Poole, the reigning Ms. Senior D.C., will pass on the crown at the 2011 Ms. Senior Pageant on Sunday. Ten District residents age 60 and older will compete for the right to represent the District in the Ms. Senior America Pageant in Atlantic City. The event is at 2:30 p.m. at the University of the District of Columbia. You’re 61? You were barely old enough to have qualified last year.
My birthday is April 14, one day before the cutoff. And I was born at 11:48 p.m., so I just made it.
Have you ever been in a pageant before?
In 1967, the first time the D.C. pageant was extended to African-American women. That was only time. It was great. I was held as Ms. Congeniality.
What made you do it again 40 years later?
My neighbor and I were in line for lunch and we got talking with this lady and she says, ‘You know, there’s a pageant that you’d be perfect for.’ Turns out that she was R.C. Turner, Miss Senior D.C. 2008. I give it some thought. I don’t tell anyone. I don’t want anyone to persuade me or anyone to dissuade me. And I filled out the application. ‘There is a talent portion, [I thought]. That would be great. I can sing. I will have fun.’
This time it wasn’t about scholarship money; it was about service to the city.
One criteria is that the contestants will be judged on their philosophy of life. What is your philosophy?
We are placed here on Earth to carry out God’s mission, will, and daily life jobs. We are each given special gifts and talents to use to fulfill our responsibility to that life. Along the way we’re allowed to enjoy, create, make better, and even make mistakes. Always positively encourage others, especially the young. And really listen to our elders. They have much experience. Always use love. Life is truly wonderful.
Scott McCabe
