The Camellia City Junior Woman's Club spent part of Monday night's meeting making fans and buttons with Shannon Farrar's picture on them so attendants from Butler County can show their support for Shannon during the state Junior Miss Program on Jan. 21 and 22 in Montgomery. Shown above are Frieda Wilson, Carol Lee, Shannon Farrar, April Smith and Starla Jones.

Photo by Derek Brown

Shannon Farrar says she wants to put a sign around her neck to help answer everyone's questions that reads: "YES, I'm going-NO, I'm not nervous-YES, I'm prepared. Butler County's representative to the state Junior Miss Program in Montgomery on Jan. 21 and 22 will be leaving for rehearsals on Jan. 14.

Now that the program is just around the corner, Shannon says the sign may not be such a good idea.

"Now its getting closer and we keep talking about it, I am getting nervous and I may have to change my sign," she said to the regular meeting of the Camellia City Junior Woman's Club on Monday night.

Farrar said she was excited about representing Butler County in the Junior Miss program and has taken certain steps to make sure she keeps the butterflies in check.

"To minimize stress I will be playing the same piano piece I performed in the county program and I will be wearing the same white dress in both the talent and final portions of the program," she said.

The Junior Woman's Club spent part of Monday night's meeting making the final preparations for Farrar's departure. The group prepared fans and buttons with Shannon's picture on them so the Butler County attendants can show their support for our county's Junior Miss.

Junior Miss chairperson for the woman's club Carol Lee said Shannon will spend the next week preparing for the program, and will be staying with a host family in Montgomery.

In the Junior Miss program, representatives from each Alabama County will compete for thousands of dollars in scholarship money. The competitors are judged on a variety of platforms including an interview, scholastic achievement, creative and performing arts, physical fitness and presence and composure.

Lee said the woman's club will be sending a contingent of more than 60 people from Butler County to show support for Shannon in the program. She said the event will be staged through three separate programs; one Friday night, one Saturday afternoon and the finals on Saturday night. Shannon will perform in the talent portion of the program on Friday night and will compete in the physical fitness and presence and composure portions on Saturday afternoon. Lee said the field will be thinned to eight finalists following an opening performance Saturday night. Those eight will compete in the finals. The state Junior Miss will be awarded more than $10,000 in scholarships.

Lee said that anyone in the community who wishes to send well-wishes to Shannon during her stay in Montgomery should contact her at the Chamber of Commerce office for the address.