819796/
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