The 33rd annual Ms. Arkansas Senior America Pageant was held on Saturday and, for the second year in a row, an El Dorado resident has claimed the crown.
Janice Zarebski was crowned winner at the Legendary Vapors Theatre in Hot Springs at the conclusion of the annual pageant. The winner of the 32nd annual pageant, Sharon Morgan Tahany, is also an El Dorado resident.
Zarebski is a relatively new resident of El Dorado and Arkansas. She moved to the city about two years ago to retire and has become involved with several organizations including Main Street El Dorado, Salvation Army, UAMS Center for Aging, the Rotary Club and the African-American Museum.
Originally from Wisconsin, Zarebski came to El Dorado after her mother, who was born in Camden but left at 15, announced she was “coming home” to retire.
“I’m a momma’s baby I guess, so I came to Camden and looked for a job and could not find one. Later I met my [future] husband and told him about my mom. He called me and said he had his job transferred to El Dorado, and he said he’d marry me and we’d come to El Dorado,” Zarebski said.
Zarebski did not at all foresee becoming Ms. Arkansas Senior America either before or after entering the competition. She credited a group of friends, family members and acquaintances with pushing her to enter and stick with the pageant.
“This was my first time [in the pageant]. I was recommended by a friend who said I’d be good contestant. I’m shy, but she encouraged me and told me to practice what I preach. People around here kept encouraging and a whole group kept saying I could do it,” Zarebski said.
Zarebski enlisted her godson Jason Sarenito Roberson as a pageant coach and began preparing for the competition.
The pageant consists of categories including an interview, talent, philosophy of life and evening gown. The final score is tabulated from each individual category score.
Zarebski had concerns, particularly with her self-described shyness and fear of public speaking, and was initially in disbelief when she was announced as the winner.
“I was surprised - there are people there who compete for titles two or three times with more experience than me. I don’t like speaking in public, so I thought I’d have problems with that. I was just getting out of my element and doing it for fun,” Zarebski said.
Her pageant coach Jason Roberson agreed, calling it an “unexpected crowning.”
“She didn’t know the crown was hers until they told her to walk up front,” Roberson said.
According to Arkansas Senior America administrator Patricia Genovese, “the women who compete in this pageant are community influencers who continue to serve long after the event. This is a statewide search for the gracious lady who brings wisdom, experience, talent, skills, and stories to younger generations, providing an opportunity to build a better society by example.”
Speaking about the win on Monday, Zarebski still expressed surprise.
“I’ll be honest, I was just being myself and doing what I was supposed to do. I’m still trying to take this [win] in my brain and process it,” Zarebski said.
She is now looking forward to taking on the responsibilities of Ms. Arkansas Senior America which range from visiting local nursing homes to talk about the pageant to, later this year, representing Arkansas in the Ms. Senior America National Pageant.
Zarebski concluded by extending thanks to those who helped her along the way in the pageant.
“First of all I would like to thank God, my amazing husband George Zarebski and the whole gang and my family and friends - my sons Jonquin Nevels-Cawthorne and George Zarebski, Jr and my grandkids. I also want to thank the wonderful team who all worked to help me be my best self as a senior - Jason Sarenito Roberson, Justin Roberson, Karen Bryant, Kensel Green, Jimmie Luster, Beryl Collier, Tonya Bennett, Major Elyshia, Juanita Tucker and Catina Robinson,” Zarebski said.
Tahany has held the crown for two years, after the COVID-19 pandemic forced the cancellation of the 2020 pageant.