Pageant raises record amount

PORTALES — Shanley Thompson was crowned little miss merry christmas by the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce Thursday night, but that wasn’t the only victory achieved.

The 10 contestants in this year’s competition, which challenges young girls in the community to raise the most money for Christmas lights on Portales businesses, raised $8,508, the highest amount RCCC Executive Director Karl Terry has seen since he took the position in 2010.

“That’s almost double what we did last year. I’ve got records going back to 2010, so this is the best fundraising year that we’ve had since 2010, which was $7,639,” he said.

Thompson’s victory this year was timely, according to Terry, because her mother Danna Thompson won the title of little miss merry christmas in 1987.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve had girls whose moms had been in the contest. This is the first time I remember a mom and a daughter that both won the title,” he said.

Thompson, 6, was crowned by 2017 Miss Portales Kelsey Prince, 2016 little miss merry christmas winner Aaliyah Rodriguez, and master of ceremonies Tyleen Caffrey.

“(Caffrey) does great with the girls. She’s a big ham, and she’s done lots of pageants herself, and still competes, I believe,” Terry said.

He added that without sponsors and a supportive community, the lights on the businesses would never be possible.

“I’ll hear from somebody that comes through Portales during Christmas time thinking, ‘How did they do that? All those lights that are the same and all look so good?’ That’s how we do it,” he said. “I takes a lot of people to donate and make that kind of a total possible.”