Greenbriar II woman wins state beauty pageant Will vie for national title in Las Vegas in 2007 BY COLLEEN LUTOLF Staff Writer Ms. Senior New Jersey Josephine Araniti poses with some of her regalia and winnings from the pageant she won Sept. 21. BRICK - Josephine Araniti said she gave her best at the Ms. Senior New Jersey America Pageant. "I promised everyone I will do my best, I will not let you down," Araniti said. Turns out, her best was the best there was. Araniti was crowned Ms. Senior New Jersey Sept. 21 after competing with 10 other women from throughout the state at the Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. "It's a Cinderella story come true," she said. She competed against Hawaiian hula dancers and other singers, but in the end, Araniti's rendition of the "Italian Street Song" won over the judges. "You're there with the best the state has to offer," she said. The moment Araniti's name was announced as the winner, her face didn't register a reaction. After a few moments, she covered her mouth in surprise and began to walk forward to be crowned. A fluster of people surrounded her, donning her with her tiara, a sash, filling her arms with roses. COLLEEN LUTOLF "I really couldn't believe it," she said from her Greenbriar II home last week after showing a video of the announcement. "At the moment [you're being crowned], you can't think and people are doing things for you. You go through the motions. Tearfully, happily, you go through the motions." A classically trained vocalist, Araniti was the only contestant who brought an accompanist, fellow Greenbriar II resident Lucille Anlas. Anlas and some of Araniti's friends gathered together last week to recount the pageant experience. Although Araniti's presentation went off without a hitch, the preshow interview with the judges is as important as the talent competition, with each category making up 30 percent of the total score. Also considered is the contestant's philosophy and evening gown presentation. The most nail-biting part of the competition wasn't in the competing, Araniti said. After she completed her song - Araniti was the last contestant to perform - pageant judges took almost 25 minutes to finish judging the contest. "Literally, we were standing there like statues," Araniti said. "I had begun to lose hope." The two bus loads of fans from Greenbriar II never did, said Joe Miceli, a friend and fan of Araniti's. "When they said the first runner-up, I said Josephine's got it," he said. "No way in hell was anyone else going to get it." Olive Egan, Greenbriar II's recreation and activities coordinator, organized the bus trip down to Atlantic City. "With Josephine and Lucille, we're so lucky to get such great talent," she said. "They've given back to the community in so many ways. It was our turn to give thanks to them." "I never cry," said Miceli. "But I cried that day. That's how happy I was." "The only disappointing thing is that the women didn't wear bathing suits," said Richard Gross, a Greenbriar II resident and Araniti fan. Although physical fitness is taken into consideration in the scoring, the Ms. Senior America Pageant's philosophy is that "true beauty is a matter of insight as well as eyesight." Egan will be busy in the next year planning the Greenbriar II residents' trip to Las Vegas in November 2007, where Araniti will compete for the national title of Ms. Senior America. Until then, Araniti will be making appearances and performing throughout the state. She will appear on the boardwalk in Atlantic City Oct. 7 for the Columbus Day parade and in Seaside Heights for the Ocean County Columbus Day parade Oct. 8. Araniti and Anlas will also perform at an Ashley Lauren Foundation fundraiser, "An Evening of Elegance," Nov. 17. "My eternal gratitude goes out to all the people from the community, the confidence they showed in me - the love and flowers and so many cards, I've lost count," she said. She is scheduled to receive a proclamation from Mayor Joseph C. Scarpelli Oct. 10 at the 7 p.m. Township Council meeting.