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Dana Heltzel Crowned Blair Dairy Princess

Dana Heltzel was recently crowned the 2020-21 Blair County Dairy Princess by the outgoing Dairy Princess and State Alternate Dairy Princess, Vannika Rice.

Heltzel is the 17-year-old daughter of Jennifer and Andrew Heltzel of Martinsburg and will be a senior at Central High School in the fall. She works on her family's dairy farm, Finey-Mar Farm.

Heltzel is a member of the Central Cove FFA chapter, through which she participates in public speaking and is a member of the National FFA Band. She serves as drum major for her school's marching band and plays the flute in concert band.

She enjoys participating in PMEA sponsored band festivals, including District 6 Band, Region 3 Band, and the PMEA All State Band. Heltzel serves as secretary for her National Honor Society chapter and is a member of her school's Spanish Honor Society.

Heltzel had served as an Alternate Dairy Princess last year. She assumed her duties on June 1 but was not crowned until June 26.

Katheryn Longenecker was crowned 2020-21 Alternate Dairy Princess by the outgoing Alternate Dairy Princess, Elizabeth Frederick. Longenecker is the 16-year-old daughter of Yvette and Doug Longenecker of Williamsburg and will be a junior at Central High School in the fall.

Longenecker has served as a dairy promoter 2008. She has informed the committee and judges that she wished to be considered for the title as Alternate Princess only.

She is a member of the Central Cove FFA and had the opportunity to compete at the National FFA Convention in 2019, where she placed first in Dairy Handling.

Longenecker plays soccer and basketball and is a member of numerous 4-H clubs. On weekends, she feeds calves and milks cows at Penn England LLC.

In order to comply with COVID-19 requirements, the Blair County Dairy Promotion Committee attempted to limit attendance at the pageant. Both candidates were required to present a three- to five-minute speech and skit and answer an impromptu question. They participated in pre-pageant interviews with the judges.

Also recognized were the Dairy Ambassadors: Madison Benfer, Elizabeth Frederick, Drew Heltzel and Jordan Smith; Dairy Maids: Norah Bechtel, Danielle Heltzel, Darcy Heltzel, Anna Longenecker and Rylee Stultz; and Dairy Miss: Emma Biddle.

Heltzel and Longenecker look forward to the upcoming year so they can tell the people of Blair County the importance of dairy in their diet and the importance of agriculture in the County.

 

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