Miss Florida USA Faces

JOHOR BARU: It was something out of the movies! This was how beauty queen Angie Goh described the scene at Italy’s Brindisi airport following the hijacking of a Turkish Airlines jet in Greek airspace on Tuesday. She and three beauty queens from Asia who took part in the just completed Miss Globe International pageant were among 113 people on the plane that was hijacked after it took off from Albania.

“Police surrounded the aircraft with assault rifles, there were fire trucks, cabin lights were blinking, with intermittent intercom announcements asking the passengers to put their heads down – it was like the movies,” she said. Goh, 23, from Johor Baru, said when everything was over by about 10pm, everyone clapped and cheered. “During the four-hour ordeal at Brindisi airport, all the passengers were told to remain in their seats and no one was allowed to get up, even to go to the toilet,” she said when contacted at her hotel in Istanbul yesterday.

She said she and three other beauty contestants from Singapore (Mig Tan), India and the Philippines (Jamie Liz Castillo), had boarded the plane for a two-hour flight from Tirana to Istanbul at 4.30pm on Tuesday. “Just as we were reaching Turkey, the captain announced that the plane was changing course towards Italy,” said Goh, who was seated by the window.

“We were tired and did not pay much attention to it until the plane landed and we saw fire engines and police cars with sirens trailing us.” The stewardess had told them that the plane was having some technical problems and the passengers believed her. Her three friends played cards during the four hours that they were held hostage.

“We did not know what was going on as the announcements were mostly in the Albanian language,” said Goh. “We only knew what happened when a policeman came on board later to announce that the plane had been hijacked and that the hijacker had been arrested,” said Goh.

The passengers were then screened and taken to the airport terminal, where they were given food. She left for Turkey several hours later. She SMSed her mother and her manager as soon as the ordeal was over. Her modeling agency manager Anna Koh said Goh was among the finalists in the pageant held between Sept 15 and Oct 1.

Miss Globe International, also known as Miss Globe, is a beauty pageant that is normally held in the eastern Mediterranean region. Sixteen-year-old Viviana Lisbeth Ramos Puma from Venezuela beat contestants from 41 other countries to the title.

Miss Philippines Jamie Liv Castillo (C) receives a kisses from her parents upon arrival at the Manila International airport October 6, 2006. Jamie, a candidate in Miss Globe International pageant, was among the passengers of the hijacked plane in Turkey. On the left is her father Jaime Castillo and on right is her mother Elizabeth Castillo. REUTERS/Romeo Ranoco (PHILIPPPINES)

New York, NY (Oct. 4, 2006) -- Tara Conner, Miss USA for 2006, is flanked by recruiter, SSgt. Daniel Vazquez (left) and Joseph “Poppy” DiGeronimo (right) as she stands in front of a poster signed by passersby in Times Square here today.

After it is full of thoughts and signatures, the poster, sponsored by U-haul, will be sent to the troops during a United Services Organization tour of Iraq of which Connor will be a part. “This is a chance for me to express to the troops that they hold a special place in my heart,” said Connor, “because I have family who are also serving.”

United War Veterans Council of New York set up the display and spread the word gathering people to show their support by signing the poster and telling the troops, via video, that they are being supported.

“We support the troops of today, they need it more today than we did when I came home,” said DiGeronimo, an 82 year-old, WWII, veteran, who volunteers with the UWV of NY. “Through events like this, and the Veteran’s Day Parade, we are raising awareness about the troops of today and those who served before them.”

- Did You Know our Miss Melbourne Teen USA Brandi Wines is producing a March of Dimes fundraiser this upcoming Friday October 6th entitled “Dancing for The Babies”. The performance starts at 7:00pm at the Brevard Community College Cocoa Campus Performing Arts Auditorium. For tickets ($10.00) or how you can contribute contact The Brevard March of Dimes at 321 633-3047. Way to help others and take a leadership role Brandi!

- Kudos to Miss North Central Florida Teen USA Lindsey Bolender on her VIP appearance at The Auburndale "Bloodhound Bash" Parade. The parade started at Auburndale High School and wound our way through downtown into the town square. This is a must do in Auburndale and Miss Bolender “had so much fun being a representative.” Way to be a role model in your community Lindsey!

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If you enjoy reading the stories of our Miss Florida USA Family and want us to know what great things are happening either during or after you reign please email us at telair@aol.com. We love touting our sorority of outstanding Florida women. Please send us a paragraph (or two) on your appearances, awards or community service and include pictures. We want you to have all of the support of this great lifestyle we call Miss Florida USA!

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PICTURE OF THE WEEK!

All of the world’s pageant eyes last week were watching the second most popular championship of pageantry as our Picture of The Week Committee takes us to Poland. This weeks winner capture’s Miss Czech Republic Tatana Kucharova as she waves after being crowned Miss World 2006 in the Congress Hall in Palace of Culture in Warsaw. We are suckers for victory photos! Enjoy our Picture of The Week.