The moment junior Eloise Veal heard her name announced as the next Lions Club Queen, everything around her became a blur of excitement. People rushed forward with hugs and congratulations as she stood, tears filling in her eyes. The moment she had been dreaming of for years was finally real.
Eloise is a member of the Leo Club and will serve as the Canyon Lions Club’s next queen after growing up around the organization. She will be crowned on July 1 and will take part in the Fourth of July Parade as her first event. She hopes to use the role to create an encouraging environment that welcomes anyone.
“It was a little overwhelming,” Eloise said. “Everybody comes up and talks to you right afterwards, but it was fun to try and meet everybody.”
When Eloise was growing up, many of her family members were involved in the Lions Club. Because of that, she spent a lot of her childhood attending Lions Club meetings and activities.
“I kind of got dragged around to everything,” Eloise said. “I used to hate it, but then I ended up loving it. Once I saw the Queen, I was like, yeah, that’s something I want to do.”
Over time, the positive environment made her fall in love with the Lions Club and stay involved with the organization.
“The energy is so fun,” Eloise said. “Nobody’s ever really in a bad mood. You walk in, everybody’s smiling, hugging on you, loving on you, and so I think the great community is what makes everybody want to be there. There’s some people who don’t think they’d like it, they get invited and they come to one meeting, and then they want to be a part of it because you have all those good people around you.”
Before officially taking on the role, Eloise will spend time shadowing Jacie Hamilton, a senior and current Lions Club Queen, up until the week before she is crowned.
“[Jacie Hamilton] is a really good person to look up to, and she’s so much fun,” Eloise said. “She’s good at being someone that people feel comfortable around and feel drawn to because she’s so nice and so friendly.”
Jacie is thought of as someone who is kind and caring, and the service she has done – both throughout her life and during her time as queen – reflects that.
“Serving as this year’s Canyon Lions Club Queen has forever changed my life,” Jacie said. “I have been able to witness firsthand so many members of the community who have had their lives completely changed by simple acts of love and kindness. When I think of Ella, I think of joy and kindness. She reminds me a lot of myself in a way. I have no doubt in my mind that she will exceed all expectations!”
Eloise is currently a part of the Canyon Varsity Cheer team, which she was in with former queen Maci Littau. She also credits Maci as someone who has inspired her for years.
“I definitely look up to Maci Littau,” Eloise said. “She was in cheer with me. She was always so sweet. She inspired me, especially into becoming the Queen I want to be now that I have it.”
Eloise has said her biggest goal during her year as queen is to make everybody feel included.
“I really want everybody to feel comfortable going to anything because once you try it, it’s so fun,” Eloise said.
She wants people to remember the positivity she brought to the role.
“I hope to be more of a light than anything else.”
