MENDOTA – It seemed like just another day when Gillian Sutton came home from school. But it was a day that would change her life. Gillian was asked by Monica Zimmerlein to represent the Mendota Business and Professional Women’s Club. “It was just so casual, I cannot even remember exactly when I was asked,” she said.

That day may be a little vague, but she will undoubtedly remember last Friday night when she was crowned 2017 Mendota Sweet Corn Festival Queen.

Gillian is the daughter of Barry and Laura Sutton of rural LaMoille. She was a 2017 graduate of Mendota High School where she achieved the honor roll all eight semesters and received the BNC All Academic Award. She was a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Club.

Gillian was a member of the soccer and bowling teams. She was a member of Interact Club and received the Rotary Youth Leadership Award. She also participated in Teen Encounter Christ and was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church Youth Group.

This summer, Gillian and 14 other young women began practicing for the Mendota Sweet Corn Festival Pageant, under the direction of pageant chairpersons Michelle Barkman and Monica Zimmerlein. Publicity photos were taken, stage presence and poise were rehearsed and answering impromptu questions were practiced.

Contestants met the judges at the Pageant Tea the afternoon of the pageant. Interviewing all of the contestants were Aaron Hancock, director of operations, Del Monte Foods Inc. Mendota; Andrea Bryan, Mendota Area Chamber of Commerce past president and executive director, and 1966 Mendota Sweet Corn Festival Queen; and Nancy Hybki, vice president/savings, Eureka Savings Bank, LaSalle.

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

It was not until Gillian saw all of the people watching the pageant that she got nervous. “I freaked out a little bit,” she admitted.

When she got on stage, she looked for familiar faces in the crowd. “After that, I was calm,” she added.

She recalled the question she was asked on stage: What is the most meaningful information ever given to you? “I said, ‘Always be yourself because you are the only person you can depend on,’” she said.

She received this bit of advice on a mission trip in 2015.

“It is not that you cannot count on others, but in the end you always have yourself,” she said.

Gillian said she was just happy to be announced a finalist with two of her long-time friends. But in the end, she was announced as the 2017 Sweet Corn Festival Queen. “It was just a whirlwind of emotion from that point on,” she said.

Her attendants are Valerie Leonard, daughter of Marty and Rita Leonard, and Connie Arteaga, daughter of Angie Arteaga.

Gillian recalled past Sweet Corn Festivals and helping out in the Chamber of Commerce’s information booth. “That was always fun,” she said.

This year, Gillian’s weekend was filled with attending events and walking around the festival. “I am not a huge carnival ride person, but I even went one of the wilder rides. Yeah, I was scared,” she admitted.

Gillian has already learned something valuable as queen. “I got to see that community is more important than I realized,” she reflected.

Gillian was approached by family, friends, and even strangers. “So many people have come up to me and congratulated me. I have really seen the community support me, which is really nice,” she commented.

The Sweet Corn Festival has come and gone. Gillian is ready to start the next chapter of her life. Soon she will be leaving for St. Ambrose University where she will be seeking a doctorate degree in physical therapy. “I told my roommate I got the crown so I am sure she is going to ask plenty of questions,” she joked.

Gillian would tell other young pageant hopefuls to just try it, too. ”When we were behind the stage, we all said it didn’t matter who won, it was just that we all tried it and got to experience it together.”