Jim Fair
Ronetta Harper Griffin, 1991 Miss South Carolina, and Sydney Sill, 2012 Miss Greater Greer Teen, were a main draw at Griffin's Carolina Chic boutique of candles Thursday night at The Shoppes at The Grapevine open house.
Jim Fair
Lorelai Jacob, 4, from Easley, gets a special treat when Sydney Sill invites her to pose on Sill's lap. Lorelai also was given a hand written note.
Jim Fair
This young boy received an autograph from Sydney Sill when he saw the opportunty to make her acquaintance.
Jim Fair
Sidney Sill signs another message for a young visitor. She collected autographs as a young girl and has them in her playroom for reminders
It was also the most relaxing week for Sill since she competed for the Miss Teen pageant last month. Consider that in the middle of February Sill was preparing for the Miss Greer pageant, practicing four hours nightly for the just completed and highly successful run of “Hairspray” and sandwiching those productions between full days at school.
“We were all crying when “Hairspray” ended,” Sill said. “It was so much fun. I want to be in the next production.” That will be determined upon Sill’s future schedule. She will be a favorite to win the Miss Teen title this year after finishing as second runnerup in the 2011 Miss Teen contest competing as Miss Greater Lyman. She won overall sportswear and won her preliminary in physical fitness.
Sill was appearing Thursday on behalf of Ronnetta Hatcher Griffin who had a display of scented candles at Carolina Chic. Griffin won the 1991 Miss South Carolina title.
Posing for photographs and signing autographs occupied Sill’s time throughout the evening. Lorelai Jacob, 4, from Easley asked to have her picture taken with Sill. That was the most natural act for the teenage beauty.
Lorelai was lifted onto Sill’s lap while family and media photographed them.
“I remember I was just like her when I was younger,” Sill said. “I even wore bows in my hair like Lorelai. I looked up to all the beauty queens when I was younger. If they wore a crown I wanted their autograph.”
Sill said she has a collection of autographs from her youth and collects autographs from the girls she competes with at competitions.
The girls and boys getting autographs Thursday evening received a handwritten message. “I want to make this a personal experience and write a note of inspiration,” Sill said.
Sill wore a shoulder, coral and orange striped flowy dress with a waistline belt. Her copper earrings and wrist bracelet were from her friend, Allison Adams’ collection. The shoes were sling back taupe colored.
“I like to look nice and dress up,” Sill said. “My mom dresses nice and I like to look pretty. I love shopping and I love clothes. Allison dresses nice every day. She works at Carolina Tradition (full service bridal salon in Spartanburg) and has some great ideas. Sometimes she will tell me when something doesn’t work. And I will tell her too.”
Sill said her friendships with Allison and Lauren Powell, a cast member in “Hairspray” and this year’s Miss Blue Ridge Foothills, is a special trio without alienating her school friends. “We all get along fine. This is a fun time.”
Sill is scheduled at a fun run at Crestview Saturday morning at 8:30 p.m. Miss Greater Greer, Lauren Cabaniss will also attend