Hail the Emerald Queen of Elmhurst

Six young women, some dressed with a spot of green, found themselves waiting patiently at the Elmhurst Public Library to give perfect and polished interviews.

They weren’t facing prospective employers, they were up in front of Elmhurst Jaycee members who would select the very first Emerald Queen for Elmhurst’s 15th annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade Saturday, March 12. The idea was the brainchild of the nonprofit organization.

After almost two hours of interviewing and discussion, it was time for a decision. Then, things took a surprising turn. Impressed with all the entrants, judges decided to not only crown a queen but her court as well.

Elmhurst resident and Elmhurst College student Katie Schroeder, 21, was the winner. Entrants Rosie Folks, Rachelle Badem, Crystal Dickson, Kristen Yasz and Kerry O'Boyle are members of her court. Schroeder won gift certificates to local businesses such as Café Amano, Flight 112 and Elmhurst Camera, as well as the right to sit in a convertible with Jaycee members marching beside her in the parade.

Schroeder believes the answer she gave interviewers about her involvement in her hometown cinched the title.

“The Jaycees are involved in the community and I think I do a lot of volunteering in the community, especially with Elmhurst College,” she said. “I’m a site leader for Habitat for Humanity, where I’m in charge of a group that works during spring break. We also do local homes in DuPage County, and we go to places like Georgia. That’s my main project. I also tutor a lot of students.”

Erin Majder, a Jaycees member, was one of the judges and the person who proposed the idea for the queen to her group in January. She explained that having a queen would serve several purposes, including having a new parade entry and promoting Jaycees' summer carnival. She added that the Jaycees’ contest would also be another way to publicize this popular suburban parade.

“We were throwing ideas around and I (suggested) having a parade queen,” Majder said. “The parade queen is obviously a visible way to increase interest from and awareness in the community. It’s something we could do every year, and hopefully when some of the girls would apply for the queen contest, (they) would also be interested in joining the Jaycees. All the guys were quiet at first and then they said ‘Wow, all right, you ought to run that.’ ”

The Jaycees looked into what other parades have done for their queen contests and tweaked their own requirements to reflect membership criteria, Majder said. The main requirements are that contestants had to be between 21 and 39 years old and live or work in Elmhurst. They could be married or unmarried.   

“I’ve been in previous contests myself,” Majder said. “Typically it’s not about talent, and I guess there’s some element of beauty. I received an inquiry from one of the contestants and I explained to her that this is not a beauty contest. It’s more about who is a good example of what the Jaycees stand for or a great example of somebody to represent the city of Elmhurst. The Jaycees are about leadership development, community involvement and volunteerism. I think that’s what a lot of people in Elmhurst also agree with and believe in. That’s what’s really important.”

While the Jaycees prepares its queen and court, Jim O’Connor, parade chairman, will be overseeing many floats, marching units and entertainment acts as they come down Wilson Street and Spring Road. O’Connor said the event was the idea of  former Mayor Tom Marcucci and businessmen Scott Ahlgrim, Frank Catalano Sr. and the late Doug Kuester. It has grown in popularity ever since. Even rainy weather couldn’t stop 20,000 visitors from coming to last year’s event.

O’Connor believes the parade will be a lasting tradition.

“The reason the parade is popular is because it’s the end of winter and people need an excuse to go out,” he said. “It’s been so well-received that it’s going to be here for a long time.”

This year’s parade will feature the York High School Marching Band, Medinah Shriner groups, the Chicago Highlanders and its grand marshal, The Kiwanis Club of Elmhurst.

Paul Koch, general manager and partner of Larry Roesch Chrysler Jeep Dodge in Elmhurst and a member of the Kiwanis Club Board of Directors, said the honor is being bestowed upon a whole club, rather than an individual, for the first time.  The club has been serving the city since 1932.

He said many club members walk in the parade and carry a huge American flag that is also used during the city’s Memorial Day parade.

“We are proud to participate in this great community event that is so family focused,” Koch said. “After all, it is the purpose of our club to improve the quality of life for children and families.”