MARK WAITE / PVT Past Ms. Senior Golden Years winners pose with the newly-crowned 2007 winner during festivities after the pageant at the Saddle West Hotel and Casino Saturday night. From the left are Linda Kass, first pageant winner in 2003, Mitzi Sears, 2004 winner, the new Ms. Senior Golden Years USA 2007 Linda Turner, the 2006 winner Sharon Cahlen, and 2005 winner Jackie Greco. Advertisement

Linda Turner was named Ms. Senior Golden Years USA for 2007 in front of a packed house at the Saddle West Hotel and Casino Saturday night.

The fifth annual pageant was open to women 60 years old and over. This year there were seven contestants for the title.

Elaine Gilfillan, a registered nurse, was named first runner-up. The second runner-up spot was a tie between Pat Smith, a hospice volunteer and outdoor enthusiast Lynnette Schlager.

Turner is a retired employee of Boeing and a 14 month resident of Pahrump who thoroughly enjoys living here.

The judges included Channel 5 weatherman Ted Pretty, a Ms. Senior America judge Karen Cummings of Louisville, Ky., and Phyliss Truman, a performer with various senior dance groups. Contestants were judged in five categories worth 20 points each: interview, talent show, evening gown competition, their platform and bathing suit competition.

Turner's platform for her one year reign is to connect senior citizens who are alone and lonely with someone to talk to, like representatives of area churches or other organizations.

Outgoing Ms. Senior Golden Years USA for 2006 Sharon Cahlan said in the past year she's attended numerous ribbon cuttings, chamber of commerce events, United Way functions, rode in parades, attended the Easter egg hunt and performed for residents at Evergreen at Pahrump and Beehive Homes.

Turner shared Miss Congeniality with contestant Kem Farester. The contestants wore vintage bathing suits rather than the more revealing, modern kind. Farester also won that competition. Turner was the winner of the talent show, strutting on stage in a red dress with a black wig in her lip sync of Betty Boop.

Gilfillan won the award for best in the evening gown competition. Schlager was recognized for having the best platform. She provided the animal shelter supervisor with a digital camera to put pet adoptions on-line for a new web site.