Brit Mott

Between playing the harmonica, spending time with her grandchildren, and dancing the cha-cha, Sandra (Sandy) Halsey is one spunky senior. Sandy garnered the Ms. Plano Senior America title in June. Perhaps it was her Southern charm and delightful laugh that earned her the Ms. Congeniality award, too. View a Slideshow

Her reaction when she won the title? “Total surprise,” she said. “I was so honored that I won Ms. Congeniality voted on by the other girls, I really didn’t think I was gong to win the title. I even hesitated about entering the pageant but people kept urging me to, so I did.”

Around 450 people turned out to the Plano Senior Center for the pageant in June. While there was plenty of entertainment—Dallas Symphony opera singer and Ms. Senior America 2002 Mary Virginia Tuinstra sang the national anthem; Mary Zumwalt, Ms. Texas 2007, involved the audience in guessing show tunes on the piano; and the Dallas Dazzlers performed five numbers—perhaps it was Sandy’s harmonica-playing performance that “blew” the audience away in the talent competition. Audience members began singing along to “Battle Hymn of the Republic” when she played it on her chromatic Suzuki harmonica.

Sandy has only been playing the instrument for four years. “It’s just a fun pasttime. I have some friends in Alabama who came here for the Society for Preservation and Advancement of Harmonicas national convention. They’d never been to Dallas, so every day I’d pick them up and take them all over the city. Well, when they had a banquet at the end of the convention, they bought me a ticket and that night, I won two harmonicas. They said, ‘Now you have to learn to play!’ ”

Sandy is a self-taught musician and she’s encouraging her grandchildren to pick up the instrument. “I bought all my grandchildren harmonicas for Christmas and they like to play with me,” she said.

The Plano resident of 35 years has four children and seven grandchildren. She is an active member of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church where she teaches singles over 40. Her volunteer work includes pastoral care at Medical Center of Plano, Baylor Plano, Heritage Manor Nursing Home, and Collin Oaks Assisted Living. She is also the former vice president of the Plano Senior Recreation Council and is considering joining the council this year at the president’s request. “It’s nice to help the seniors there,” she said.

When she’s not volunteering in the community, she can be found fishing on the lake. “Some of my family live up here and some live in San Antonio, but my granddaughter is a Girl Scout and my grandson is a Boy Scout, and we like to go camping.”

Other interests include snow skiing, cooking, Bunco Canasta, and dancing. Sandy’s taken dance lessons at the Plano Senior Center and at her friend’s Plano dance studio. “I took dancing when I was young up until I was in high school—that was a few years ago,” she joked. “Now I enjoy the tango, the fox trot, the cha-cha... .”

Aside from fancy footwork, among Sandy’s credentials include the Top 10 Outstanding Republican Women Award for the State of Texas, presented by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. The award is given out every other year by all the Republican organizations in Texas and Sandy said it was a “huge honor” for her.

Sandy moved to Plano in 1974 from Burmingham, Alabama. “I love Plano,” she said, emphasizing love. “Plano will always be home.”

The Ms. Plano Senior America Pageant was hosted by the Plano Senior Recreation Council and the Plano Senior Center. It was sponsored by The Waterford in Plano. Co-emcees were Jim Hitt and Dee Taylor, who was the first Ms. Plano Senior America in 1997.

Last year’s Ms. Plano Senior America and chair of this year’s pageant, Charlene Dattoli, crowned the new queen with the assistance of Becky Alexander, Ms. Plano Senior America 2007 and Dr. Syntha West, current Ms. Texas. Co-chairs of the pageant were Genny Berhalter and Mona Kelly.

Pageant judges included civic and business leaders such as former Plano mayor Pat Evans; past president of the Plano Community Forum Dr. Myrtle Hightower; Plano Fire Chief Hugo Esparza; Executive Director for Plano Community Homes, Lee Ann Hubanks; Assistant Chief of the Plano Police Ed Drain; Ms. Senior America 2002 Mary Virginia Tunistra; Carolyn Rice, Executive Director of the Geriatric Wellness Center of Collin County; and Sr. Public Information Coordinator Phyllis Reese.

Congratulations to Sandy and first runner-up Elaine Jenkins and second runner-up Barbara Pierce. Sandy will go on to represent the city she “loves” in the Ms. Texas Senior America Pageant August 13–15 in Dallas.