Junior Miss Candidates Watching Flooding In Midwest

By Steve Alexander Reporter

Junior Miss candidates from Midwest can talk with Alabama's Junior Miss about tragedy. Junior Miss Candidates Watching Flooding In Midwest

Published: Mon, June 23, 2008 - 8:33 pm

Steve Alexander

Some of the young ladies participating in America's Junior Miss scholarship program in Mobile are keeping an eye out for what's happening at home.
Those representing states hit hard by flooding can share experiences with Alabama's Junior Miss, who's seen tragedy in her hometown.
Lisa McGonegle is Iowa's Junior Miss.
McGonegle is from Norwalk, Iowa just south of Des Moines.
Her home wasn't damaged by flood waters, but she watched others nearby work together to try to save homes.
McGonegle said, "It was really neat to see everyone doing their part. The city officials did a great job of regulating the water and also the citizens of the community, just trying to help the best that they could by sandbagging."
Illinois' Junior Miss, Heather Siemienas, can sympathize with the flood victims in Iowa.
She used to live in the state.
Siemienas said, "I did live in Sioux City, Iowa for about three months when I was very young. And just knowing that Cedar Rapids (where there was heavy flooding) is very close to Sioux City, I feel personally affected that this could have been me, this could be my neighbors. Its frightening what's been happening in the Midwest."
Alabama's Junior Miss, Norma Boyd, also knows what's its like to deal with disaster.
She lives in Enterprise where a deadly tornado hit in March 2007.
Boyd said, "I actually live a block away from the high school and my mom was subbing that day and she checked me out at 1:00."
Of the eight students killed from her high school, Boyd said she was close friends with two, and is still close with their families.
Boyd said, "We always go out to their house to visit them, just to stop by and see how they're doing. A bunch of us will get together and go over there and swim or play pool because they loved that, they absolutely love it."
The finals of the competition will be held this Saturday night at 7 at the Mobile Civic Center Theater.