National Conference of State Societies

A Letter to NCSS from Lynda Johnson Robb

The Honorary Chair of the 2008 Ball and  guest of honor was the 1961 U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen, Betsy Howard Jefferson.  Betsy was 19 when the wheel stopped on Kentucky, the state she represented.  On April 11, Betsy returned to the NCSS Grand Ball to spin the wheel for the First Runner Up, Elinor Rushforth of New Mexico.  On the night in 1961 when Betsy was chosen as Queen, she was asked for the first dance by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson.  Lynda Bird Johnson, daughter of the vice president, is shown on this page in a black and white photo presenting flowers to Betsy.  Betsy is also pictured in a color photo as she looks today wearing the Mikimoto pearls she received in 1961.  While Mrs. Lynda Johnson Robb, a former First Lady of Virginia, could not attend this year's ball to recreate that 1961 moment, she did send a warm and gracious letter to all the guests at the NCSS Ball.  Here is the full text of that letter which was addressed to the MC of the ball:

Andrea Roane

News Anchor for WUSA9

Dear Andrea and Friends:

I regret my schedule prevents being with you all tonight as you celebrate the 60^th Anniversary of the Princess Program.  As a former cherry blossom princess for the Texas State Society (let’s not be specific on dates, but just stick with “former”) I have wonderful memories of that time when my father was Vice President and agreed to spin the Wheel of Fortune.  The Wheel stopped on Kentucky and I presented flowers to Betsy Howard before Daddy asked her for the first dance.  I am so pleased tht Betsy is with you tonight as Honorary Chair and I thank you for sending me pictures from that long ago evening.

 

Spring in Washington, DC is a special season, particularly because of the cherry blossoms that adorn the trees donated to America by Japan as a symbol of goodwill.  The blossoms help us enjoy the beauty of nature, something you know was so important to Mother.  The blossoms also continue to promote goodwill between our two countries year after year.  The 60^th anniversary of the Princess program is a testament to the continued success of that goodwill mission and I’m proud to have been a participant. My best wishes to Betsy and to all the former and current cherry blossom princesses from the embassies and across the United States. I hope you enjoy the parade on Saturday and am sure you have had a wonderful week of getting to know each other and sharing a little of your own local goodwill with your fellow princesses.

   

With warm regards,

Lynda Johnson Robb

Greetings from the Class of 1948

The recently-concluded National Cherry Blossom Festival was also the 60th Anniversary of the NCSS Cherry Blossom Princess Program that started in 1948.  Joan Lovering Boos and her husband Fred Boos (pronounced Bows) were two special guests at the NCSS Grand Ball on April 11.  Joan was in the very first class of princesses in 1948.  She is pictured at left at the ball with Japan Cherry Blossom Queen Megumi Yoshida of Saitama, Japan.  Not only did Joan attend the ball but she also saw her 2008 counterpart, Emily Little, become the Cherry Blossom Queen when the wheel stopped on Maine. (Photo courtesy of Maine State Society President Carl Bouchard.)

1,600 Photos of Cherry Blossom Princesses Posted

Photographer Bobby Singh has posted 1,600 pictures of the 2008 NCSS Cherry Blossom Princess Program from April 6-April 12.  All are available for purchase direct from Bobby.  To see photo albums for each day and event:

CLICK HERE.

 

Ford Mustangs Return to the Parade

Left to right: Nevada cherry blossom princess Jennifer Cooper, Maine Princess and 2008 U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen Emily Little, Ohio princess Shelly Horn, and Nebraska Princess Abby Helman, pose in the back seat of a 1972 Ford Sprint Mustang that was first used for princesses in the 1972 National Cherry Blossom Parade.  More than fifty 1972 Mustangs were part of a special promotion that year by the Ford Motor Company. (Photo courtesy of Rex Turner of the Ford Mustang Club.)

Maine President Carl Bouchard photos also posted

CLICK HERE to see photos from Maine State Society President Carl Bouchard.

COMING SOON! More NCSS Cherry Blossom Photos

Photos by Bobby Singh will be posted very soon.  For information on the exclusive group photo on the night of the ball, April 11, send an email to info@photobybobby.com.

International Princess Chair Joan Neiman gives a hug to Maine Princess Emily Little as the Wheel of Fortune stops on Maine to make Emily the 2008 U.S. Cherry Blossom Queen.  Just minutes before, Emily had been voted by the other princesses as Miss Congeniality.

Cherry Blossom Princesses in Parade on Sat., April 12

Southwest Airlines presents the Parade of the National Cherry Blossom Festival will kick off at 10 am on Saturday, April 12 at 7th Street and Constitution Avenues, NW and proceed west for ten blocks to 17th Street. Millions have enjoyed this Washington tradition for sixty years.  The state societies of Washington, DC will be represented by cherry blossom princesses who will march in the parade escorted by midshipmen of the NAVY ROTC unit at The George Washington University.  To learn more about the parade, please CLICK HERE to see the parade home page on the web site of the National Cherry Blossom Festival. The parade will be followed by a huge street festival on Pennsylvania Avenue, NW and 14th Street, NW called the Sakura Matsuri, or Cherry Blossom Festival in Japanese.

Congressional Reception for Cherry Blossom Princesses is Wed., April 9 in 325 Russell Senate Office Building

The NCSS President's reception for Members of Congress and cherry blossom princesses will be held in Russell Senate Office Building Room 325, the third floor caucus room, on Wednesday, April 9 from 6 to 8 pm.  If your state society has not yet given the name of your congressional escort to event chair Jody Sweet, please do so right away.  Her contact information is

Jody Sweet
Office:  jsweet@3eti.com
Home:  jwsweet1@aim.com

Come Join Us at Florida House on Thursday, April 3

The management of Florida House, home to Floridians on Capitol Hill, home state visitors, and members of the Florida State Society of Washington, DC, is inviting officers of other state societies in the Nation's Capital to join us for a light reception on Thursday, April 3 from 6:30 pm to 8 pm.  The purpose is to give society officers a chance to meet each other and trade dumb jokes about the teams of other states.  Most of all, help us join with the National Conference of State Societies (NCSS) 2008 Cherry Blossom Festival Committee as they launch a celebration of the 60th Anniverary of the Cherry Blossom Princess Program.  Individual state societies and NCSS started the program in 1948.

In the last sixty years more than 3,000 young women have participated, about fifty each year.  Former cherry blossom princesses now serving in Congress include Rep. Shelly Moore Capito of West Virginia and Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska.  Former Virginia First Lady Lynda Bird Johnson Robb is also an alumna of the program.

NCSS officers and committee chairs will be present to answer your questions and give out information sheets.  This is the best opportunity to purchase tickets and select your table for the United States Cherry Blossom Queen Dinner and Grand Ball on Friday, April 11, 2008 at the Grand Hyatt Hotel.  This elegant black-tie event has also been a classic Washington tradition since 1948 where generations have seen state cherry blossom princesses and a queen selected by the Wheel of Fortune.

So join us for Florida hospitality, learn about our historic home, and celebrate the 2008 National Cherry Blossom Festival.  We are located directly behind the Supreme Court at One Second Street, NE. For more information about Florida House, CLICK HERE to see our web site. To learn how to join the Florida State Society please CLICK HERE.  To learn about all the state societies, click on your state flag to the left on this page.

Coming Next Saturday! NCSS Souvenir Programs!

The Special 60th Anniversary Edition of the 2008 NCSS Cherry Blossom Princess Souvenir Program Book will be a collector's item that many state society members will want to keep as reference for years to come. This colorful and unique souvenir includes pictures of all the 2008 state cherry blossom princesses and never-before published historical photos on state society events from 1948 to the present. There is also an article on the history of NCSS and state societies from 1854 to 2008. This is a must-have feature for your state society party for a cherry blossom princess.  They will be off the press next Friday, April 4.  Use this book as a marketing tool for your state society and it will help to tell your story to potential donors and sponsors.  State societies that have advertised with NCSS or made special donations in the last six months will receive copies as needed.  Other societies may order extra copies at $3 each from NCSS with a minimum order of twenty copies by sending an email to the program chair at Mark.Rhoads@statesocieties.com.