The first-ever Miss Freshwater Coast Pageant will be held Saturday, October 17, at 7 p.m. in the LCHS Auditorium.

The event is being sponsored by the Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce.

"We are extremely excited about this pageant," stated Melissa Burgess, past president of the chamber of commerce. "In the past, we hosted the Miss Classic South Pageant in the spring, but due to a lack of participation during the last couple of years, we decided we needed to re-vamp the project."

What the chamber came up with was the Miss Freshwater Coast Pageant. Lincoln County, with its 400 miles of shoreline, is known as "Georgia's Freshwater Coast."

"The pageant will benefit our county as well as the surrounding counties," noted Burgess. "It is open to girls 15 to 21 years of age, who live within 50 miles of Clark's Hill Lake."

She went on to say, "What is unique about our pageant is that it recognizes the total individual, focusing on community service, academics, extracurricular activities, communication skills, and stage presence. The pageant program offers young ladies the opportunity to sharpen their social skills, gain self-confidence, and learn more about their community — lessons which will benefit them the rest of their lives.

"Being Miss Freshwater Coast will no doubt be a great honor, a great responsibility, and a great experience," Burgess continued. "We encourage all young ladies in the area to enter the pageant — it will be both rewarding and a lot of fun."

In addition to Miss Freshwater Coast, Junior Miss Freshwater Coast will likewise be crowned on October 17. The junior division (ages 15 through 17) is set to take the stage at 7 p.m., followed by the senior division (ages 18 through 21).

Moreover, in order to take part in the pageant, contestants in both divisions are required to have a "princess" or escort aged 4 through 10. The princesses will not be judged, and pageant attire is not required.

If an escort's contestant is crowned, the escort will receive a title, a crown, and a sash as well. The entry fee for each princess is $35.

As for the contestants for Miss Freshwater Coast and Junior Miss Freshwater Coast, the entry fee is $50 each. All fees, along with an application form, must be submitted to the chamber of commerce office by 5 p.m. on Friday, October 2 — no exceptions.

Application forms are available at the chamber office, located in the Blanchard House at 112 N. Washington Street, and at the main office at LCHS.

According to the rules and regulations governing the pageant, a participant must:

.. Be between the ages of 15 and 21 on October 17, 2009.

.. Be a resident of any county within 50 miles of Clark's Hill Lake.

.. Be a citizen of the United States.

.. Be of good moral character.

.. Be single and have never married. Moreover, she cannot marry during the year of her reign.

.. Be in good standing with her school and/or college if the contestant is a student.

.. Be in agreement that the Miss Freshwater Coast or Junior Miss Freshwater Coast titles will be governed by the chamber of commerce.

Publicizing the title is encouraged, but permission to do so by displaying one's crown and banner must be granted by the chamber.

.. Be in agreement that in order to serve as Miss Freshwater Coast or Junior Miss Freshwater Coast, the participant will be expected to be present at important chamber functions and possibly at events held in surrounding counties during her reign.

.. Be in agreement that to serve as Miss Freshwater Coast or Junior Miss Freshwater Coast, the contestant will be expected to select a platform of interest, whether it be within the school system or the community, to gain understanding and experience through meeting personal goals during her reign.

Implementing the goals of one's platform will require initiative, parental involvement, pageant staff/volunteer assistance, and a community support system. Communication is a key component of this phase of service.

.. Be aware that all judges' decisions are final and any show of poor sportsmanship from the contestant, her family, or her friends will result in disqualification from the competition.

.. Be aware that no refunds will be given unless the pageant is cancelled or in the event of extenuating circumstances, which require the approval of the chamber's board of directors.

For more information about the pageant, contact the Lincolnton-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce at 706-359-7970.