For 23 years The Vignette Club, a member of the Alabama Federation of Women’s Clubs, has produced the Miss Shelby County Pageant, which has provided thousands of dollars in scholarships and funds for local needs.

From the first Miss Shelby County 1988, Donnalee Davis Blankenship, to this year’s Miss Alabama 2009, Liz Cochran, our Miss SC’s have represented our county well. Over the years, three Miss SC’s have gone on to become Miss Alabama and even Miss America: Cochran, Miss SC 2008; Amie Beth Dickinson, Miss SC 1992 and Miss Alabama 2004; and Deidra Downs, Miss SC 2000, Miss Alabama 2004 and Miss America 2005.

In 2008, the Vignette Club Scholarship Support Fund Inc. was organized as a non–profit whose primary purpose is to provide scholarships to Shelby County citizens. Last year’s pageant provided $12,145 in cash, in-kind scholarships, gifts and prizes to the winners. The Vignette Club also gave back more than $11,600 to the community last year.

Miss Shelby County 2010 “A Class Act” kicked off on Liberty Day with a luncheon honoring Cochran, Miss SC 2009 Jessica Andrews, former Miss SC winners and the 2010 pageant sponsors. Attending the luncheon hosted by the Vignette Club, Vignette Nancy Drakos and The Fish Market, and Phoebe and Red Robinson were: Cochran; Blankenship and her daughter Anna; Mrs. Alabama Edwina Chappell and mother of deceased Miss SC 1990, Teresa Chappell; Vignette Melody Byrne, Miss SC 1996 and Director of the Miss SC Pageant; Whitney Weldon Mosley, Miss SC 2003 and new Vignette member; and Melissa Harbison, Miss SC 2007. Also attending were Miss SC 2010 sponsors: Vignette Club President Phyllis French; Columbiana Culture Club President Judy Quick; Novella Club President JoAnne Holcombe; South Shelby Chamber of Commerce Director Stacy Walkup; Rep. Mike Hill and wife Carol, who is also a Vignette; Evan Major and wife, Vignette Linda; Vignette Pam Oliver, wife of Ed Oliver; and Dr. and Mrs. Ben Smith of Smith Chiropractic. After the luncheon Cochran signed autographs for Liberty Day attendees.

Nine contestants will compete for the title of Miss SC 2010. The Vignettes entertained the contestants and their mothers at a tea on July 7 at the home of Vignette Marsha Parson. Vignette members and Miss SC 2009 Jessica Andrews greeted the contestants. Vignette Hayden Jeffries, Miss SC assistant director, told them about the pageant experience and what they might expect if they become the next Miss SC. Joy Andrews, Jessica’s mother, met with the mothers to tell them of her year as the mother of Miss SC 2009.

This year’s pageant will be Friday, July 17 at 7 p.m. at the Shelby County High School Auditorium. Tickets are $10. Children under 10 are free.