Blue recycle bags. Plastic water bottles. Spam cans and Cool Whip containers. Tiaras. It’s what all the royals are wearing. The royalty of White Rock Lake anyway. Presenting: The Trash Queens, ambassadors of the For the Love of the Lake (FTLOTL) organization.
It’s truly their love for the lake, along with a healthy sense of humor, that inspire Amy Ewell and Vail Fassett, longtime organization volunteers and current Trash Queens, to throw all inhibition to the wind and dress in items they dig from their blue recycle bins, all to bring attention to and increase awareness of trash pickup at our beloved neighborhood lake.
For those unfamiliar with FTLOTL, board president Elizabeth Sullivan outlines its mission as “the preservation and enhancement of White Rock Lake Park as an urban oasis and to ensure those who enjoy White Rock Lake Park actively engage in service to maintain the environment for future generations.”
Notice that last bit – that means you and me and everyone else who enjoys the lake all have to do our part. Enter the Trash Queens to remind us with their quirky humor. “We are stewards of FTLOTL,” explains Ewell, “and all of the trash that people leave behind.”
As second-generation Trash Queens, they make public appearances all around East Dallas, often accompanied by FTLOTL’s mascot, Rocky, an 11-foot-tall duck. Chances are, you’ve seen them in one of the gazillion parades held in the neighborhood. “Here at For the Love of the Lake, we love a parade and it shows,” laughs Sullivan. “Our Trash Queens and Rocky the Duck participate in the Greenville Avenue St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Lakewood 4th of July parade (“Most Creative Costume” 2010), Little Forest Hills 4th of July parade and the State Fair of Texas Parade. They serve to raise awareness of For the Love of the Lake’s mission across the DFW Metroplex in a unique and fun way.”
They also make appearances at Second Saturday Shoreline Cleanup and other events sponsored by FTLOTL.
Ewell and Fassett have definitely had fun fulfilling their royal duties for the past twelve years. Both residents of Little Forest Hills, they’ve been friends and running buddies since 1998 and were active volunteers for FTLOTL when they first got to represent the organization in a parade. “One year we were asked if we wanted to ride along in the parade with FTLOTL group so of course we said yes! It was the Saint Patrick’s Day parade and a blast,” recalls Ewell. “We rode back and forth around the beautiful blue Cadillac owned and driven by Gary Spence, and the Trash Queens perched on the back seat looking fabulous. I think Rocky was there too.”
As fate would have it, their royal time was coming. The following year, the original Trash Queens were unable to fulfill their duties, so Ewell and Fassett were asked to step in and serve. “We were reluctant but hopeful we could live up to the job,” says Ewell.
Turns out they were naturals. “It was a surreal and amazing experience,” remembers Fassett, “and we loved being able to help to promote FTLOTL as the Trash Queens as we were chauffeured by Gary Spence in his ginormous amazing blue Caddy.”
Ewell and Fassett were inspired by their predecessors but put their own stamp on their queenly attire. “We’re not as classy as the original first generation of Trash Queens,” admits Fassett. “Our ‘outfits’ are trashier and a bit more bizarre and outrageous.” While they kept the big hair and red lipstick of the first generation Trash Queens, they decided to get creative and send a message with clothing.
“Trash ain’t pretty,” Fassett reminds us. “We took the Trash Queen concept, and took it to the next level, dressing mostly in trash bags and recycled trash from our recycle bin.”
“We added/took away/tied things here and there but tried to make it as ‘trashy’ as possible without buying items,” adds Ewell.The Queens explain it’s a “work in progress” for every event, and, of course, they tailor outfits for specific events, such as lots of green for Saint Patrick’s Day.
The Queens can do amazing things with blue bags, wrapping and twisting and fastening them in such an artful way that you have to look closely to see that it’s not an off-the-rack formal dress. And what is a queen without a tiara? Fassett often wears a vintage tiara given to her by a friend who is a former beauty queen.
Sometimes they go for the elegant, blue-bag dress look, other times they head down the outrageous path. Ewell has been known to don a queenly sash over a red shirt, topped with a chunky necklace of Coors Light cans and two Cool Whip containers forming a Cool Whip bra. She’s used flattened Spam cans to create her giant earrings. Her “tiara” is made from a recycled box, Diet Coke cans, a Cool Whip lid, plastic water bottles and other recyclables.
Ewell and Fassett are having fun, but their message is serious. They love White Rock Lake and want to spread the word that we all need to take care of it. “Such a gem to have this in an urban area,” says Ewell. “FTLOTL and others have kept it from being taken over by commercialism, kept it clean, and encouraged community involvement to make everyone feel more responsible and respectful of what we have.”
“It’s an honor and a privilege to take on this role. It’s a wonderful way to promote the FTLOTL message and promote White Rock Lake, our amazing urban oasis,” Fassett agrees.
For More Information: whiterocklake.org or
info@whiterocklake.org
PATTI VINSON is a guest writer who has lived in East Dallas for more than 20 years. She’s written for the Advocate and Real Simple magazine.
