Mrs. Spokane, Miss Spokane prep for state level

Spokane is sparkling with the crowning of two members of local royalty.

North Side resident Becky Seely was recently selected as Mrs. Spokane, and a 2005 Mead High School graduate, Elizabeth Lamb-Ferro, was chosen as Miss Spokane. Both women will compete in the upcoming Miss and Mrs. Washington pageants.

Lamb-Ferro is no stranger to pageants. She was a Lilac princess her senior year in high school, Miss Spokane in 2005 and third runner-up in the Miss Washington competition that year. She found the experience to be so positive she decided to run again.

“I like the fact that these competitions are affiliated with the Miss America organization, which emphasizes the whole package, not just beauty,” she said. Lamb-Ferro is a senior at Pacific Lutheran University, and said pageants are a great way to earn much-needed tuition scholarships. “You can write essays till your blue in the face, but this is much more fun,” she said.

Seely, a 53-year-old nurse and mother of two, is new to pageant competition. “My cousin’s wife had been Mrs. Washington and told me about it,” she said. She looked up the pageant online and found out that unlike the Miss Washington pageant there was no talent portion required. “That sold me,” she said with a grin.

Lamb-Ferro will graduate with a degree in political science and has been accepted at Columbia University where she’ll pursue a master’s in urban planning and public affairs.

“Being away at school makes me appreciate my city more,” she said. “I definitely want to end up back in Spokane.” She laughed and said, “I’ve already told Mayor Hession I want his job.”

Seely said the competition for Mrs. Spokane was low profile. “I just sent in an application and photo, and a few weeks later I got a letter saying ‘Congratulations Mrs. Spokane.’ ” She recently traveled to Olympia with 16 other Mrs. Washington hopefuls, where she received her crown and sash.

“We got to meet the governor’s husband and tour the Capitol and the governor’s mansion,” she said.

Both women have platforms they’re passionate about. Lamb-Ferro’s platform is the American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. “My grandparents helped raise me,” she said. “Both were diagnosed with cancer and died within nine months of each other.” She’s dedicated to raising awareness about this number one fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

Seely’s platform is personal as well. “My mother died when I was 2 years old,” she said. “My father remarried when I was 6. My stepmother was very abusive, beating me, pushing me down the stairs, etc. I grew up feeling dumb, stupid and ugly.” She paused and tears glistened in her eyes. “Then I met my future husband Don. He was so loving and accepting of me. He continued to tell me how pretty I was. Through his support and praise I began to blossom and gain self-confidence.

“My platform is ‘Marriage is a Good Thing.’ ” She believes the committed marriage relationship brings security and peace and allows both partners to flourish.

Miss Washington pageant will be in Tacoma July 6-7. The Mrs. Washington competition will take place in Moses Lake July 14.

The pair have learned a lot about themselves through this process. Lamb-Ferro said, “These competitions offer great opportunities for women.” Seely agreed, adding, “I realized there’s a lot of hard work involved in these pageants. They’re great for personal growth and confidence building.”