Photo by Keith Stewart
Pictured is Gabrielle Uphoff of Sullivan being crowned Miss Moultrie-Douglas Tuesday night by the former Miss Mo-Do Maria Meyer.

First Sullivan queen since 2006

•July 8, 2015•

by Keith Stewart
keith@newsprogress.com

She may have come off to the judges as a seasoned pro, but for Gabrielle Uphoff of Sullivan, Tuesday night’s pageant was her first.
So was her crown.
“I’m kind of in shock, but I’m very excited,” said Uphoff shortly after her crowning. “Fairs are my favorite.”
The two-hour pageant came after months of preparation that for Uphoff included, perhaps more than those with more pageant-going experience.
“It’s been practicing interview skills, and trying to calm my nerves when it came to my speech, and walking,” said the 2015 Miss Mo-Do. “I’ve never done anything like this, but it’s been a great experience. My mom and I went over pages of interview questions and speeches, and outfits. It’s been an all day, every day process.”
“She’s put quite a bit of work into it over the last few months,” added her father Phillip. “Practicing her speech and the whole wardrobe. I basically kept out of it. It was all her and mom and her friends. I’m just very proud of her.”
“It’s been very stressful and a lot of work, but it was fun too, kind of like prom,” said her mother Stacey. “The best part is the preparation. We’ve spent a lot of time together, practicing questions and walking.”
The last time there was a Mo-Do queen from Sullivan was in 2006 when Danielle Ketchmark was crowned.     Login or Subscribe to read the rest of this story.