La Crosse Tribune,
August 30, 2009 . . .
Dozen vie for Miss La
Crosse Oktoberfest
By Autumn Grooms
A grenadier general told
Katie Ekern she had no
idea what she was in for
just after she was
crowned Miss La Crosse
Oktoberfest last
September.
"It's been crazy - the
most exciting,
exhausting year of my
life," said Ekern, who
turned 24 Friday. "I
only now can grasp what
it all means."
Ekern, a 2003 West Salem
High School graduate,
will end her one-year
reign when one of 12
young women is crowned
Sept. 12 at Viterbo
University.
They've been practicing
the show, "Seasons of
Love," since July.
"It's really dynamic,
with all the girls doing
different talent," said
Beth Bruzak, Miss La
Crosse Oktoberfest 2005,
who is directing the
show. "But the
competition is very
tough."
Among the talents are
pianists, opera singers,
dancers, a baton twirler
and a contestant who
delivers a monologue.
During twice-weekly
practices, the young
women have been
rehearsing an opening
routine to "Singing in
the Rain." On Thursday,
they walked through
their talent and
practiced interviews.
One danced barefoot.
Another had to switch
out a microphone. Two
made do without a piano.
"They feel an array of
emotions, from excited
to nervous to worried
and stressed," Ekern
said. "All in all,
everyone has a positive
attitude, which is what
it takes."
If crowned Miss La
Crosse, a woman can
expect a busy year, said
Ekern, who spent the
year traveling with the
Oktoberfest Royal Family
to festivals and more
than 20 parades and
delivering her platform
of "Give a Child a
Smile" - all while
working at Cowgill
Dental.
"This year was all about
learning how to balance
time and finding out who
I am as a person," Ekern
said.
"I haven't had much of a
social life or time for
other things, but I
wouldn't trade it for
the world."
Ekern won last year
against five other
contestants. Bruzak said
12 competing this year
meant pageant personnel
had to "work hard" to
find additional
scholarship dollars.
Each contestant walks
away with at least $200,
and more than $14,000 is
given away during the
evening, she said.
During her pageant
career, Ekern earned
nearly $5,000 in
scholarships.
"We want to be sure to
give each girl a
significant amount,"
Bruzak said. Funding is
provided by the Cleary
Kumm Foundation, local
universities and
technical college and
individual donors.
Ekern was Miss Onalaska
2005, and made a deal
with herself that after
she graduated from
Western Technical
College, she would try
again for Miss La
Crosse.
"Obviously there was
more money for school,"
she said. "But the title
of Miss La Crosse really
appealed to me. I knew
it was a significant
role."
She will continue to
participate in
Oktoberfest activities
and help the new Miss La
Crosse. Her pageant
days, however, are done,
she said. "I wouldn't
dare end on any other
note, even if I were
20."
