Volunteer Director resigns, 9th annual Copperas Cove Five Hills Scholarship Pageant cancelled
By LYNETTE SOWELL
Cove Leader-Press
On Thursday evening, the Copperas Cove Five Hills Scholarship Pageant program announced on the program’s social media page that the 9th annual Five Hills Scholarship pageant has been cancelled.
Set for Saturday, March 26, the event had approximately 65 registered, who were to have competed for titles, tiaras, scholarship money, and prizes. Just for entering, contestants were to receive a gift bag worth at least $250 in swag and gifts from local businesses.
The post read:
“The 9th Annual Miss Five Hills Scholarship Pageant has been cancelled for March 26. Thank you to the 120+ titleholders and their families who over the last nine years have made an indelible impact on our community, serving selflessly our City of Copperas Cove, the City Built for Family Living! The memories, friendships, and incredible experiences made over the last several years will be cherished. Thank you to our many business partners who also made this program possible with support financially and with goods and services. The Miss Five Hills Scholarship Program truly belonged to the community! Thanks for the wonderful memories! #MoreThanABeautyPageant.”
In the comments, the program had shared a photo of a press release, dated March 17, which stated that Wendy Sledd, the program's volunteer director, had submitted a letter of resignation to city officials earlier this week, and thus the 2022 pageant would not be held.
In that resignation letter, Sledd cited “the ongoing city council discussion to remove the program from under the city’s umbrella” and “criticism for enforcement of program rules posted on the city website.”
The press release stated that “the City of Copperas Cove Finance Department will return all sponsor monies contributed toward this year’s program and all contestant entry fees will be returned through Eventbrite today.”
The press release also said that over nine years, the program has "contributed more than 50,000 hours of community service to the City of Copperas Cove and awarded nearly $450,000 in college scholarships and prizes to it contestants and winners. Additional achievements of the program include the purchase of sensory playground equipment for South Park, securing a $50,000 corporate sponsorship to build a dog park in Copperas Cove, founding and maintaining the city’s and school district’s Free Little Libraries, Blessings in a Backpack Program to provide weekend meals for students in-need, and more."