In the days after being crowned Wright City’s Strassenbash Queen, Abby Thomas could be found still wearing the big, shiny crown while she helped clean up after the community event.This isn’t the kind of queen who is afraid to get her hands dirty, and she isn’t one to give up either.“This was the third time she was a Strassenbash queen candidate,” said Julie McCloud, first-time co-chairperson for the Strassenbash Queen Candidates.Having been through the candidacy process so many times, Thomas was an asset to everyone.“The prior queen, Riley Heiliger, helped us and so did Abby, because she’d been through it before,” McCloud said. “I think for her, running a second time and third time was about community and friendship and seeing that the other girls have a great experience.”Thomas, 16, is a junior at Wright City High School where she is a cheerleader, a member of the Student Council, Spanish club, Students Against Drunk Driving and also is involved in band, speech and drama.Her career interests are in physical therapy, cosmetology, and family and marriage counseling. She likes the idea of helping others.Thomas said if there is a message she can pass along after earning her crown on the third try, it’s that people should keep pushing themselves.“You should never give up on what you want to achieve,” she said. As a contestant, she was determined. She wanted to show people, “You don’t have to be popular or have a lot of friends to win,” she said. “You don’t just get to show up; you have to work for it.”Strassenbash queens were judged on several principles. Candidates had to be good citizens, good role models and have a history of community service. They performed more service work, wrote speeches and had a day with the judges. They also sold raffle tickets as part of their overall score.Thomas already had a relationship with community service. It was her older sister who first ran for Strassenbash Queen and inspired her to get involved and make a difference. Now, “Thomas is very involved in the community,” McCloud said. “She’s all over the place.”In the coming year, Thomas will be more involved. As queen, she will be a regular fixture at community events as she represents the Wright City Area Chamber of Commerce.Also as queen, she gets to keep her crown and sash, she earns a $400 scholarship, a bag of goodies and a gift certificate to help her compete in Miss Missouri Outdoors. Thomas was sponsored by Quick Fix 24 Hour Mobile Mechanic, LLCFirst runner-up Ashley Schulte, sponsored by J. Graeler Photography, gets to keep her crown and sash, earned a $200 scholarship and bag of goodies. Second runner-up Morgan Rohan, sponsored by Steve & Sons Landscaping, LLC., gets to keep her sash and crown and earned a $100 scholarship and a bag of goodies.The judges were Chamber members Steve Kasper, owner of KFAV, and Nicci Fears, owner of Phobius, as well as two Miss Missouri Outdoors representatives.The Chamber hosts Strassenbash every year. The annual event started in 1982.Strassenbash Queen Abby Thomas