Valley Voice Newspaper

Tulare - Maybe it was destiny Summer Loftis would become the 2008 Miss Tulare County.

The 22-year-old Tulare native was crowned Saturday night and will now compete for the title of Miss California in June.

She is the daughter of Patrick and Tami Loftis of Tulare and a 2003 graduate of Tulare Union High School, where she was head cheerleader for two years and served in student government.

“It's been my dream to be Miss Tulare County,” Loftis said on Monday. In fact, she is named after one of the Golden State's most famous Miss California's – Summer Bartholomew.

“My mom was good friends with her, so I was born to do this,” said an obviously excited Loftis. Summer Bartholomew was Miss California in 1975 and went on to be crowned Miss USA that same year. She has appeared on many television shows and local commercials

This was the second try for the Loftis who comes from a family of Miss Tulare County contestants.

“Two years ago I was second runner up. My older sister, Tara, competed last year,” she said. And her mother was first runner up in the Miss Tulare County pageant in 1978. She has another sister, Jill, 18.

“I'm so excited. My family has been a huge supporter of the Miss Tulare County Pageant. It's been a great experience.”

Loftis graduated from Vanguard University, a private Christian college in Southern California in May of last year. While in the southland, she worked for both Disneyland and Walt Disney Entertainment, jobs she credits with helping to prepare her for the pageant.

Oxford Experience

She also credits her studying at Oxford University in England during the summer of 2006 with helping her to mature and become more independent. “It was an amazing experience for me. I grew up a lot,” she said of her time at the university, where she earned As and Bs.

She had been working as a child development specialist with children with autism in Orange County, but she will now devote all of her time to representing the county and preparing for the Miss California pageant in Fresno June 25-28.

As part of her vocation, she also volunteered with the Make-A-Wish foundation, speaking on behalf of the organization. Now, she will carry that over to her pageant work, making working with children with serious and life-threatening illnesses her pageant platform.

“It's something I have been passionate about and something I've been working with for several years. I am hoping to inspire children in such dramatic situations to dream what they want to be and that they can realize their dreams,” she said.'

For her talent, she performed a lyrical dance to country singer LeAnn Rimes' “I Need You.”

“I chose it because I love the lyrics of the song,” she said.

She said the maturity she has gained the past two years made the difference from being runner up two years ago to being Miss Tulare County this year.

“All my life experiences the past two years have helped and shaped me to compete for the position and to help me become the woman I am today,” she said.

She said her next goal is obviously winning the Miss California title. With the pageant in Fresno, she said her friends and family have no excuse not to “come and see me.”

Being born and raised in the Tulare-Tipton areas (she attended Tipton School until eighth grade), she is excited to represent the area.

“My dad is a pistachio farmer. I'm happy to represent Tulare County because I come from the heart of it.”

First runner up was Rachael Fanjul and second runner up was Jennifer LeMar, who was also voted Miss Congeniality. Loftis will receive a $3,000 scholarship and she tied with contestant Sara Risvold, 18, of Springville for the $100 Kugler Top Interview Award.

The above story is the property of The Valley Voice Newspaper and may not be reprinted without explicit permission in writing from the publisher.