Lindsey Graham, Miss New Hampshire 2009 To Sing National Anthem at NASCAR Sprint Cup Race

Loudon, NH -- June 24, 2009 -- Lindsey Graham, Miss New Hampshire 2009, will sing the National Anthem at next weekend's NASCAR race, telecast nationally on the TNT cable network. Lindsey will attend the June 28th LENOX Industrial Tools 301 NASCAR Sprint Cup race as the guest of the New Hampshire Motor Speedway. The TNT coverage begins with NASCAR on TNT Live! at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, June 28, 2009. It continues with "Countdown to Green" at 1:30 p.m. and the race begins at 2:00 p.m. It is likely that it will be during the "Countdown to Green" show that the Anthem coverage will occur. Check your local listings.

There are still tickets remaining for Sunday's race. To learn more about the speedway and NASCAR visit www.nhms.com.

Sandown's Lindsey Graham is Miss New Hampshire 2009

LINDSAY GRAHAM is hugged by
the first runner-up, Meghan
Lamontagne of Pelham.
(CHERYL SENTER)

The Miss New Hampshire Class of 2009

Twenty-six contestants joined Miss New Hampshire 2008, Natalie Shaw, at "Boot Camp" on March 7th at the Marion Gerrish Community Center in Derry, New Hampshire. What began last June as a quest by seventy women from across the state of New Hampshire to succeed Natalie Shaw will end on Saturday, May 2, 2009, with the selection of her successor at Pinkerton Academy's Stockbridge Theatre in Derry. Tickets are now on sale at the Miss NH Office by calling 437-9027.

From left to right front row: Chantel McCabe, Alicia Rossman, Jillian Wheeler, Natalie Shaw (Miss NH 2008), Janine Mitchell, Abigail Phelan, Jennifer Clements. 2nd row: Lauren Gorgol, Samantha Massahos, Kristen Ruggieri, Darcy Cain, Lindsey Graham, Rachel Rendina. 3rd Row: Rebecca Scalera, Katrina Bernard, Krystal Miller, Meghan Lamontagne, Erica Millett, Brittany Dube. Back Row: Asheley Chaput, Kayla King, Lauryn DeBaie, Brittany Crosby, Regan Hartley, Elysha Greenberg, Caitlin McGlinchey, and Lissa Silk.

2008-2009 Local Program Year Successes

Locals grant nearly $85,000 in scholarships

Seventy different women competed in at least one local competition

Here we grow again! Another recording-breaking year concluded with the crowning of our last two contestants at Miss Granite State/Miss Merrimack Valley on Sunday, February 22, 2009. This year we have 26 state contestants, up from last year's 22 titleholders. This year it's a three night competition-Thursday, April 30, 2009, Friday, May 1, 2009 and finals are on Saturday May 2, 2009.

Although not quite a record, we had 70 different contestants this year, up from 58 from last year. (Our record year was 72 in 2006-2007.) These 70 different young women shared in nearly $85,000.00 in scholarships granted at the local level. The program year began last June in Derry and ended with the runners-up program held at Pembroke Academy. The yearlong competition goes from 70 down to one by the end of Saturday evening at the 63rd annual Miss New Hampshire Scholarship competition. The curtain is set to go up at 7:00 p.m. for both the preliminary nights and 6:30 p.m. for the finals at the Stockbridge Theater, located in Pinkerton Academy's Spaulding Arts & Humanities Center in Derry.

Board President, Brenda Keith, stated, "The growth this year is especially meaningful in that we have finally reached out to every corner of the state. What was essentially a Greater Manchester area program back in 2000 when we assumed the leadership has now reached to Coos County, the Dover/Rochester area with Strafford County, the Monadnock Region, and this year we finally got back into Cheshire County with the addition of Miss Keene Area and Miss Kearsarge Valley.

"We maintained an average of 12 contestants per local competition, which is about the same as the last two or three years," Brenda indicated. A brand new local program, Keene/Kearsarge had the highest number of contestants at 18. Brenda opined, "I think the number of contestants out in Keene is attributable to two things - first Marion Murray is a returning local chapter director having conducted a local competition until 2001, retiring for a while due to relocating. The second reason is pent-up demand for a program in the area."

The average scholarships granted per local title declined slightly, but Brenda indicated that with the local chapter participation in charitable gaming events, she expects the average to soar for the 2009-2010 local program year. The new local programs included: Miss Monadnock Region, Miss Greater Plaistow, Miss Keene Area, and Miss Kearsarge Valley. Three of the four received Miss America start-up grants of $500 each.

The Miss New Hampshire Board of Directors also funded new contestant grants this past year, which helped to generate 36 brand new contestants this year, up from 24 last year. The new contestant recruitment incentive program will remain in effect for the 2009-2010 program year, and the Miss America Organization has retained its start up grant program. Miss Littleton Area is set to launch this year, and will be eligible for the grant.

Announcing the Top 10 Local Chapters for 2008-2009!

The following chapters ranked as the top ten local chapters in New Hampshire for the 2008-2009 year-in terms of scholarships granted:

Top Five Miss New Hampshire Event Fundraisers for Calendar 2008

The top five event-oriented fundraisers for the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Program during calendar year 2008 were (net income is rounded to the nearest 100):

1. Saturday Night Bingo at Taylor's Hall: $34,870.00
   Paul Gilberti, Chair
2. 5th Annual MB Tractor Golf Classic: $22,180.00
   Karen Proulx, Chair
3. Gillette Stadium Concession Stand: $11,830.00
   Trisha Tidd, Chair
   Elaine Tidd, Assistant Chair
4. Miss New Hampshire 2008 Competition: $10,575.00
   Bill Haggerty, Producer
   Michele Hanson, Program Book Chair
   Jennifer Blanchard, Patron's Party Chair
5. Miss New Hampshire Ball: $10,307.00
   Emily & Betty Hughes, Co-Chairs

Miss NH Organization welcomes Terry Landry as its new Executive Assistant

Terry Landry has joined the Miss New Hampshire team as its new Executive Assistant. She replaces Joanne Hemond who held the position since she began her senior year at Pinkerton in September of 2007. Joanne is off to her freshman year at the University of Southern Maine.

Terry has been part of the team for quite some time, having served as traveling companion from 1991 until 1993. She serves as Assistant Judges Chair each year with her daughter, former Miss NH Jennifer Landry Blanchard.

Terry retired earlier this year from the Union Leader's accounting department. She and her husband, Gerry, are avid golfers. Terry has resided in Manchester, NH her entire life. Terry will be at the Miss NH office at 20 East Broadway, Derry most weekdays from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Terry will assume the use of the Executive Assistant's email, which is execassist@missnh.org.

Miss New Hampshire gets a brand new car!

Miss New Hampshire, Natalie Shaw, picked up her brand new C-30 Volvo from Merrimack Street Volvo in Manchester on August 6th from Alex Saidel. The Saidel family has owned the dealership since the 1930s. Claudette Jolin, co-Executive Director, stated, "We are so thrilled and thankful to have Merrimack Street Volvo as a sponsor for the Miss New Hampshire Scholarship Organization. This enables Miss New Hampshire to travel throughout the Granite State in a safe and exciting automobile."

While Natalie was in Orlando to support Megan Lyman in the Miss America's Outstanding Teen pageant, another Miss N.H. Organization sponsor, Universal Signs of Manchester, worked their magic and produced beautiful lettering for the brand new car. Many thanks go out to Wayne Comire and Mark Lareau for their dedication and support of our program.

Natalie Shaw crowned Miss New Hampshire 2008
$81,000 in scholarship awards granted

Derry - Natalie Shaw of Manchester won the Miss New Hampshire 2008 title on Saturday May 3, 2008 at Pinkerton Academy's Stockbridge Theatre. A 23-year-old graduate of Plymouth State University with a B.A. in Musical Theatre and Pedagogy, she is an elementary music teacher in the Manchester school district. Natalie competed as Miss Hooksett. She won a $15,000 scholarship with the title and the right to represent the Granite State at Miss America next January. She also received another $2,250 in scholarships for winning the overall talent award, the overall interview award, and a preliminary night talent award.

Runners up included: 4th runner up, Katrina Bernard, Miss Greater Derry, which brought with it a $3,500 scholarship award. Third runner up, Brittany Dube, Miss Granite State won $4,500.00 in scholarship awards. Miss Stratham Fair, Brittany Crosby, won 2nd runner up honors and a $5,000.00 scholarship. The first runner up was Miss Weirs Beach, Justine Barker, who earned a $6,000 scholarship.

The Donald C. Anderson Platform award and a $1,500.00 scholarship went to Katrina Bernard. Katrina also won the Miss America Community Service award worth $1,000. The Meg Geraghty Community Service award went to Olivia Karpinski, Miss Strafford County, which brought with it a $1,500 scholarship. Olivia also won the non-finalist interview award worth $500 and the George Naum Congeniality Award worth $1,000. The $2,500 Suzanne Knox Memorial Academic Achievement Award went to Erika Lehman, Miss Lakes Region. The Miss America Scholar Award, worth $1,000, went to Lindsey Graham, Miss Rockingham County, who also won a preliminary night swimsuit award worth $250. The non-finalist talent award went to Miss Londonderry, Elysha Greenberg. Meghan Lamontagne, Miss Merrimack Valley, won both the swimsuit and talent preliminary awards for the Group A contestants.

Rounding out the top 10 and winners of $2,500 scholarships were: Alyssa McLaughlin, Miss Manchester; Melissa DeGroot, Miss Winnipesaukee; Alicia Rossman, Miss Kingston; Lindsey Graham, Miss Rockingham County, and Meghan Lamontagne, Miss Merrimack Valley. All remaining contestants received a $2,000 scholarship.

Read these interesting articles about our Miss New Hampshire Class of 2008:

April 27, 2008 ~ Contestants hope to be crowned Miss New Hampshire... (Lawrence Eagle Tribune)

April 26, 2008 ~ Contestants gear up for the Miss N.H. competition... (Seacoast Online)

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