Mr. South Whidbey 2012

As a vote-counter sitting at the back of the room, far, far away from the stage, I don't have much time or opportunity to sketch at the Mr. South Whidbey Pageant, but I try my best. Last night I got a very quick and dirty impression of most of the candidates during their talent performance. This raucous event raised about $18,000 this year for the very worthwhile Friends of Friends Medical Support Fund. Way to go, South Whidbey!

Rocco Gianni belting out "If I Were a Rich Man"

Firefighter, Brian Vick, doing something with metal

Prima Bistro's Christian Albright, doing stand-up comedy

John Auburn of J.W. Desserts, singing in drag

Christian, being interviewed , I think.

Mr. South Whidbey 2012!! Nick Welles

Mr. South Whidbey 2011

I volunteer as a vote-counter at the raucous Mr. South Whidbey (a fundraiser for Friends of Friends Medical Support Fund) every year. We vote-counters sit at the very back of Freeland Hall tallying up all the "votes" that are cast throughout the evening in the form of dollar bills, scrip, checks, quarters, nickles and dimes.  It's not a great vantage point for sketching the doings on the stage, but I got a couple quick and dirty impressions in my pocket-sized Moleskine.

Brian Plebenek,in drag, belts out a song for the crowd. He didn't win, but he SHOULD have -  if the contest were based on showmanship and heart. A real crowd-pleaser. He gave us a great performance from beginning to end.

Richard Epstein, in the King Tut headdress, was one of the "six-pack boys" collecting votes from the audience in 6-pack cartons. He was a candidate in last year's pageant.

Randy Hudson, Michael McInerny and the Mr. SW candidates entertain the crowd with a song.

The crowd gathers in Freeland Hall before the show begins.