Showcasing Sturgis

The five titleholders of the World’s Miss South Dakota Tourism pageant promote South Dakota through volunteering and events across the state. Back: Courtney Llera-Maxon, Samantha Nash; Front: Mackenzie Harrington, Trysten Bowman and Kelsie Cline. photo by Nicole Bartlett

Samantha Nash, staff

STURGIS, SD - The Sturgis annual Community Showcase was held Thursday at the Community Center.

Area businesses gathered at the Community Center for a chili feed as well as an informative showing. Businesses brought their booths to the event in order to reach out to the community and provide their various services.

Some attendees included the Northern Hills Special Services, Indian Motorcycle, The Loud American Roadhouse, MOPS, the VFW Veterans Auxiliary, the Sturgis Birdwatching Club, State Farm, Jambonz and many more.

Along with the event came a chili feed. Businesses brought in their homemade chili (or soup) for the public to try. At the end, the tastees voted for their favorite, and the winner received a portion of the proceeds to go to a charity of their choice.

The Miss South Dakota Tourism Pageant, -- whose titleholders included senior Samantha Nash, sophomore Trysten Bowman, sophomore Kelsie Cline and SBHS alumni Courtney Llera-Maxon and Mackenzie Harrington -- represented Jambonz at the event.

“The broccoli and cheese soup was phenomenal! Even though we didn’t win, we had many people asking us if we were the ‘cheese soup girls.’ We always have an amazing time being in the community, you never know the opportunities you have to make someone’s day,” Nash said.

There were between fifteen and twenty different soups, each with a different cause to support. Jambonz was supporting the Greater Sturgis Lifecare Foundation at the showcase.

“It’s nice to get out and work for others. It shows we’re not a “pretty face” pageant, and that we genuinely care about volunteering,” said Llera-Maxon

Event wristbands were sold from five to seven, and the community members had no problem filling up the time frame.