MANSFIELD - The Miss Wheelchair America (Ohio) pageant will be held at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Mansfield Holiday Inn ballroom.

Eight contestants from across Ohio, including one from Mansfield, will vie for the title.

The pageant's purpose is for women who use wheelchairs to be advocates for people with disabilities, according to Stacey Hubbard, state pageant coordinator.

"We want a woman of achievement, someone who's had some accomplishments since the onset of her disability," Hubbard said.

The winner of the state event will compete in the national pageant, to be held in August in Maryland.

Contestants are judged in on-stage interviews, poise and articulation.

"It's not a beauty pageant," Hubbard said. "You are primarily a spokeswoman for disabled individuals."

Area residents Bill Hiser, Robin Hiser, Jim Hannewald, Margo Burton and Pam Lehnhart are assisting Hubbard in puttin on the show. Tickets are $7 at the door.

The show will feature Cathy Black, first runner-up to Miss Ohio 2002, as emcee. Entertainment will be provided by vocalist Miss Mansfield Randi Sturgill whose platform at the Miss Ohio Scholarship Program is disability awareness. Also entertaining will be guitarist Derek Mortland of Columbus and the Mansfield Y Youth Choir.

The following women will be competing:

• Beth Ann Bookwalter, 46, of Mansfield, is married with two children. Her goals are tutoring at an elementary school and taking part in a pet visitation program at hospitals and nursing homes. She said her faith in human kindness has been renewed since her accidnet. She has received encouragement and support from people which gives her courage and strngth daily -- all of which keeps her going.
• Holly Sue Koester, 41, of Walten Hills, is single and spent 10 years in the U.S. Army. She is the director of Paralyzed Veterans of America Sports. Her goals are to continue in wheelchair sports and encourage others, especially women in wheelchairs or with disabilities, to compete, socialize and feel good about themselves. She said her ambition is to improve her performance in every competition. Her personal philosophy is there is no such word as "can't. Obstacles can be overcome. Anything is possible if you try and work hard enough."
• Merry Marjarrez, 30, of Toledo, is a mother of twins and a college student at the University of Toledo. Her goals include finishing her degree in business management and communications. Her philosophy is no matter what happens, good or bad, "you just have to keep going." She believes that the disabled population is largely misunderstood and thought of as unintelligent but she finds the opposite is true.
• Jana Wormuth, 25, of Fairborn, is single and a student at Wright State University. Her goal is to live a life that will inspire others to do the same. She said, "There is life beyond disability and it's not over until you count yourself out."
• Rosemarie Rossetti, 48, of Columbus, is married and an inspirational speaker and owner of Rossetti Enterprises Inc. Her goal is to help people cope with change and adversity. She wants to offer wisdom and inspiration to others so they will believe that the impossible just might be possible. "I am aware of my limitation, but more importantly I am aware of my possibilities," she said.
• Debbie LaPlante-Arbogast, 35, of Millbury is a single mother of two children, Mackenzie, 6, and Alexander, 4. She serves as coordinator of Disability Services at Toledo University. Her goals include educating the community on the abilities of people with disabilities and motivating others to reach their full potential by mentoring. She plans to complete her master's degree in early childhood education. She also loves sports.
• Stacey James, 31, of Dublin is a Campus Crusade for Christ staff speaker. Her goals include becoming an author of inspirational books and to be on "Oprah," to play tennis, win gold medals in the paralympics in swimming and wheelchair track and field. Her philosophy is each person is valuable and unique and "the important part of us is who we are on the inside."
• Heather Sturgill, 30, of Cincinnati is married. Her goals are to become an urban planner and present an environment that is efficient and pleasurable for people. Her philosophy is to enjoy every moment. "You may not get another chance," she said.

lwhitmire@nncogannett.com (419) 521-7223