Prestigious pioneers picked
Sequim Irrigation Festival announced its 2021 dignitaries recently, as the organization looks to celebrate Washington state’s longest running continuous community celebration in 2021. This year;s festival honorees include: Grand Pioneers Dave Cameron and Judy Markley; Honorary Pioneers Richard “Dick” Parker and Emily Westcott, and Grand Marshal Amanda Beitzel. Read more about these honorees in upcoming editions of the Sequim Gazette.
Royalty Court to be determined
For the first time, the Sequim Irrigation Festival’s Royalty Pageant is going online.
Four teens — Allie Gale, Hannah Hampton, Zoee Kuperus and Sydney VanProyen — filmed the pageant on Feb. 20 inside the Olympic Theatre Arts Center.
Videographer Silas Crews will edit the program for a debut at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27, on Sequim Irrigation Festival’s Facebook page at facebook.com/SequimIrrigationFestival, and website, irrigationfestival.com.
Contestants will learn who is crowned queen while watching from home, organizers said.
The decision to go virtual comes after a year of countless community events were cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It’s good we’re still doing it,” Hampton said in a group interview. “It’s nice to have something going on. It adds some stability for the community.”
Kuperus added, “people need something to look forward to because there hasn’t been much to look forward to.”
Gale said even though the public won’t be there, they are there in spirit and “we need to make the best out of what we get.”
“Sure it’s different,” VanProyen said. “Hopefully, this year we all get to do something because it’s a challenge we’re all up for.
“We want to represent our community, no matter the circumstances.”
In years past, the royalty court traveled across Western Washington with a float to represent Sequim. How much they’ll participate in 2021 is to be determined, festival organizers say.
This year, the 126th consecutive year for the festival, boasts the theme “Sequim, A Place For You to Rome” — paying tribute to the bygone civilization that championed irrigation practices.
At the end of the year as royalty, the queen receives $1,250 and royalty members $1,000 in scholarships.
• Allie Gale
Sponsors: Scott Koenigsaecker, Jennifer Gillis of Sequim Community Church
Platform: Support the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
Gale said she found a love for working with children after she became an intern at Sequim Community Church. During the pandemic, she and a friend created a weekly show to provide Bible lessons for children.
As her love for children has grown, she’s become more drawn to study pediatrics for a career.
After moving to Sequim from the Island of Maui in 2012, she was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, hence her platform to raise funds for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.
Gale said since moving here, she’s felt being a part of the royalty would be a good experience.
“From knowing past royalty, it sounded like something that’d be fun,” she said.
Gale enjoys riding ATVs with her dad (Steve) and making crafts with her mom (Lisa).
She also plays on Sequim High School’s tennis and volleyball teams.
• Hannah Hampton
Sponsor: Solar City
Platform: Support the Olympic Peninsula Autism Center
Hampton said joining the royalty would be a “good opportunity to take part in community service and connect with people in a social way” despite the pandemic.
She said she spends a lot of time with her family, parents Chance and Sarah O’Neil and sisters Karli, Cameryn and Elaina — helping raise pigs, turkeys, goats and chickens on their farm.
Along with raising animals, Hampton said she’s taken to baking various breads, treats such as eclairs and more.
She’s active at Sequim High School serving as Associated Student Body secretary, Future Business Leaders of America president, on the boards of the Health Occupational Students of America and Knowledge Bowl, and as a student liaison to the Sequim city council.
In high school, Hampton has accumulated more than 150 community service hours. She plans to pursue a career as a neurosurgeon.
Her platform supports the Olympic Peninsula Autism Center because her younger sister has mild autism and she hopes to support those affected by it.
• Zoee Kuperus
Sponsor: Jose’s Famous Salsa
Platform: Support the Welfare of Animals Guild
Kuperus said she never imagined trying out for the pageant but her friend VanProyen suggested it.
“We’re still not back in a school building yet, so I thought it’d be a good opportunity to be involved and a good social opportunity,” she said.
Kuperus said she has a true passion for anything to do with art, including painting, photography, ceramics, origami and much more. She’s competed in multiple art contests and won the 2018 Sequim BirdFest People’s Choice Award.
During the pandemic, Kuperus said she taught herself to crochet and continued her small business of shoe customization and making resin creations.
She is working on an Associate’s degree in computer science at Peninsula College before transferring to Western Washington University to pursue computer science emphasizing animation and/or video game design.
Kuperus also has a musical background, playing piano, ukulele and flute.
Her platform supports the Welfare for Animals Guild because she loves animals.
• Sydney VanProyen
Sponsor: O’Bria PNW
Platform: Support Captain Joseph’s House
VanProyen was named Miss Congeniality in the pageant last year.
“I thought it was a good opportunity and I loved (pageant co-directors) Lynn (Horton) and Robin (Bookter),” she said. “When you do this, you get to be with each other and it’s like a family. It’s a good opportunity to represent the town, too.”
VanProyen said she enjoys going on adventures, working out at the gym, driving on dirt roads and blasting good music. During the pandemic, she’s taken to dirt bike riding, too.
VanProyen said she found a love for veterans and the military at a young age, she said, and plans to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps. Her goal is to become a K-9 handler or serve in the Marines for her career.
VanProyen said she loves spending time with her family, particularly her nieces, and tries to catch the sunset each day because it means she is thankful for conquering another day.
Her platform seeks to support the Captain Joseph’s House Foundation in Port Angeles.
