Pageant titleholders have one last round with Domino’s

By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press 

It is now less than two weeks before the current Five Hills Scholarship Pageant royalty surrender their titles to the 2018 winners, and Saturday morning found the royalty paying a visit to one of the pageant’s sponsors, Domino’s Pizza, at its Fort Hood location. 
Ingrid Kiefer, who works as the public relations manager and Fort Hood liaison for Domino’s, said this is the fifth year the local franchisee has sponsored the pageant. 
“We get involved because of all the good things Ms. Wendy and the royalty do in the community,” Kiefer said. “Our franchisee is very oriented to give back to the community, so he lets us do a lot of things like this.”
Domino’s District Manager Michael Bouvier, who got his start at the Copperas Cove Domino’s, gave the royalty a behind-the-scenes tour of the Domino’s store, kitchen, prep area and even the walk-in. 
Each member of the royalty also had the chance to make a pizza with choice of toppings, while seeing how the store prepares hundreds of pizzas per week for customers. 
On Saturday, March 24, the titleholders will all walk the stage one final time during the pageant, presented by Manning Homes. This year’s theme is “Big Dreams Under the Big Top.” 
The pageant will take place at the Copperas Cove Civic Center and more than 100 contestants, boys ages 0-8 and girls and women of all ages will take the stage to compete for titles 
A coronation ball will follow the evening pageant, with catering by Bits N Bites Cake Shop, Copperas Cove HEB Plus!, and Starbucks. 
Volunteer pageant director, Wendy Sledd, said plans are in the works for a welcome breakfast for the new titleholders after the pageant, where they will learn about the opportunities and expectations that lie ahead of them. 
This year, Supercuts is providing styling services on the day of the pageant for all contestants nine and older, with contestants also having a lip color matching workshop hosted by Lips For Life by Becci. Longtime Copperas Cove business The Daisy is providing all the bouquets and boutonnieres for category winners.
All contestants will receive at least $200 in prizes simply for registering, such as certificates to other local restaurants, salons, a week’s membership at Anytime Fitness, gymnastic, dance and taekwondo lessons and more. 
W. B. Development is the sponsor of educational savings bonds for the winners of the younger royalty in the Baby Miss through the Pre-Teen categories, while Extraco Banks is providing scholarships for the Young Miss and the Teen Miss winners.