Pahrump Women Over 60 Sought for Ms. Senior Golden Years Pageant

Ms. Senior Golden Years USA is looking for its next queen in Pahrump, with organizers actively recruiting contestants for the June 2026 pageant. Any woman 60 or older in the area is eligible to compete, and pageant lead Teri Rogers is the first call to make: 775-764-0006.

Rogers knows the experience firsthand. She claimed the Ms. Senior Golden Years crown in 2018 and has remained part of the organization ever since, watching contestants arrive nervous and leave transformed. "For our founder, B.J. Hetrick-Irwin, the idea has always been to have women who have reached what we call 'the golden age' do something for themselves," Rogers told the Pahrump Valley Times. "They've spent their lives taking care of their families, working in their careers. Now, it's basically time for them to take care of them."

The pageant has operated for nearly three decades, beginning as a local offshoot of the statewide Ms. Senior Nevada competition before growing into what organizers describe as a Pahrump tradition combining entertainment, empowerment, and philanthropy. Diane Sauter served as 2025 first attendant, with the 2025 queen's title also awarded that year.

Reigning queen Debbie Forrest, crowned in June 2024, centered her platform on the Pahrump Senior Center. After her win, Forrest attended parades and ribbon cuttings, organized a First Friday event at Artesian Cellars that raised $3,306 through raffles, a live auction, and community basket donations, and hosted a bake sale with item collections for the center. Her work brought wider attention to Senior Center services that include weekday lunches at a suggested donation of $4 and a Meals on Wheels delivery program. Forrest called the whole experience "magical."

The pageant's emphasis on community service is built into its structure. Each titleholder selects a platform and spends her reign actively working on it, meaning the crown comes with real responsibility alongside the recognition.

Women interested in competing in June can reach Rogers directly at 775-764-0006 for details on the process.