If Vellekamp’s history reads
like the resume of the poster child for Santa Ynez Valley, it’s because she is.
The Recreation Queen annual fundraiser directly benefits
the youth of the valley. Queen Chairman Frank Kelsey, who has coordinated the
event for 55 years after taking over the role from his father, said it’s not a
contest, but it is an honor to be selected.
“We are not necessarily looking for a beauty queen, or a
straight-A student,” Kelsey explained. “We are looking for a girl that is
willing to give of her time and work very hard. Hannah is a real hard worker;
she has been helping for several years.”
Kelsey said that they select someone from among the girls
that have worked year after year and are active in the program. It requires
family participation, as well as the young woman’s.
“Their lives are turned upside down for six weeks,” said
Kelsey. He said that the candidate also needs to be a good student, so the
fundraising activities do not interfere with academics. Hannah and her family
have helped with these fundraising events all her life. Hannah’s step-father,
Kenny Hollister, owns the salesyard, where the queen
fundraisers have been held for 55 years.
Over the years, the Rec Queen
fundraisers have paid for tennis courts, ballfields
at Solvang and Santa Ynez schools, improvements and play equipment at Jonata and Los Olivos and ballfields at Ballard School, a swimming pool at Santa Ynez
Valley Union High School, and numerous other amenities in the valley.
Too many dresses
Vellekamp
appreciates the honor of being named Rec. Queen.
“This is definitely a
once-in-a-lifetime experience,” she says. But the Future Farmer of America does
not have her sights set on a future of beauty pageants, unless perhaps they
involve cattle and horses. Why? “Too many dresses!” says this tomboy, with
emphasis.
She does have her sights set on a future full of horses,
cattle and outdoor sports, though. As proof that she is no ordinary pageant
winner, she doesn’t even own a skirt. Her closet is full of soccer shorts and
jeans. It’s no wonder, since she spends her free time in the saddle or
defending the goal line.
But still, as any woman would, she looked forward to
modeling fashions from local stores with friends at a fashion show fundraiser
luncheon at Gainey Vineyard May 4. But the event she
looks most forward to, she said, is the dinner at the Men’s Club in Los Alamos
at 6:30 p.m. May 15, “because it’s my hometown.”
“Living in the valley my entire life, playing sports on
various courts and fields, helping other queens with their fundraising
campaigns, I know firsthand what the Santa Ynez Valley Youth Recreation, Inc.,
has achieved in making this beautiful valley a better place to live for our
youth and families, which we all benefit from,” said the Santa Ynez High senior
in a press release.
Vellekamp,
who said she is happiest when riding Buck and Blue, her horses at the salesyard in Buellton, said the Rec
Queen campaign has her balancing her days with things she does not normally do.
“It’s shocking,” she says. “I never knew what is put into it. One day I am
taking portraits, one day modeling clothes. I feel like a celebrity.”
Vellekamp
grew up playing on soccer fields at College School in Santa Ynez from age 10.
She is a goalie on the Katana team, a team of girls from
the Central Coast that play competitive soccer.
Lauren Scheller, a friend and
coworker of Vellekamp at Round-Up Market in Santa
Ynez, admires her friend.
“She’s phenomenal. Hannah gets other people excited and
involved in the cause that she’s driving to support,” she says.
Vellekamp
said the first kick-off event, at the family’s sales yard in Buellton, was a
dinner and auction with a barbecued tri-tip, beans and salad and raised more
than $10,000.
Animal lover
The Los Alamos teen says she has been involved in 4-H
since age nine and has entered an animal into the county fair every year since.
Down the road, the 17-year-old valley native has her sights set on one day
owning and operating her own cattle business.
Now a Future Farmers of America member, she is raising
two entries for the county fair July 13-20: Pookie, a
black and white show steer; and Lala, a 1,000-plus
pound replacement heifer. Vellekamp won the Reserve
Champion and Grand Champion awards in 2007 and Supreme Champion and Grand
Champion in 2008.
Her other hobbies are snow and wakeboarding, and she also
works part-time both at the Round-Up Market and the Santa Ynez Pet Hospital.
After high school, this Rec. Queen will attend Allan
Hancock Community College and then transfer to California Polytechnic State
University, San Luis Obispo, majoring in animal science and agriculture
business. She plans to stay in the valley.
She thanked her mom, dad and step-dad — and her
boyfriend, Ty Gonsalves — for “putting up with her”
during the fundraising events.
More events
There are nine Rec. Queen fundraisers.
Next up is the Royal Dinner, Wine and Art Auction at 5 p.m., May 9, at the Montanaro Store in Los Olivos,
and a breakfast at 8 a.m. May 10, Mother’s Day, at Santa Ynez High. A golf
tournament at 12:30 p.m. is planned for May 16 at the River Course in Solvang,
and an auction and barbecue begin at noon May 17 at Nojoqui
Park.
“We have had two events so far,” Kelsey said. “They have
been extremely well attended and supported, even though it’s a hard time
economically. The people in the valley really step up when it comes to youth.”
On May 20, New Frontiers Health Food Store in Solvang
will donate five percent of its proceeds to the SYV Youth Rec
campaign. The final fundraising event begins at 5 p.m. May 22 with cocktails at
the Solvang Memorial Hall followed by dinner and an auction.
The Santa Ynez Recreation Queen fundraiser is no longer
connected to the past Elk Rodeo queen event in any way whatsoever.
Vellekamp is
the daughter of Mark Vellekamp of Buellton and Gigi
Hollister of Los Alamos. She has two brothers, Bradley and C.J. Hollister; and
two sisters, Brooke Hollister and Heather Vellekamp.
She is the granddaughter of Patty Landis of Santa Ynez and Larry and Sonja
Poplin of Solvang.
Reach Wendy Thompson at wendy@syvjournal.com.