Pageant

For seven months, Jacqueline Czarnecki spent each Saturday training for the Miss Dominican Republic of New Jersey pageant. She took etiquette classes, participated in community service projects, shopped for gowns and shared her personal story as best as she could.

In last Saturday’s finale, the 31-year-old Toms River resident received a crown as a top-10 finisher.

That was a big deal, because Czarnecki has autism and is partially verbal, communicating in short sentences or single words. She was the pageant’s first-ever entrant with autism.

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The annual pageant was held at Harrah’s Resort Atlantic City. Contestants were judged on private interview, evening gown, philosophy of life and talent, and each contestant had to be 60 or older to compete.

Ferlie Almonte, of Toms River, was selected as the winner and will represent the state at the Ms. Senior America pageant, to be held in Atlantic City in October.

Runners-up in the Ms. New Jersey Senior America pageant were Mary DeConca, Bernadette Jones, Roe Piccoli and Lenore Cibelli Lambert. For more information, visit newjerseysenioramerica.org.

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TOMS RIVER – Glamorous is the head that wears the crown, and this year, that crown belongs to Toms River’s Bettyjean Pace.

The Ms. New Jersey Senior America pageant was held on June 2 in Atlantic City.

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