Senator Roy Dyson poses with Queen of Tolerance Gabrielle Corey (c) and her court First Runner-Up Eileen Walsh (r) and Second Runner-Up Kolbi Holmes.
The 2014 Queen of Tolerance is Leonardtown High School senior Gabrielle Cory. The queen for the 68th St., Mary’s County Fair was announced at the opening of the fair Thursday evening. The name comes from the Toleration Act passed by the Maryland General Assembly in 1649 in St. Mary’s City to guarantee religious freedom in the new colony.
Queen Gabrielle’s court consists of First Runner-Up Eileen Walsh of a St. Mary’s Ryken senior and Second Runner-Up Kolbi Holmes, also a St. Mary’s Ryken senior.
Cory is the daughter of Wesley and Marian Cory and was sponsored by the St. Mary’s County Farm Bureau. She is a queen veteran, having been chosen Miss Agriculture 2013 at the Maryland State Fair last year.
The new queen is president of her school’s National Honor Society and is involved in the Student to Student Program. She is an Ambassador member of Girl Scout Troop 4549 and has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award.
Cory is a host for Agriculture Education for Youth and a member of the Chaptico Chargers 4-H Club, serving as vice president and also is Vice President of the Maryland Teen Council. She volunteers for the Special Olympics, Relay for Life, and the 5K Hospice Walk/Run.
Gabrielle is an active parishioner of Holy Face Catholic Church in Great Mills and assists with the Children’s Liturgy Group and is a member of the Teen Youth Group.
The queen and the two runners-up were selected before the fair by a panel from outside the county and the names secreted until the fair opening event.
Master of Ceremonies as usual was Maryland State Senator Roy Dyson. The crowning ceremonies were conducted by Leonardtown Mayor Dan Burris.
Maryland’s longest serving county fair board president, John Richards, who has been fighting back problems, gingerly attended the open and presented awards to the winners of the fair art contest which led to the selection of art for the fair program cover.
The queen and the runners-up will receive scholarship.
For the event the color guard and the Pledge of Allegiance was provided by Cub Scout Pack #1203 and the Star Spangled Banner was performed by the Leonardtown Middle School Chorus.
The fair continues throughout the weekend, with School and 4-H Activities day Friday, Parade Day Saturday and Family Day Sunday at the fairgrounds on Route 5 south of Leonardtown.