Chilton County Peach Queens delivered baskets of peaches to Gov. Robert Bentley and state Sen. Cam Ward at the Capitol on Tuesday, July 12. L-R: Halle Sullivan, Little Miss Peach; Alexis Gray, Junior Miss Peach; Gov. Robert Bentley; Sen. Cam Ward; Jill Vinzant, Miss Peach; and Grace Nolen, Young Miss Peach.

The 2011 Chilton County Peach Queens paid a visit to the state’s Capitol on Tuesday and personally delivered four baskets of peaches to Gov. Robert Bentley and state Sen. Cam Ward.

Jill Vinzant, Miss Peach; Alexis Gray, Junior Miss Peach; Grace Nolen, Young Miss Peach; and Halle Sullivan, Little Miss Peach, traveled together to Montgomery on Saturday, July 9 and Tuesday, July 15.

On Saturday, the peach queens visited the Alabama Farmer’s Market to promote Chilton County peaches.

The queens served peaches to Bentley, first lady Dianne Bentley, Commissioner of Agriculture John McMillan and others.

On Tuesday, the queens toured the Capitol, and the official tradition of presenting peaches to Bentley and Ward took place.

“This was the first real thing they got to do, and they were really excited and had a good time,” said Mary Anne Nolen, mother of Grace Nolen. “Saturday, the girls did not know they were going to meet Mr. Bentley, and Tuesday he didn’t expect to see them.”
“We took pictures and gave him [Bentley] some peaches,” said Gray. “He was very happy about getting them.”

The queens took photos, toured the capital with their family members and had a chance to speak with Bentley on their Tuesday visit.
“It was really fun and neat meeting the governor,” said Nolen. “First, we took pictures on the stairs, and then we had to sit in a special room and wait for him.”

During their Montgomery visit Saturday, the queens participated in the corn-shucking contest along with about 10 other participants. Gray came in second place in the contest.

Sullivan tried her hand at corn shucking and shucked three pieces, she said.

“I got to give the governor some peaches and give him my picture,” Sullivan said about her favorite part of the visit. “We had lots of fun; we got to call out door prizes and talk in the microphone.”

On Monday, the Peach Queens will attend the Clanton Lions Club annual Ladies Night banquet at the Alabama Power Company’s Conference Center.

Vinzant is out of town this week and couldn’t be reached four comment.