Ambassadors will gather for lunch
The Spokane Valley was a different place in 1934.
“I remember we had my high school, West Valley, and we had Central Valley as our main rival,” reminisced Maryadele Morton, 90.
Morton graduated from West Valley in 1933, and the following year her mother entered her name in the first Miss Spokane Valley contest.
“It wasn’t a beauty pageant in those days,” Morton said. “We had to sell things, and buying things gave that person votes. They were very kind to me.”
Morton won the balloting and was chosen Miss Spokane Valley. She plans to attend the Reunion Lunch for former titleholders Thursday, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Mirabeau Park Hotel.
Debra Wilde, a former Miss Spokane Valley princess and current KXLY radio and television anchor, will emcee the event, which will feature a number of former Miss Spokane Valleys.
“The last time we had about 10 former Miss Spokane Valleys show up,” chamber coordinator Vicki Johnson said. “We have current names and addresses for about half of them, unfortunately. Some of them moved away or changed their name when they got married and we haven’t located them.
“We send out invitations to all of the former ones we know about.”
The original pageant ran from 1934 until 1979. It was revived in 2004 as the Miss Spokane Valley Ambassador pageant, sponsored by the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Current titleholders attend Chamber of Commerce events, ribbon-cuttings and appear in parades throughout the area. Miss Spokane Valley and her two Ambassador assistants also are presented at the annual Spokane Valley Mayor’s Ball.
It was a little different in 1934.
The luncheon and fashion show, sponsored by Numerica Credit Union, is a primary fundraiser for the $1,000 scholarship awarded to each Miss Spokane Valley Ambassador and the two $500 scholarships awarded to her two Ambassador Assistants.
Central Valley’s Anna Daines is the reigning Miss Spokane Valley Ambassador.
The luncheon will feature a fashion show with attire from Weekenders, Art of Weddings, Corral West and A.S.K. Clothing.
There will be fundraising raffles held during the event, including a “Best of Show” table and a Glamour Corner.