Royal Ambassadors represent the National Baby Food Festival

By Nathan Kroon

The Oceana Echo Volunteer Correspondent

As skies darkened with rainclouds Saturday afternoon following the 50th National Asparagus Festival’s Joan Glover Royale Parade, bright smiles were captured on camera. The Oceana Echo was granted an audience with three of four visiting dignitaries from an adjacent county where the festival comes in a different flavor. Queen’s Court Chair Summer Groenke made the introductions.

“The National Baby Food Festival Queen’s Court is a group of young ladies from Newaygo County who spend over 200 hours volunteering throughout the year. We participate in parades, including the Baby Food Festival. We collect money during [that] festival, which we donate to good causes. Last year we supported Helping Hands, which builds hygiene kits for children in the area. We sponsor kids to attend Camp Henry in Newaygo. We’ve bought books for libraries including Fremont library, White Cloud, and Newaygo Area District Library.”

The title of queen is not inherited or arranged in neighboring Newaygo. Queen Eden Gedmin disclosed the process of selection. “We sent in a picture and an introduction letter about ourselves [concerning] why we wanted to be on the court and what we can do to help our community. We were picked from these [applicants].”

Queen Rhyan Essebaggers described the 200 service hours involved. “[We staffed] a 5K walk/run check-in and handed out shirts. We [assist in] Harvest Festival arts and craft fairs in Fremont Memorial Park. We host many kid’s days for children with autism and special needs. These kids spend a couple of hours with us on rides [arranged] just for them because sometimes they cannot stand loud noises. The Queens meet and greet with them to share special moments with these special kids.”

Queen Ivy Delo cherishes “all the little kid’s smiles.” As the audience drew to an end, she explained how the greatest aspiration of a queen is to be a role model. “What makes me really happy is seeing all the little kids we come up to, [who understand] oh, I can achieve that too.”

• Nathan Kroon/Echo

Queen Aubrey Hummel was not present for the interview. The National Baby Food Festival of 2023 will be in Fremont from July 19-22. The festivities feature the Baby Crawl, Baby Food Eating Contest and Grand Parade, a car show, arts and crafts, a carnival and other sources of “good clean family fun” according to the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce. Delo, Essebaggers, Gedmin, and Hummel participate in the finest tradition of philanthropic queens. We wish them well, and await the return of this delegation in 2024.