MISS VERMONT GOES "GREEN" TO MISS AMERICA

Ashley Wheeler to wear an eco-friendly, locally made gown

 Miss Vermont 2008, Ashley Wheeler, is putting the final touches on her preparation for the Miss America pageant in January. She has fine tuned her vocal piece with the help of a local coach; she has been grilled by panels of "mock" interview jMiss Vermonudges, and has met regularly with a personal trainer. This week she is picking up her custom-made evening gown from eco fashion designerTara Lynn... and the cool thing is that this gown was not made in New York or California, but rather in Sutton, Vermont. And it's green - not forest green or sage green, but green the concept- green an eco-friendly dress made of hemp and silk, and lined with hemp and organic cotton.

"I was raised as part of a family-run business and I understand how important it is to support locally-owned and operated businesses. So when it came time for me to purchase an evening gown for the Miss America pageant, I decided to keep my business in Vermont and call upon a designer from the Northeast Kingdom. I had heard about Tara Lynn and it was very appealing to go "green" for Miss America. I will be making a significant statement and suspect I will be the only contestant who has chosen to go this route. I think this is the perfect way for me to share my stance on preserving our environment and set myself apart from the other contestants." 

" Tara Lynn Scheidet, owner of Tara Lynn, is a talented and innovative designer, and is said to be the poster child for sustainable business in Northern Vermont. Her unique collections are inspired by and dedicated to environmental causes. Tara Lynn’s studio runs off solar electricity. The shelves are stocked with vintage and recycled materials collected over years of yard sale shopping. The ceiling is adored with inspirational pictures hung over a floor of antique sewing machines. Since the company started in 2005 it has become a team of talented women. They all stand behind the same mission to increase awareness of biodiversity, promote sustainability and be proud of what they do and the clothing they make.

Tara Lynn, the designer of Miss Vermont's evening gown believes, "Beauty is not artificial. Natural clothing is sexier than lifeless textiles made from hazardous materials. When women wear my clothes I want them to feel exuberant and special rather than objects of desire: strong, smart and powerful. Stylish sexy women set the example for the next generation." As a representative of America's #1 scholarship provider for young women and an organization whose mission is to promote personal and professional development, civic consciousness, service, higher education, and integrity, Ashley Wheeler believes she has found the "perfect fit."

IMPORTANT DATES: Fridays in January - The four-part series, “Miss America: Countdown to the Crown,” airs on TLC on Fridays at 10PM (e/p) beginning January 2, leading up to the Miss America Pageant finale on January 24.

Sunday, January 4 - Send Off Party, St. Michael's College Hoehl Welcome Center- 1-3pm Ashley will model her Miss America competition attire and perform her talent. Media welcome.

For complete listing of Ashley’s Miss America competition schedule, please visit our website at www.missvermont.org

Contact Tara Lynn at 802-745-8042 or visit www.taralynnstudio.com

Photos of Ashley Wheeler in her eco-friendly Miss America competition gown attached, courtesy of Steve Legge, Image North Photography.

To set up an interview please contact Hannah Manley at 802-296-1649. ###