Anderson pageant allows people with disabilities to shine and show off their beauty.
Cheers and applause rang out as men and women strutted across the pageant stage to let their true abilities outshine their disabilities.
The annual "You Are Beautiful Pageant" was held on Thursday, Jan. 18 at the Anderson County Civic Center, 3027 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd.
Cody Darby won the People's Choice Award for the most audience votes.
Everyone was a winner. All 31 contestants received awards. Women received certificates and tiaras, and men received bronze medals. They were all smiles as a crowd of about 150 cheered for them.
"They deserve to be in the spotlight and show us what love and true beauty mean," said Lauren Ross, pageant co-founder.
Raegan McCullough and Ross decided to create the "You Are Beautiful Pageant" for people with intellectual impairments. They came up with the idea while working at the Rainbow Gang, a free day program for adults with intellectual disabilities operated and funded by Anderson County.
Ross was helping McCullough train for Miss South Carolina. The adults in the Rainbow Gang program were inspired by their experience and wanted to learn how to participate in their beauty pageant.
McCullough and Ross said the participants have so much fun yearly that they passed the production to Area 14 Special Olympics. They decided to continue the pageant every year.
The event showcased the beauty of the special needs community while raising money for the Anderson Special Olympic Teams, said Kathy Schofield, co-director of Anderson Special Olympics.
Anderson County Area 14 Special Olympics offers year-round sports training and competition in various Olympic-type sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
This year's event featured 31 male and female contestants ages 13 and up, with 90% of them being returning contestants, as stated by Schofield.
"This year's beauty pageant also featured a dance routine from students who attend the Upstate Carolina Dance Studio," said Ashlen Brest, a dance student. "Doing a production like this shows what special needs students are capable of. "They enjoy and put time in to remember and perform."
DJ Matthew Hilley entertained the contestants with his performance.
Hilley said to emcee a show of this magnitude for Area 14 Special Olympics is an honor. He said when you volunteer, it's an invaluable part of life.
"To see the joy and happiness on the contestants' faces is more than enough. I'm so proud to be part of this event," he said.
Beauty pageant judges included special education teacher Hannah Morton, co-host of "Your Carolina" Jamarcus Gaston, and Miss South Carolina Teen 2022 Piper Holt.
Holt is a freshman at Clemson University who is inspired to work with special needs children when she graduates.
"I judged this event last year," she said. "It's really cool to see returning contestants and the first-time contestants. You see the contestants' growth and confidence every year."
Kathleen Stoller won the You Are Beautiful Queen award and Pasha Spainhour won the Handsome Hunk award.
"For my daughter Kathleen Stoller to receive this award, I am so proud of her," West Pelzer Police Chief Scott Stoller said. "She has autism, and this beauty pageant allows her to be equal."
Ashley Morris won the Raegan McCullough Award, and Dwight Ables won the Lauren Ross Award.
The awards are given to those who exemplify the co-founders' qualities.
The "You Are Beautiful Pageant" raised $375. The money raised will go to Area 14 Special Olympics.
Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Anderson Independent Mail: Anderson pageant empowers people with disabilities to show their beauty
