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MEDORA - Andrea Moore is living a dream she has had for a long time in being a pageant queen.
Moore, of rural Medora, is seen constantly throughout the region at parades, participating in her Mrs. Illinois United States role. She believes she is one of the first from the southern part of the state who won the Mrs. Illinois crown.
“I am just really happy to represent a different part of the state,” she said. “I hope to represent the southern part of the state of Illinois well during the reign.”
Moore competed in a Mrs. United States contest in Orlando, Fla, in July.
“I met a lot of wonderful people at the pageant in Orlando, Florida,” she said. “It was a tough competition. I now have a friend in almost every state.”
Andrea has been married to Illinois state trooper Jeff Moore for 22 years. The two have four children. Andrea and Jeff’s boys are 15 and 12 and their twin girls are 8.
Andrea is confident that part of what helped her win the pageant was being physically fit.
“I work out almost every day,” she said. “I try to run two or three times a week as well as lift weights and do things with my kids that involve physical fitness. At the national pageant there were a lot of women who definitely put in a lot of time working out.”
When she was young, Andrea was a cheerleader, dancer and participated in track and field. She said her husband, Jeff, who is also a huge proponent of fitness, motivates and encourages her with her training.
During the time that Andrea is not busy with pageant and queen work and being a mother, she works full time as a teacher in the Southwestern district. She also spends a considerable amount of time with volunteer work, also a passion for her.
“I love being a teacher,” she said. “Of course my No. 1 job is being a mom first. I have a very supportive family with everything I do.”
Frew Bridal in Alton has been extremely supportive during her time as queen with her dresses and attire, she said. She said she couldn’t extend enough thanks to Frew Bridal for how much they have done for her and shown her support.
She said her husband was her No. 1 supporter and encouraged her to do the queen pageants.
“I have gained self confidence and a lot of new friends as a queen,” she said. “The national pageant was shown on live-stream so my family could see it all the way from Florida because some of them couldn’t be there. I am thankful for the opportunity to be Mrs. Illinois-United States.”
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