Two sisters will be promoting the dairy industry over the next year.

Mary Wangen was crowned the 2009 Freeborn County Dairy Princess and her sister, Rachel, was crowned the 2009 Freeborn County Milk Maid at the annual banquet and coronation Saturday night at Trinity Lutheran Church. They are the daughters of Matt and Sharon Wangen of rural Albert Lea.

In her speech, the new Dairy Princess said she is looking forward not only to showing the community the importance of the dairy industry and people’s need for calcium found in dairy products, but also the fact that dairy cows are healthy, happy animals whose needs are attended to.

“I have a great appreciation for a life that couldn’t be found anywhere else,” Mary Wangen said, adding she’s learned many life lessons on the farm, including helping her dad bring a new calf into the world and saying goodbye to a dear cow whose life was at its end.

She told the story of a girl who had named her cow Life and how she urged the writer of the story to hug her cow: “When was the last time you hugged Life?” she asked.

“So give your cows a hug, drink lots of milk, but don’t cry if it spills,” the Albert Lea High School senior said.

As Dairy Princess, she’ll represent the industry at the fair and around the county as well as competing for a chance to end up in the Princess Kay of the Milky Way pageant at the state fair. She received a scholarship from the Freeborn County American Dairy Association from the proceeds of the organization’s ice cream booth at the county fair.

At Albert Lea High School, Wangen has been active in swimming, track, band and National Honor Society. She is also a member of the Albert Lea Figure Skating Club. She plans to attend the University of Minnesota next fall and study pre-med and Spanish.

Rachel Wangen, 10, is a fourth-grader at Sibley Elementary. As part of her duties as Freeborn County Milk Maid, she will ride in parades with her sister, hand out samples, record radio commercials and read the book, “Daisy the Calf” to preschoolers.

Rachel said she enjoys helping take care of the calves on her family’s 40-Holstein dairy farm.

“I love living on the farm,” she said.

Rachel was crowned by the 2008 Freeborn County Milk Maid Annie Ladwig.

“I really enjoyed representing the dairy industry,” Ladwig said. She cited working at the Freeborn County American Dairy Association’s ice cream stand at the Freeborn County Fair, riding in parades, handing out samples and reading “Daisy the Calf” to kindergartners.

The new Dairy Princess was crowned by 2008 Freeborn County Dairy Princess Amy Lysne.

Lysne expressed a “heartfelt thank you” for the opportunity to serve the dairy industry.

She was presented with a portrait and an engraved butter knife in appreciation of her year of service.

Lysne plans to attend Winona State University in the fall and major in nursing.