The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

WAITSBURG – Waitsburg's youngest Celebration Days Queen officially passed the torch to 2019 Queen, Rebecca Holderman, at the Waitsburg Celebration Days Royalty Coronation Dinner on Fri. Feb. 23 at Waitsburg Town Hall.

She may hold the title of Waitsburg's youngest Queen, but Barron probably also holds the record for representing Waitsburg in more places than any other royalty. During her reign, she traveled with her family, promoting Waitsburg Celebration Days and singing the National Anthem at events across the country.

"She represented Waitsburg with pride and grace all year. She handled non-English speaking tourists in Canada and rain and mud in July in Cheyenne with an ease that most adults would envy," Makenna's mom Tracy Barron posted on Facebook.

Now it is up to eighteen-year-old Rebecca Holderman of Milton-Freewater to fill Makenna's shoes, and it appears that she is off to a fantastic start.

Friends, family and community members made a good turnout to the annual fundraiser that raised approximately $1,500 to help pay for the queen's outfit and travel expenses. The evening included a spaghetti dinner, a silent auction and dessert auction.

"Rebecca's family was busy baking and there were a handful of desserts donated by community members. We had a total of 13 desserts which included a lemon curd cheesecake which sold for $125 and brownies that sold twice," said Court Advisor Beka Compton.

Holderman spent many hours creating items for the silent auction, including a hair-on cowhide clock, gunrack and mirror.

"It's so fun having a girl with so many blossoming talents representing us," Compton said. "The sponsor list for the silent auction took up an entire poster board and we are so very thankful for each and every one of them."

Compton made a special point of thanking Kathy Hassler of Walla Walla for donating her time to share her skills with Rebecca. In addition to helping her with the auction items, Hassler taught her how to construct the chaps that were debuted at the coronation dinner.

Lane Gwinn

Visiting royalty displays items for the dessert auction.

Compton also extended a special thanks to the Waitsburg Commercial Club for its support of the coronation.

"Beka receives no compensation or reimbursement for her role as advisor and the Queen and her family are responsible for fundraising for clothing, travel and associated costs. It is a big-time financial commitment made on behalf of Waitsburg. Waitsburg has been very fortunate in the quality of representation we have received from our Celebration Days courts," said Waitsburg Commercial Club President Joy Smith.

The coronation was attended by several local courts, including Walla Walla Fair & Frontier Days Royalty, Pioneer Posse Royalty Court, Columbia County Fair Hostesses, and the Benton-Franklin Horse Heaven RoundUp Queen.