RIPLEY - A community send-off is planned this weekend for a University of Charleston graduate in celebration of her representation of the state at the Miss America pageant later this month.
A Miss America Send-off Party for Talia Rochelle Markham, the reigning Miss West Virginia, is planned for Sunday, Jan. 3, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the McCoy Conference Center at 701 W. Main St. in Ripley. The event is free, and open to the public.
According to the event's page on the social networking site, Facebook, Markham will be modeling her Miss America wardrobe, and performing her talent, vocals. Also, videos featuring her talent from past pageants will be shown.
Prior to being crowned Miss West Virginia in June, Markham, 23, won the Miss Fairs and Festivals in 2007 representing Lincoln County. Last year, she won the Miss Kanawha Valley Scholarship Organization, a preliminary competition to the Miss America Pageant.
As Miss KVSO, Markham competed last year in the Miss West Virginia Pageant taking 2nd runner-up to Kyla Lanham. This year, Markham competed as Miss Miss Capital City, one of the crowns affiliated with Miss KVSO.
In the midst of pageant competition, Markham graduated UC in December 2007 with a bachelor of arts in media and literary studies, and a minor in leadership. The semester prior to graduation, she interned at the West Virginia House of Delegates for Del. Mitch Carmichael, R-Jackson.
Following graduation, Markham served as political event-planner for then-President George W. Bush.
The event will also feature a guest appearance by Kyle Maynard, a high school wrestler who later became a mixed martial arts fighter born with congenital amputation of his forearms and legs. His 2005 memoir is titled "No Excuses: The True Story of a Congenital Amputee Who Became a Champion in Wresting and in Life."
Prior to the event at 1:30 p.m., both Markham and Maynard will be available for sign autographs.
Markham will travel to Las Vegas later this month to compete against 52 other women for the Miss America crown. The pageant will be shown Saturday, Jan. 30 at 8 p.m. on The Learning Channel.
Markham says her future plans are to obtain an MBA, go to law school and start her own business.
