Meet the 2019 Shrimp Festival Princesses
By JESSE MEADOWS
Eight local girls will compete this weekend for the title of Shrimp Queen at the 61st Annual Fort Myers Beach Lions Club Shrimp Festival.
“Where else do you get a Shrimp Queen?” said Mayor Tracey Gore, master of ceremonies for the pageant.
The contestants were chosen by the Lions Club through an application process.
“Not everybody can be a princess… they represent the Lions all year long, so there’s criteria that has to be met,” she said.
Each princess is sponsored by a local Fort Myers Beach business, and whoever raises the most funds will win the People’s Choice Award.
They will also be competing for Miss Photogenic, Miss Personality, and Miss Congeniality, which will be decided by a vote amongst themselves.
Get to know more about them and vote for your favorite by donating at www.fortmyersbeachshrimpfestival.com.
Votes will close March 7.
Princess Greyson Ms. Trico Shrimp
Greyson Crandall is a 17-year-old who aspires to follow in the footsteps of her medical family and become a doctor. She graduated high school a year early and currently works full-time as a medical assistant to help support her single mother and sister, who requires regular medical treatments. She plans to attend Montana State University in the fall and major in pre-med.
She thanks Trico Shrimp for sponsoring her and is excited to eat some “pink gold” after the pageant is over.
Princess Braden Ms. Bonita Bill’s
Braden Downing is a senior and cheerleader at Cypress Lake High School. The oldest of three, she was born in Oklahoma but raised in Fort Myers. A self-described “nerd”, she is a member of the theater department and has a passion for sound production. She is also active in the Debate Club, Mock Trial, Model UN, and National Honor Society. She wanted to become a princess because she loves to help others and give back to her community. She thanks Bill Semmer and Bonita Bill’s for sponsoring her.
Princess Emma Ms. Property Medic
Emma Stam is a home-schooled sophomore with an interest in finance. She moved to Fort Myers Beach five years ago with her family, and operates the Mess Medic cleaning service with her sister. She also assists her brother with his driftwood Christmas tree business. An active volunteer, she has devoted time to her church, the Buckingham Exceptional School, and the Fort Myers Beach “Vision of the Past” re-enactment. Emma hopes to be a life-long resident of Fort Myers Beach. She is sponsored by Property Medic, her parents’ full-service construction, plumbing, and HVAC company. She is excited to be participating in this year’s pageant with her sister, Chloe, who is the reigning 2018 Shrimp Queen.
Princess Bridgette Ms. Red Coconut
Bridgette Myers is a 17-year-old “beach kid” who attends Bishop Verot High School and is currently vice president of the International Club. With a GPA that keeps her on the Principal’s List, she is a member of the National Honor Society and is interested in pursuing a career in law. With a passion for helping others, Bridgette has donated over 300 hours of community service to organizations like the Beach Kids Foundation and the Spirit of the Holidays. She thanks her grandmother, Fran Myers, and the Red Coconut for sponsoring her.
Princess Savanna Ms. Semmer Electric
Savanna Bray is a graduate of Cypress Lake High School and works full-time as an electrician’s apprentice at Semmer Electric. She is passionate about her work and grateful for the technicians who teach her everyday. Savanna loves cooking, playing video games, and spending time with her 3-year-old son. She participated as a princess in last year’s pageant and loved it so much that she signed up for a second year. She thanks Semmer Electric and the Lions for all the hard work they put into the festival.
Princess Kacie Ms. Holiday Water Sports
Kacie Faircloth is a born-and-raised “beach kid” and currently a sophomore at Fort Myers High. She is involved in the FMHS Fishing Club, which works with Captains for Clean Water, and G.I.F.T.S., where she fundraises and organizes a closet of clothes for children in need. She has played soccer all her life and is the captain of her junior varsity soccer team. She currently works at Pelican’s Snowballs, and manages the social media for her parents’ business, Holiday Water Sports. Kacie is passionate about photography and hopes to attend the University of Florida and earn a business degree. She would like to follow in her parents’ footsteps and open her own business one day.
Princess Trinity Ms. Islander
Trinity Charlton is a 16-year-old hair model who attends Palmetto Ridge High School in Naples. A volleyball player, she describes herself as shy and says modeling helps her “come out of her shell.” With four sisters, she comes from a large family and loves it. It’s her first year at the Shrimp Festival and she is looking forward to the parade and the pageant. She thanks The Islander for sponsoring her.
Princess Abigale Ms. Smiles With Care
Abby Lembo is a 17-year-old senior at Cypress Lake High School, where she is a cheerleader. Originally from Connecticut, this is her first shrimp festival. She has spent years volunteering, building homes with Habitat for Humanity and tutoring children through her church. Abby is a member of the National Honor Society, French Honor Society, and English Honor Society, and she coaches cheerleading for the Estero Mustangs. She works at 41 Diner and would like to attend Lynn University in Boca Raton to study business. Someday she would like to have her own massage therapy business and go to Bora Bora. She thanks the Lions and her sponsor, Smiles with Care.