Azlinn Alder
The 23rd annual Miss Food City Pageant was held on Saturday, Oct. 17, at the historic Paramount Center for the Arts in Downtown Bristol. Each year, the pageant showcases young women from across the region. Saturday evening, 16 contestants entered the beautiful Paramount Center for the Arts in hopes of winning the coveted title.
When the moment arrived, Azlinn Hope Alder of Jefferson City, Tn., was crowned Miss Food City 2016. "I was completely shocked to hear my name called as Miss Food City 2016. Joy filled my heart, and honor filled my mind knowing that I was chosen to represent this outstanding company,” she said. “I love everything Food City stands for and does in the community. I’m excited to see where this journey leads with all the unique opportunities this year."
Ms. Alder is a 20-year-old student at the University of Tennessee. She is self-employed at “Azlinn Hope”. She enjoys fashion, modeling, golfing, singing, fitness, staying healthy, volunteering and is an active member of her church. Her accomplishments include starting her own business, “Azlinn Hope Boutique” at the age of 19, having her creative works of poetry and prose published in an arts magazine and winning the 2014 Miss Tennessee American’s National Teenage Scholarship title, which provided her with numerous opportunities to serve her community. She earned an Associate Degree and is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s Degree in Retail and Consumer Business Administration, in hopes of furthering her business knowledge and skills in order to turn her “Azlinn Hope” line into a global lifestyle brand.
Ms. Alder will represent Food City during its sponsorship of the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Food City 500 and the XFinity Series Food City 300 at Bristol Motor Speedway, as well as other race and company related activities and events throughout 2016. She will also have the unique opportunity to represent Food City during the Battle at Bristol in September at what promises to be the largest attended college football game in history between the University of Tennessee and Virginia Tech.
“We would certainly like to thank all of the talented young ladies who participated in this year’s Miss Food City Pageant and wish them all the best with their future endeavors,” said Steven C. Smith, Food City president and chief executive officer. “We are extremely excited to have Azlinn representing Food City in the coming year. I’m confident she will be an excellent spokesperson for our company.”
First runner-up was Megan Grace Stanley of Abingdon, Va. Second runner-up was Emelea Shaunta Talford of Bristol, Va. Amanda Burke of Fall Branch, Tn., was selected as Miss Photogenic. Ms. Alder succeeds Kassie Marie Perkins of Harriman, Tn., who held the title of Miss Food City 2015.
The annual pageant was directed by the ladies of the Twin City Woman’s Club, with event proceeds benefitting their sponsored projects and charities. “We would like to thank everyone who worked to make the pageant such a huge success, especially the members of the Twin City Woman’s Club for doing such a tremendous job directing the event, as well as WXBQ and Reggie Neel, the Paramount Center for the Arts, our performers and, of course our Food City associates and the many others who volunteered their time and talent to assist with the pageant,” said Mr. Smith.
Second runner-up, Emelea Shaunta Talford, winner, Azlinn Hope Alder, and first runner-up, Megan Grace Stanley