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Wendy William
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BY SUSAN USHER
This is the first summer since fifth grade that
21-year-old Wendy Williams of Iceland has not played
slow-pitch softball.
Instead, the reigning Miss Brunswick County and
UNC-Wilmington junior is busily preparing for the June
25 Miss North Carolina Pageant.
Giving up a few weeks of playing center field on a
slow-pitch team?and the accompanying bruises and
scrapes?is about the only concession Ms. Williams is
making for what will she expects to be the high point in
her year-long reign. She leaves Sunday for a hectic week
in which her time will be divided between the eamnnc nt
Peace College and Memorial Auditorium. Through it all,
she said she plans to simply be herself.
The week culminates Saturday, June 25, with the
crowning of a new Miss North Carolina. The pageant will
air at 9 p.m. Saturday on WECT-TV, Channel 6, in Wilmington.
However, 75 of Ms. Williams' friends and relatives
won't be watching her from their living rooms. Instead
they have reserved seats in Memorial Auditorium.
"I've got a lot of support. That makes me feel so
much better," Ms. Williams said in an interview last
week at the home she shares with her parents, Dale and
Rachel Williams, and a brother, Brent. A sister, Kim
Stowell, is married and also lives in Leland.
Most of the 45-plus trophies in the living room case
are for softball, not pageants; her first pageant was less
than three years ago, when she won the title Miss
Southeastern Community College 1985-86 at the Columbus
County college.
At a later Miss SECC Pageant the former title-holder
returned as an entertainer and was spotted by David
Clegg, a judge who also happened to be president of the
Miss Brunswick County Scholarship Pageant Committee
Inc., sponsor of the local Miss North Carolina
preliminary pageant.
With encouragement from him and from her family,
she decided at the last minute to enter the pageant, and
was crowned Miss Brunswick County last December.
"In the back of my mind I wanted to go to the Miss
North Carolina Pageant one time and 1 knew that this
was probably the only chance I'd ever have," she said,
recalling her mixed emotions at the time. "But I also
wanted to finish school and I knew if I aid that I wouldn't
be able to attend summer school."
Since the December pageant she has logged more
than 21 public appearances, yet said she doesn't think
many county residents know who Miss Brunswick County
is?something she'd like to see change.
That could happen this week, if Clegg's predictions
come true. He's confident Ms. Williams could be the next
Miss North Carolina.
While Clegg has done much to build her selfconfidence,
Miss Brunswick County said she'd be
delighted to make the top 10 finalists.
And the $5,500 scholarship given to Miss North
Carolina could go a long way toward paying for graduate
school. After she begins teaching, Ms. Williams wants to
continue working on her master's degree part-time.
Miss North Carolina will also receive a car and a
Raleigh condominium for use during her reign, a wardrobe,
and opportunities to earn between $20,000 and
$30,000 from personal appearances. She typically travels
six days a week.
Getting Ready
So far, Ms. Williams isn't nervous about the pageant
or the tough competition expected from within her
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prelimary group, Group B, which traditionally produces
many of the pageant's finalists. "David (Clegg) told me,
'The more competition, the better,' " she said.
In addition to praying for composure, preparation for
the pageant also including getting an even tan and trimming
a few more pounds from her Moot, 7-inch,
119-pound frame. While being a physical education major
has helped keep her active, Ms. Williams also went to
aerobics three times a week February through May.
Much of her preparation time has gone into pouring
through newspapers and news magazines to keep abreast
of current events, fn her judges' interview on Tuesday
afternoon, she anticipates questions on the U.S.-Soviet
summit and the presidential race, along with more personal
ones. She plans to be ready.
For the interview, she will wear a St. John knit Clegg
found for her in New York City. The black, long-sleeved
sheath ends just above the knees and has a black and
white and matching cuffs. "It's very businesslike," she
said.
Its clean, simple lines are reflected throughout her
wardrobe designed by pageant seamstress Jamie Shaw
of Elizabethtown and Clegg, much of it in white.
Look Is 'Angelic'
The aim is to create an image of wholesome innocence,
an "angelic" look that takes full advantage of
this Lonnie Anderson look-alike's fair complexion, enormous
green eyes, blonde hair and generous
smile?without overdoing it.
In Wednesdav nieht's swimsuit mmnpfitinn chp tviii
wear a simple white suit accented with French knots, and
4-inch high heels to accentuate the slenderness of her
legs. "I've never walked on 4-inch heels before," she
said.
For the opening number from "A Chorus Line" contestants
will wear sequined black leotards and skin-tone
tights.
For one evening of competition she'll don a silver and
gold gown of "crushed ice," which she said looks like
glass under the lights. Longsleeved with a V-neck front
and teardrop back, it fits snugly through bodice and
waist, then the bias-cut skirt flows easily when she walks.
"I want to be comfortable," she said. "I'm going to
be myself and I want to be personable. Very natural."
This should come readily, since personableness is
one of the major assets Miss Brunswick County judges
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For her Thursday night talent, she will sing a contemporary
gospel song familiar to her local audiences.
She sang "Holy Ground" both at the Miss SECC and Miss
Brunswick County pageants and hopes it will continue to
be a lucky number for her.
The Geron Davis number is "perfect" for her range,
she said, adding, "And I sing it with my heart. I really
think it is an annointing song."
The song was pulled from her performance repertoire
early this year when it was locked in as her pageant
number during "work weekend" in March, when contestants
met each other for the first time and received initial
critiques of their talent.
Judges questioned her choice of contemporary
gospel, typically a "no-no" on the pageant circuit. But
she never seriously considered compromising with
anything else.
In any event, she's ready for whatever comes next
week.
"I'm going to do the best I can. What more can you
ask for?" she said. "And I'm not going to be disappointed."
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KEEPING UP with current events by reading
newspapers and magazines Is only part o! Wendy
Williapis' preparations for the Miss North Carolina
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STAFF PHOTO BY SUSAN USHER
Pageant next week. Miss Brunswick County leaves
Sunday for Raleigh.
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