Abby Phalen crowned 2019 Sweet Corn Festival Queen

JENNIFER SOMMER
Posted 8/15/19

Abby Phalen was excited when the Mendota Quarterback Club asked her to be their sponsor in the 72nd Annual Sweet Corn Festival Queen Pageant.

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Abby Phalen crowned 2019 Sweet Corn Festival Queen

Posted

MENDOTA – Abby Phalen was excited when the Mendota Quarterback Club asked her to be their sponsor in the 72nd Annual Sweet Corn Festival Queen Pageant. “I have watched the pageant since I was very young,” she said.

The pageant kicks off a weekend full of activities many contestants have looked forward to every summer, year after year. It also represents a rite of passage. The recent high school graduates are ready to start the next chapter of their lives. This is one last hurrah with the friends they have grown up with in Mendota.

Abby’s memories of the Sweet Corn Festival include going to the carnival, eating sweet corn and corn dogs, and seeing familiar faces. “Every time you turn around, there is someone that you know,” she said.

During high school, Abby volunteered with the Mendota High School volleyball team to help serve the piping hot, buttered, sweet corn after the annual Grand Parade. She made sure to take her share of corn after her shift ended, she joked.

Whether attending the festival events or volunteering, the Annual Sweet Corn Festival holds its place in the memories of many who grew up in Mendota. They will be fond memories for Abby, as well. “Seeing everyone come together at the festival every year is just so much fun,” she said.

Abby is the daughter of Tim and Jan Phalen of Mendota. She graduated from Mendota High School this spring, where she was a member of the National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, and Math Team. She was an honor student for all eight semesters. She also competed in Academic Challenge for all four years. She was very athletic and played on the volleyball team for four years and was a captain for two years. She also participated in basketball and track all four years and was a captain for both teams her senior year. Abby was chosen as an Illinois State Scholar and as class secretary during this past year at MHS. She also received the non-heritage Spanish speaking award, the Kilmartin Award and many others.

She has spent this summer working as a camp counselor at the Mendota YMCA, working day camp, after care, and coaching sports camps for kids.

Also this summer, Abby and 14 other young women began practicing for the Mendota Sweet Corn Festival Queen Pageant, under the direction of pageant chairpersons, Rachel Buchanan and Alison Wasmer. Publicity photos were taken, stage presence and poise were rehearsed and answering impromptu questions was practiced.

Abby recalled the pre-pageant activities with her fellow classmates, “We laughed a lot. None of us have been in a pageant before.”

Contestants met the judges at the Pageant Tea the afternoon of the pageant. Interviewing all of the contestants were Kim Curl - human resources, Starved Rock Wood Products, Mendota; Zackary VanKeulen, RN - director of emergency services, OSF HealthCare Saint Paul Medical Center, Mendota; and Tara Knauf - representative of Central Bank Illinois, Peru.

As the pageant started, Masters of Ceremony, Don and Karen Goy introduced the contestants to the gathered crowd.

Abby said she was very nervous but the other girls were, as well. “It didn’t help that none of us were calm,” she admitted.

She recalled the question she was asked on stage: What was the most meaningful information ever given to you and by whom.

Abby stated that her father told her, “Who you are when no one is watching is who you truly are.” It reminds her of the importance to be a good person at all times, not just when people are watching, she noted.

“I did not think that I would be queen, especially against the other finalists that were named because they are just so amazing,” she commented.

She noted that people not from Mendota might not understand the importance of the pageant. “I have memories with each and every girl on the stage; we have all grown up together,” she said.

After being crowned queen, she said that she is honored to be among the list of past pageant queens.

The other finalists were Katherine Wohrley, daughter of Kevin and Jill Wohrley and Gillian Sondgeroth, daughter of Eric and Tammy Sondgeroth. Katherine was sponsored by Mendota Community Theatre; Gillian was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Mendota.

The weekend whirlwind began as she was handed a list of appearances for the weekend. Abby’s weekend was filled with attending events and walking around the festival. “Little girls would call out, ‘it’s the Queen.’ I felt like I was famous for a little while,” she laughed.

Abby attended the CornaPalooza Run/Walk, Mini Pageant, Food Contest, and Grand Parade.

“I didn’t even know there was a food contest, but it was awesome. There were some interesting dishes - nothing that I didn’t like,” she said.

Abby chose Sonny Sterchi’s Cheesy Ham & Corn Chowder as her favorite.

The Sweet Corn Festival has come and gone. She said it was bittersweet as she said goodbye to friends this past weekend.

Now, Abby is ready to start the next chapter of her life. She will be leaving for Augustana College in Rock Island on Aug. 16 where she will be a member of the women’s volleyball team. Abby will be pursuing a double major in biology and Spanish with intents to specialize in medicine.

“I like the small college; it will have a small town feel like Mendota. I couldn’t imagine growing up anywhere else.”