I recently donated to a contestant in the Cinderella Ball Pageant held by the Alpha Mu Chapter of the Alpha Pi Chi Sorority in Rockingham. All the girls are beautiful and worked hard to gather sponsorship and follow the rules of the pageant.

It was recently discovered that the winner of the pageant is over the age limit and has won previously. If we are trying to instill in our youth the importance of fair competition whether in sports, career advancement or community activity, let’s be sure to hold our community organizations responsible for following their own rules and be fair. The coordinators of the pageant have been contacted by participants and sponsors and we have asked that the rules be applied fairly. The Sorority has disregarded the request and called anyone questioning the result “a sore loser.”

They have refused to follow the mission of their Sorority, “to promote ethical concepts in human relations; ... to teach civic responsibilities; and to develop members socially, culturally and intellectually.”

Is the money collected more important than the ethical lesson that we teach our children to always compete fairly?

Veronica Robinson

Landover, MD

(Veronica Robinson is a former Richmond County resident.)