Florida U.S. Pageants

Pam Bolter, who has won seven national beauty titles, has been running the Florida U.S. Pageants since 2002. "Our pageant has been named "The Pageant with a Purpose" Pam said. " Each contestant has a cause, a platform, or a charity that they are dedicated to helping."

Contestants can enter one of five categories: Junior Teen (12-15), Teen (16-19), Miss (ages 20-28, single/never married), Ms. (for the contemporary woman aged 25 to 55) and Mrs. (for the woman aged 21 to 65 who is married and living with her husband). There are currently five State Queens - one winner in each category - for the State of Florida.

Pam runs one large pageant as a three day event at The Ormond Beach Performing Arts Center during the first weekend in May.

"We're empowering women," Pam said. "Pageants help women of all ages in so many ways - with interview skills, public speaking and most importantly, educating them on the importance of volunteering and giving back to their community."

Most women dreamt of becoming Miss America at some point in their lives, and there are many pageants out there. As Pam explains: "It's just about finding the right pageant for each person. My pageant is all about finding the beauty of the woman, inside and out."

Over the past five years, the Florida U.S. Pageants has raised over $40,000 for Making Memories: Brides Against Breast Cancer - fulfilling last wishes of those women who having bravely fought, but are losing their battle with breast cancer.

Pam has been involved in the world of pageantry for over 30 years; she was a fourth runner-up in Ohio in the Miss America system. She met her husband, Steve (a retired Private Investigator and now an antique book dealer), on a cruise in 1986. She packed up her son, Jeremy, and moved to Florida from Ohio . She didn't want to look back and wonder "what if" (besides, as Pam says, "Life's too short to shovel snow!").

Residents of Tampa for many years, they discovered Flagler Beach when they were looking for a pet friendly place to visit for a wedding anniversary weekend. When they stayed at The Topaz, they immediately fell in love with this area, and without intention, found a home that very weekend and made an offer (that was in 2000). Pam officially moved to their home in The Hammock in 2004, while Steve stayed behind in Tampa to sell his business and prepare their home there for sale. During that time, Pam was busy remodeling their beach house preparing it for Steve's arrival . he made Palm Coast his official home in July 2005 and hasn't looked back.

Steve and Pam are the proud parents of son Jeremy (who now lives in Tampa) and five "canine kids". "We absolutely adore the East Coast and feel we've found our own little "Mayberry" here. Everyone knows everyone in our little stretch of The Hammock (or at least we know everyone's dog's name!) and we all watch out for one another. It's quiet, quaint, and a slower pace of life and we couldn't be happier with the path we've been led down." This from a very happy, and content, Mrs. Bolter (former Mrs. Florida United States 2001).