It was the thrill of a lifetime for a local nursing home beauty who competed in the Ms. Alabama Nursing Home Pageant August 7 at the Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham.

Ms. Margaret McLeod, Ms. Luverne Health and Rehab 2007, got up close and personal with Miss Alabama 2007 Jamie Langley during the statewide event.

Langley talked with several nursing home beauties from across Alabama prior to changing into her pageant gown for the event.

McLeod spoke with Langley for several minutes and was quite impressed with Langley's desire to meet and know about the nursing home queens represented throughout the state.

During the decision-making time by the judges, Miss Alabama returned to McLeod for a brief interview during the ballroom program.

All eyes and ears were on McLeod as she proudly represented her nursing facility and Crenshaw County.

McLeod was very complementary of the Activities Department at Luverne Health and Rehab, and also to her caregivers at the facility.

Forty-six contestants competed in the state pageant as it celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2007.

The pageant is sponsored by the Alabama Nursing Home Association, Inc. and the ANHA Activity and Social Services Auxiliary.

Alabama currently has 231 member facilities in the state.

McLeod was treated to an overnight stay at the Wynfrey Hotel in Birmingham and shopping in the River Chase Galleria.

She also had a professional portrait made for the occasion in the Hampshire Room of the hotel.

She was featured in the event's program, along with the other contestants, and also had the thrill of watching herself, along with a brief biography, flashed several times on the two large screens in the ballroom prior to the event starting.

McLeod was also acknowledged with a formal introduction during the event program, while participating in the pageant's Honors Court.

McLeod was accompanied by Activity Directors Lawanda Harrell and Ann Grier, and nurse Elanor Lyons.

The pilgrimage to Birmingham is an annual event for the Luverne Health and Rehab's Activities Department.