»Miss Space Coast USA Recap

For the first time the Miss USA system ventured into The Space Coast as last Sunday as we presented the 25^th title of the year on the way to Miss Florida USA this summer. Congratulations goes to Miss Space Coast USA 2006 Tasheia Pelham and Miss Space Coast Teen USA 2006 Maddie LaRue as they continue the rich tradition of success at Miss Florida USA from the region. Miss Florida USA 1979 Penny Sheriden (who judged the event) represented Merritt Island while our current Miss Florida USA Melissa Witek hales from Cocoa Beach even though she was Miss Panhandle USA before the title.

As always our camera was in tow and enjoy the pictures!

Allison Kreiger has her picture taken before the pageant.

» Catching Up With…..Penny Sheridan, Miss Florida USA

It was so much fun catch up with our Miss Florida USA 1979, Penny Sheridan Flaherty; and all the memories that were brought back. Here’s a personal reflection; my family took over the license in January 1979 and put together not only a pageant but a live telecast in sixty days! Our first show originated from the original Diplomat Hotel from Hollywood and Ms. Sheridan will always have that special place in our memories as our very first titleholder as Florida state directors!

Penny Sheridan Flahrtey

with Pageant Producer Mary Lou Gravitt

Since Ms. Sheridan Flaherty passed the title to Miss Florida USA 1980 Barbara Baan she has been involved in the cruise industry in nearby Port Canaveral. After a successful run of businesses involved in Cruise related retail she venture out on her own and started Island Boat Lines Water Taxi & Eco Tours. The fleet of boats offer daily Eco-Tours departing from various locations throughout the Space Coast. Taking advantage of the Space Coast water-ways that are abundant with herds of manatees, flocks of birds and dolphins. These unique estuaries allow passengers the opportunity to observe rookery islands world famous for its eco system.

We recently ran across this article that local Melbourne newspaper Florida Today ran on Ms. Sheridan Flahrety

How does she do it? Miss Florida USA 1979 Manages Hectic Schedule

KATHY HAGOOD
FOR FLORIDA TODAY

Run a water taxi eco-tour company . . . Supervise the renovation of a 270-passenger paddle wheel boat . . . Serve on committees . . . Attend networking events . . . Take care of her family . . . And still find time for herself?

Penny Flaherty, entrepreneur and former Miss Florida USA goes to as many networking meetings as she can fit into her busy schedule as a wife, mother of three and owner of Island Boat Lines. Flaherty is on a one-woman crusade to ensure her two-and-a-half-year-old water taxi eco-tour boat company becomes a fixture in the area. She often can be seen at community events and committee meetings sporting her company's signature colors, bright yellow and aqua, and driving around town in her yellow X-Terra adorned with her company logo. "To run a successful eco-tour company, you've got to get your name out there as much as possible. We've always called ourselves a local word-of-mouth phenomenon," she said. Her marketing efforts are time-consuming, especially when added to her other duties as a business owner. Plus, Flaherty has taken on the renovation of a 270-passenger paddle-wheel boat, the M/V Indian River Queen. "I've learned to live with a little clutter at home, because I just don't have time to keep things perfect," she said.

To save time, she brushes her teeth in the shower, uses tinted sunscreen instead of makeup, files her nails at red lights, cleans the kitchen while making coffee and has taught her children, Philip, 17, Peter, 14, and Marina, 11, to cook, clean and do laundry. Her husband, John, a physician, pitches in and her mother, Joyce Sheridan, offers her help when Flaherty needs assistance with baby-sitting, running errands and the like. Flaherty's sister-in-law, Debbie Sheridan, serves as her office assistant. "My family is supportive, which is lucky because I don't know how I would do it all otherwise," she said. It was her son, Peter, who motivated her to start Island Boat Lines. Flaherty had owned several companies as a young woman, but decided to sell her business and retire when she had children. Then, when her sons decided to start a tour-boat business for fun, she bought them a small fixer-upper boat to restore. "But Peter chided me that I needed to quit spending Dad's money," Flaherty said. "It made me realize that my children didn't realize that I had contributed to what he and I have accumulated over the years."

The comment served as a challenge for Flaherty to show her children her entrepreneurial skills. She decided to take the eco-tour boat concept and apply it on a larger scale. "My children thought I was crazy when I first started talking about it, but now they're really proud of me," she said.

TYPICAL DAY:

7:30 a.m.: Wake up. Read newspaper with a cup of coffee. Check daily calendar.
8 a.m.: Wake up her daughter.
8:30 a.m.: Take her daughter to school.
9 a.m.: Check e-mail and calendar at the office and review all faxes that came in during the evening.
10 a.m.: Attend a meeting.
10:30 a.m.: Develop tours, advertising and marketing.
11 a.m.: Call U.S. Coast Guard for site inspection of vessels. Take calls from customers and sales people.
1 p.m.: Greet 85 students and seven teachers boarding the boat for a field trip.
1:15 p.m.: Meet a client at the boat for a site inspection.
2 p.m.: Go by the Indian River Queen to inspect work and make decisions regarding doors.
3 p.m.: Stop by Excel Marine to discuss tune-ups and maintenance schedule for pontoon vessels.
3:30 p.m.: Pick up daughter.
4 p.m.: Shop the Internet for supplies for the Queen.
5 p.m.: Put ribs in the oven to slow-cook prior to grilling.
6 p.m.: Drop daughter off at hip-hop dance and meet crew at the chamber of commerce's Wednesday Friends day.
8 p.m.: Return home with crew to eat dinner.
9 p.m.: Help her daughter, Marina, wash dishes.
9:30 p.m.: Read with her daughter before she goes to sleep.
10 p.m.: Check agenda for the next day.

»Kudos & Did You Knows:

Kudos to Allison Kreiger who was awarded The Phyllis M. Meeks Spirit of Susan B. Anthony award at The University of Florida. The award is presented by the Division of Student Affairs to a female graduate or undergraduate student who promotes the opportunities, rights, and advancement of women at the University of Florida and in the Gainesville community. Ms. Kreiger was awarded for her work in eating disorder outreach and prevention. The award was presented to at the Women’s History Month Awards Reception. Congratulations Allison!

Congratulations to Ms. Krieger on her award!

- Kudos to Linnea Maloney as she joins our Miss Florida USA family and has already added Miss Space Coast USA to her roster of pageants along with the upcoming Miss Kissimmee USA pageant. We look forward to many great pageants under Ms. Maloney’s direction. Welcome Linnea!

- Did you Know(tice!) that we left out our Miss Ft. Myers Teen USA Heather Mowry’s picture with the new Miss Florida America Teen Winner? Well we included it this week for your enjoyment. My bad!

»Pageant News Wanted!
Are you a titleholder or at large delegate who is making appearances or doing good things in the community? We would love to tell all of the Miss Florida USA Family your story. Send pictures and updates to telair@aol.com as we feature everything Miss Florida USA on Friday’s at Faces & Places.

»This Week Ahead for Miss Florida USA

The week’s “Road To Hollywood heads South from I-95 in Melbourne to Boca Raton for the inaugural Miss Boca Raton USA Pageants. Results on Monday and in the audience reports on Friday’s only at Face & Places! Keeping you up to date on everything Miss Florida USA only at YOUR favorite competition website on the internet!

» MISS FLORIDA USA SPRING/SUMMER APPEARANCE SCHEDULE

Always the hard working Miss Florida USA is Melissa Witek as you can see by her upcoming schedule. If you are in any of the areas that she is appearing please stop by and show your support. Of course look for pictures and articles in upcoming Faces and Places articles.

Miss Florida USA Schedule

May 5-7 -Pretapings for Miss FL USA 2006 telecast (Hollywood, FL)

May 7 - Coin Tosser and Special Guest at the first game of the Central Florida Krush soccer season (Lake Mary, FL)

May 14-15 - Host for Miss Port Charlotte/Naples/Marco Island USA pageant

May 18 - City of Hollywood Commission meeting recognition and Expo Alfresco

May 19 - Broward Outreach Center's "Too Hot for Fashion" show

May 28 - Autograph signing at Ron Jon's Surf Shop (Cocoa Beach, FL)

June 1 - Special Guest at Wednesday Friends Day (Cocoa Beach, FL)

June 3 - Special Guest at "A Taste of Cocoa Beach" Gala (Cocoa Beach, FL)

June 4 - Grand Marshal of Cocoa Beach's 80th Anniversary Parade and judge for Coconuts Bikini contest

June 9-10 - Pretaping for Miss FL USA 2006 telecast

June 9-12 - Celebrity Guest for the Crockett Foundation/Athletes 4 Causes (to include kickoff party, dinner/gala, and golf tournament)

June 13 - Youth Birthday Party appearance in Orlando

June 14 - Celebrity Tour of Arnold Palmer Children's Hospital, hosted by Children's Miracle Network (Orlando, FL)

»Alumni News Wanted!

If you know of any Miss Florida USA alumni in the news please drop us an email to feature them in future articles. Email all info to info@missfloridausa.com! Until next week here to good pageantry!

PICTURE OF THE WEEK!

Here is Miss Denmark Universe 2005, Gitte Hanspal when she won her Scandinavian title with her court.

Love the crowns (!) enough to make it our picture of the week! Enjoy