For nearly three decades, the Ms. Senior Golden Years pageant has provided a powerful platform for women aged 60 and older to rediscover their purpose, celebrate their legacies, and inspire their community in meaningful ways. What began as a local offshoot of the statewide Ms. Senior Nevada pageant has evolved into a deeply cherished tradition in Pahrump—one that blends entertainment, empowerment, and philanthropy into a single unforgettable evening each year.
The organization was founded by the indomitable BJ Hetrick-Irwin, a tap dancer and visionary who created the Nevada Silver Tappers dance group and later ran the Ms Senior Nevada pageant. Desiring to focus on her own community, she started the local version of the pageant in 2003. Now approaching her 100th birthday, BJ still serves as the guiding force behind the program, maintaining final say on every decision, with the same passion and energy that shaped the organization’s roots. Her successor, Teri Rogers, a 2018 pageant winner and current board member, is devoted to preserving BJ’s legacy and continuing the mission of highlighting senior women as dynamic, vital members of society.
Teri’s involvement with the pageant is both deep and personal. A longtime local resident, she first met BJ more than 25 years ago and was involved with her through dance long before she officially entered the pageant world. She joined the Silver Tappers and participated in community events but always remained on the periphery. In 2018, Teri stepped into the spotlight, finally fulfilling a promise to BJ to enter the pageant—and she won. Her platform, “Music and Memory,” focused on the therapeutic power of music for individuals with dementia. She created personalized playlists for residents in memory care and distributed them on iPods, hoping to spark moments of recognition and connection through familiar songs. Although the pandemic hindered her ability to continue the program in its original form, she still teaches line dancing and incorporates music into her volunteer work, particularly for seniors, maintaining her dedication to wellness and neurological health.
The structure of the Ms. Senior Golden Years pageant reflects both creativity and substance. Open to women 60 and older—the so-called “age of elegance”—participants must choose a platform that reflects a cause close to their heart. The queen’s platform becomes the organization’s primary fundraising focus for the year, although the court’s platforms often receive support as well. Contestants are judged in five categories: personal interview, old-fashioned bathing suit display, talent, evening gown/stage presence, and a platform presentation. The bathing suit category is always a crowd favorite, typically showcasing unique costumes inspired by the early 1900s, and judged on creativity and presentation. The platform presentation, a speaking component that had been removed in recent years, is expected to return in 2025 due to popular demand.
This year’s pageant will be held June 7 at Saddle West, beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are $25, which includes a lively hour-and-a-half showcase followed by a reception with charcuterie and cake. The event also features additional entertainment, and the funds raised help support not only the pageant’s operations but the charitable platforms of its court members. Saddle West donates space as a show of ongoing community support—something Teri hopes will continue even after BJ’s eventual departure from the role she’s championed for decades.
Reigning queen Debbie Forrest, crowned in June 2024, described the experience as “magical.” Her platform supported the Pahrump Senior Center, a vital community hub providing meals, transportation, and socialization for local seniors. Forrest hit the ground running after her win, attending parades, ribbon cuttings, and organizing fundraisers. Her most successful effort was a First Friday event at Artesian Cellars, which raised $3,306 through raffles, a live auction, and community basket donations. She also hosted a bake sale and assisted with collections of much-needed items for the center. Her efforts helped spotlight the services offered by the Senior Center, including their Monday-through-Friday lunch service—suggested donation $4—and their Meals on Wheels program, which delivers up to 100 meals weekly to homebound seniors, complete with wellness checks. The center also provides transportation for doctor appointments and social activities, even extending services to Las Vegas for medical needs.
Forrest remains committed to the Senior Center and plans to continue volunteering long after her reign ends. She’s already preparing a basket donation for an upcoming fundraiser she can’t attend due to a prior commitment, demonstrating her continued dedication. “Our platforms stay with us,” she explained. “Even when our reign ends, our causes don’t.”
As the 2025 pageant approaches, Forrest will return to the stage one last time for her farewell walk and to perform the talent she showcased in last year’s competition. Her final speech, like those of queens before her, will be pre-recorded and played during the ceremony—an elegant touch designed to ensure the emotions of the moment don’t interfere with the message she wants to leave behind.
What sets the Ms. Senior Golden Years pageant apart from others is its commitment to enriching the lives of its participants and the community they serve. It’s more than a title—it’s a call to action, a celebration of wisdom, and a reminder that beauty, purpose, and impact don’t diminish with age. The program touches hundreds of lives every year, not just through the women who compete, but through the many causes they champion and the example they set.
As Teri said, “We celebrate legacy. We celebrate doing something for yourself, maybe for the first time in your life. You’ve done for others—now do something for you.” From newcomers exploring talents they never knew they had to seasoned performers returning to the stage, the Ms. Senior Golden Years pageant provides a space for women to shine, to connect, and to inspire. And with BJ’s legacy carried forward by a passionate board and dedicated community, the future of the pageant looks just as bright as its past.
