They are doctors and dancers, parents and pet-owners,
Hollisterites and Hawaiians. The 29 women who have worn the Miss
Gilroy Garlic crown have taken as diverse paths in life as their
backgrounds.
Gilroy – They are doctors and dancers, parents and pet-owners, Hollisterites and Hawaiians. The 29 women who have worn the Miss Gilroy Garlic crown have taken as diverse paths in life as their backgrounds.
Despite diversity, all look back fondly on being the ambassador of garlic. Queens said they gained confidence, poise and public speaking skills while understanding how to represent a community. These skills transferred over to past and present careers, whether in performing arts – as most queens have pursued – public relations or chemistry.
The September 2006 brutal murder of 1986 queen, Franca Barsi, stands out in contrast to the rosy tales of most garlic queens. Fellow queens and Gilroyans knew Barsi, sister of 1983 queen Lauretta Avina, as large-hearted and a loving mother.
Being latest in a long line of diverse queens doesn’t weigh heavy on current queen, Cherise Gowan.
“I just hope that this year is the best year it could possibly be,” she said.
1979
Katy Bendel-Daniels
San Diego, CA
Director of tech marketing in Asia, Qualcomm
45, Married
Highlights: Appearing on the Dinah Shore Show; festival;
“It was really exciting to be a part of the community really pulling together. I think (the festival) was really a step to put Gilroy on the map.”
1980
Jennette (Arde) Cella
Makena, HI
Coowner of a real estate company
46, Married with four kids
Highlights: Festival; gaining confidence from public speaking;
“She was very proud to represent it,” husband Bob Cella said. “She still has articles and newspapers of it.”
1981
Julie Dunlap
Seatlle, WA
Speech language pathologist, Children’s Hospital and Medical Center
44, Married with two kids
Highlights: Crab Feed; festival; participating in local events;
“Sometimes people coming to the festival weren’t sure who I was at first. Sometimes they thought I was selling stuff. I think that the role was in its infancy.”
1982
Liz (Archer) Klein
Brown’s Point, WA
Pastor of a Presbyterian church
43, Married with three kids
Highlights: Hanging out with actor Danny Kaye; doing TV and radio spots;
“I felt really honored to be a representative of Gilroy.”
1983
Lauretta (Barsi) Avina
Hollister, CA
Handles corporate travel
43, Married with two kids
Highlights: Book-signing in Monterey; Santa Clara County Fair; cooking scampi at the festival;
“It feels like it was yesterday, the memories are so vivid to me. I made some really good and lasting friendships.”
1984
Janet (McAllister) Orgill
Danville, CA
Substitute teacher
42, Married with three kids
Highlights: Filming a commercial for KSBW-TV; running in the 10K;
“I still go to the garlic festival and enjoy it. It brings back a lot of fond memories.”
1985
Monica Baca
not found
1986
Franca Barsi
Gilroy, CA
Deceased, September 2006
38 with one kid
“It was one of the proudest moments of my life when she won,” said sister, Lauretta Avina
1987
Jennifer (Stoughton) Speno
Gilroy, CA
Full time MBA student
39, Married with two kids
Highlights: Trip to Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong; trying sushi for the first time, and eating Hershey’s bars afterward;
“It has given me a deep appreciation for getting involved in my community and how important it is to give back.”
1988
Kim (Beckley) Alvarado
Gilroy, CA
Assistant office manager, Dr. Nishimura’s office
36, Married with two kids
Highlights: Festival; trip to Hong Kong, China and Japan;
“It opened me up to meeting people and talking with people. It really brought me out of my shell.”
1989
Connie (Teeple) Janitz
Not found
1990
Kim (Yafai) Donati
Danville, CA
Marketing and sales, medical field
37, Married
Highlights: Riding a Rose Bowl Parade float; the Vicki Lawrence Show with the Iowa Pork Princess and the National Watermelon Queen; singing the Locomotion with ShaBoom;
“I think the whole entire year was just an absolute blast.”
1991
Kenda (Wilkerson) Benward
Franklin, TN
Actress, “Diamond Dogs” will come out in 2008
36, Married with three kids
Highlights: Appearing on To Tell the Truth with Kitty Carlisle, David Niven, Jr., and Dr. Ruth Westheimer; trip to Japan;
“I think personally it affected me because it allowed me to travel the world at a young age.”
1992
Patrisia (Garcia) Martinez
Hollister, CA
Intervention facilitator for Eliot Elementary School
36, Married with four kids
Highlights: Father attending third day of festival; being the first Latina queen;
“It was such a great honor just because it was kind of my way of giving back to everybody who helped me.”
1993
Jennifer (Ross) Barbaglia
Gilroy, CA
Executive recruiter
32, Married with three kids
Highlights: Trip to Japan;
“It was a really good experience for a young person.”
1994
Dawn (Logan) Cain
San Ramon, CA
Marketer and realtor
35 with two kids
Highlights: Trip to Japan;
“I loved being queen. It was one of the best years of my life.”
1995
Julia Sanchez
San Jose, CA
Manager of account development and education for a medical skin care company
33
Highlights: Festival; trip to Japan;
“What the community does for you and to be able to give back-it’s an awesome balance.”
1996
Cristin Reichmuth
Campbell, CA
Middle school teacher, triathlon coach
33
Highlights: First day of the festival; Christopher Ranch after-party; trip to Japan;
“One of the things I will never forget is waking up in the morning (after the festival) and my room reeked of garlic.”
1997
Missy (Madrigal) Walters
Gilroy, CA
Physical education teacher
32, Married with one kid
Highlights: Festival; trip to japan;
“I remember long, hot days at the garlic festival. I wanted to do every possible thing.”
1998
Christina Carrier
San Carlos, CA
Realtor
35, Married with two kids
Highlights: Helping model items for QVC; trip to Japan;
“I had never realized how much work the garlic queens did at the festival. Just keeping up with all the activities and running around to meet everybody and the heat-the heat affects you.”
1999
Wendy (McAllister) Graham
Ogden, UT
Homemaker
32, Married with one kid
Highlights: Festival; publicity appearances on radio and in the newspaper;
“It was a great time. I loved it – every minute.”
2000
Leila Wright
Morgan Hill, CA
Dance instructor and coach, former SaberKitten, Rockette and 49ers cheerleader
26
Highlights: The scholarship; trip to Japan; accompanying the Christophers to the LA food convention;
“There was a lot of friendships made throughout the year. It’s kind of like a big family.”
2001
Lindsay Michele Smith
Brentwood, CA
Emergency room nurse
25
Highlights: Trip to Japan; festival;
“I really appreciate now what goes into the garlic festival and what comes out of it. It’s amazing to me that so many nonprofits gain from the garlic festival and they do such a great job at it.”
2002
Vanessa LaCorte
Scottsdale, AZ
Graduate student of law
23
Highlight: Trip to Japan; festival;
“Being somebody for everybody to look up to, you kind of bring out the best of yourself. It was a great opportunity to find out who I am.”
2003
Melissa Noto
Gilroy, CA
Scientist at an environmental testing facility
23
Highlights: Trip to Japan; festival;
“Those three days of the fest go by so fast. That whole summer went by pretty fast. Just taking it all in is a challenge.”
2004
Alika Spencer
San Martin, CA
Theater Actress
21
Highlights: Meeting people to Japan;
“The pageant helped me. I’m a lot more confident in situations like job interviews.”
2005
Aisha Zaza
Gilroy, CA
College student of marketing and communications
20
Highlights: Hosting the pageant the next year; trip to Japan;
“It’s just nice to have such a family-feeling connection. It definitely made me appreciate and be proud of my town.”
2006
Sheena Torres
Aromas, CA
Graduate student of counseling psychology
23
Highlights: Trips to Japan; filming the Montel Williams Show in New York;
“There’s nothing like being at the festival and seeing how much fun everybody is having.”
2007
Cherise Gowan
Gilroy, CA
Hair stylist
20
Queens by the Number
206 festivals among them after being crowned
14 queens plan to attend this festival
7 queens in Gilroy
35 children among them
20 years, age of youngest queens, Aisha Zaza and Cherise Gowan
46 years, age of eldest queen, Jennette Cella
