Waynesburg teen Loren Schroyer crowned new Miss Rain Day
Miss Rain Day 2018 – Loren Schroyer: Top Interview, Top Talent (tie), Pageantry Spirit Award, Rain Maker Award, Bryn Patton Smile Award
First Runner-up – Joelle Pahanish: Top Gown (tie), Top Talent (tie), Remo C. Bertugli Memorial Award
Second Runner-up – Alison Blair: Top Gown (tie), Top Sportswear, Scholastic Academic Achievement Award, Photogenic Award, John O’Hara Award
Rory Black: Miss Personality Award, Rain Drop Award
Peyton Christopher: Kelly Smotzer Award, Rain Drop Award
Isabelle Tedrow: Rain Drop Award
WAYNESBURG – The incoming Miss Rain Day, 14-year-old Loren Schroyer, had no expectation of winning this year.
Since she would meet the age requirement by literal days – contestants must be 14 by July 29 and Loren celebrated her birthday on Tuesday – she thought she would try to gain some valuable interview skills through competing.
“I just went in it for the experience,” she admitted in an interview Wednesday.
But despite her youth and expectations, Loren was crowned at Sunday’s pageant, fulfilling an almost lifelong goal. She said she was elated underneath the initial shock.
Loren is the daughter of Joel and Courtney Schroyer of Waynesburg. This fall, she will be an eighth-grader at Margaret Bell Miller Middle School.
She can recall vying for the Miss Rain Day crown since the age of 5, and she served as the pageant’s crown bearer at 7.
“I’ve always wanted to represent our community and try to make an impact on peoples’ lives. So entering this young and winning this young, I thought it would be great to show people that it doesn’t matter how old you are, that you can do whatever you put your mind to,” Loren said.
The competition was more relaxed than Loren expected, and she was thankful for the friendly atmosphere. She had anticipated feeling more nervous and stressed on Sunday, but her fellow contestants were very supportive.
For her community service project, Loren would like to give back to Meals on Wheels, the Humane Society of Greene County and Toys for Tots.
In her time as Miss Rain Day, Loren can’t wait to meet new people during her travels and appearances.
Loren loves to read and write. Outside of school, she focuses on her love of dance and said her dance teacher at For the Love of Dance in Carmichaels helped prep her for the competition.
Loren was one of six local teens competing for the crown. The five others were Rory Black, Alison Blair, Peyton Christopher, Joelle Pahanish and Isabelle Tedrow.
Loren performed a contemporary acrobatics routine to “Endangered Species.” She took the top interview, pageantry spirit award, Rain Maker award, Bryn Patton smile award and tied for top talent with runner-up Joelle.
Joelle also took home the Remo C. Bertugli Memorial Award and tied for the top gown with second runner-up, Alison. Alison received the top sportswear spot, the Scholastic Academic Achievement award, photogenic award and the John O’Hara award.
Loren received the crown from outgoing 2017 Miss Rain Day Eden Rogers.
On Sunday, Loren said she is looking forward to performing her dance routine and reading a poem at the Rain Day Boys remembrance ceremony.
Rain Day news
This year’s hat bet is with KDKA anchor and host of Pittsburgh Today Live, Heather Abraham.
She was honored when Mayor Brian Tanner asked her to participate in the tradition, even though she doesn’t feel all that confident in her chances.
“I don’t think my chances are good!” she said with a laugh after noticing that it’s rained 115 of the past 144 recorded years. “I hope it rains.”
She said the practice speaks to the importance of these traditions and stories in our lives, passed down from one generation to the next.
Abraham said she didn’t know much about the Rain Day Boys before getting involved and hosting author Glenn Toothman, Rain Day committee member Athena Bowman and Tanner on her show last week. She was glad to hear of a special tribute for those lives lost.
A church service will kick off this year’s Rain Day festival events at 10 a.m. in front of the Greene County Courthouse. A ceremony to honor the Rain Day Boys will directly follow. The umbrella contest starts at 11:30 a.m. and the diaper derby is at 4 p.m., with food, games, craft vendors, face painting, a petting zoo, and live music all day. Fireworks will cap off the night at 9:45 p.m. For the full schedule, visit www.raindayfestival.com/schedule.html