USA: You're never too old to be a pAGEant winner

. NEW BEDFORD, Massachusetts / The Standard-Times / May 24, 2009 By Courtney Nunes, Contributing Writer FAIRHAVEN — For these women, age is merely a number. Singing, dancing and even twirling batons, seven contestants over the age of 65 recently competed for the title of Miss Senior SouthCoast 2009. The second annual competition took place at Alden Court Nursing and Rehabilitation Facility in Fairhaven. According to Alden Court concierge Sharon Jenson, the show was hosted by Miss New Bedford and drew a full house. "It was a fun event, and a real self-esteem booster for these ladies," she said. "It was all about them having fun." Hilda Connor, 81, of Fairhaven was crowned the night's winner. First runner-up was Marie Bolger of South Dartmouth, and second runner-up was Shirley Parker of Mattapoisett. The show consisted of three segments, which were semiformal wear, talent, and question-and-answer. Each contestant walked up the runway, showing off their attire before attempting to win over the judges with their various talents. The women were then asked why they should be chosen Miss Senior SouthCoast. For her talent, Connor sang the country-western song "Jambalaya" while playing the guitar. She said being crowned the winner was a "complete surprise," and that it felt "surreal." "I thought for sure I'd lose. I'd never been in anything like that, and I just felt so honored," she said. Bolger, 70, said she was glad to see Connor named the winner, but that she was shocked to be named first runner-up herself. "I didn't even think I would be in the top," she said. "I'd always wanted to enter a contest like that, but I'd always been too chicken. It was really fun, though, and we were all encouraging toward one another," she said. For her talent, Bolger wrote poetry and sang "Look to the Rainbow" a capella. She said, "My poem was called 'Singing and Smiling' because I like to do both." While one contestant performed a piece on the piano, another danced with a life-size puppet in a cream-colored suit. "This woman was so funny. She danced up and down through the aisles," Bolger said. "It was such a clever idea, and so fun." Connor added, "There was a woman who is 87, who wrote about Obama and what's going on in the world today, and she was absolutely wonderful." Another woman sang to the melody of "My Favorite Things," but changed the lyrics to pertain to seniors, which Connor said was "really comical." "It was a great competition," Jenson said. "These ladies showed an unbelievable amount of talent." As Miss SouthCoast 2009, Connor will be invited throughout the year to appear at her leisure at local events. She recently sang and played guitar in the New Bedford's Got Talent competition, and will be sponsored by Alden Court in the Miss National Senior Sweetheart pageant in October. According to Jenson, Connor will receive a weekend getaway to the Ocean Edge Resort for coming in first place, and all of the contestants will receive a gift certificate to Riccardi's Restaurant, and another certificate to get their hair and nails done at the facility's spa. Copyright © 1995-2009 South Coast Media Group, a division of Ottaway Newspapers, Inc