Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
NORTH WEBSTER - Seventeen young women are seeking the title of Queen of the Lakes in the 2026 Mermaid Festival Pageant.
Sponsored by the North Webster Lions Club and Shoop Sports & Youth Foundation Inc., the pageant will take place at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 20 at the North Webster Community Center.
Queen and her court scholarships are provided by Shoop Sports and Youth Foundation Inc. Judging will be divided into interview, theme wear and formal gown. Four finalists will be chosen princesses for 2025. The queen will be chosen from the four finalists following the final question. The winner will hold the title of Queen of Lakes for one year.
The Queen of Lakes will receive a $2,000 scholarship; first runner-up, $1,500; second runner-up, $1,000; and the third runner-up will receive $500.
Mermaid Festival Parade Queen’s Conveyance Parade Scholarship Awards also are provided by Shoop Sports and Youth Foundation Inc. First place will receive $750; second place, $500; and third place will receive $250.
The Community Service Award is provided by the North Webster Lady Lions Club, with the winner receiving a monetary cash prize of $100. The recipient will be selected following a review of the community service information provided on the application.
Contestants’ schedule for Saturday, June 20 includes interviews and modeling practice, pageant practice, parade participation and the pageant begins at 7 p.m.
The contest is open every year to unmarried young ladies between the ages of 15 to 23 years old. The contestants can not be married, have ever been married or have had a child or be with child. Contestants can not be professional models.
The former Mermaid Queens for the past five years were Ava Weldy, Syracuse, 2025; Madison Nunez, North Webster, 2024; Jaela Faulkner, Bourbon, 2023; Jordan Hofmann, Andrews, 2022; and Corynn Barton, Huntington, 2021.
The contestants for this year, according to information provided, are:
• Gwendolyn Frank, North Webster, is competing as Miss Center Lake. Her sponsor is Clayton’s Garden Center. She is the daughter of Chris and Rhonda.
• Keira Lortie, Syracuse, is competing as Miss Syracuse Lake. Her sponsor is Pickwick Theater. Her parents are Jay and Regina.
• Karlee Clevenger, Syracuse, is competing as Miss Papakeechie Lake. Her sponsor is North Webster American Legion Auxiliary 253. She is the daughter of Heather deSomer.
• Nora McDaniel, Warren, is competing as Miss Long Lake. Her sponsor is Hartley Builders, and her parents are Aaron and Tara.
• Janna Teusch, Huntington, is competing as Miss Kuhn Lake. Her sponsor is Jill & Jennifer’s Salon of Style. Her parents are David and Kristine.
• Kirah Klepper, Huntington, is competing as Miss Irish Lake. Her sponsor is Kissinger Surveying, and she is the daughter of Rynell Klepper.
• Ava Courture, North Webster, is competing as Miss Dewart Lake. Her sponsor is 7 Lakes Marina. She is the daughter of Ryan and Jamie.
• Scarlett Hardy, North Webster, is competing as Miss Chapman Lake. Her sponsor is Skoops Ice Cream Shop. She is the daughter of Scott and Amber.
• Julia Stover, North Webster, is competing as Miss Shoe Lake. Her sponsor is Bayview Appraisals. She is the daughter of Chelsea Stover.
• Aowyn Fuller, North Webster, is competing as Miss Tippecanoe Lake. Her sponsor is Gloss House. She is the daughter of Jonathan and Ryea.
• Chloe Bollinger, South Whitley, is competing as Miss Winona Lake. Her sponsor is Wihebrink Landscape Management. She is the daughter of Rick and Melissa.
• Kloee Sinn, North Webster, is competing as Miss Pike Lake. Her sponsor is Dually Depot. Her parents are Mark and Samantha.
• Kaitlyn McCreary, Syracuse, is competing as Miss Barbee Lake. Her sponsor is Metcalf Payne & Bell. She is the daughter of Tim and Kim.
• Callie Brown, Milford, is competing as Miss Waubee Lake. Her sponsor is Borkholder Archery. She is the daughter of Josh and Stephanie.
• Lydia LaBarbera, North Webster, is competing as Miss Wawasee Lake. Her sponsor is The River Coffee House. She is the daughter of Victor and Andrea.
• Lilliana Frank, North Webster, is competing as Miss Webster Lake. Her sponsor is Fisherman’s Cover Resort. Her parents are Chris and Rhonda.
• Zaylee Guy, North Webster, is competing as Miss Sechrist Lake. Her sponsor is North Webster Tippecanoe Township Chamber of Commerce. She is the daughter of Ben and Elise.
