SKOWHEGAN - They pranced as promised on the bridge Sunday in pink gowns, hats, dresses and wigs, promoting their own terror alert level - Code Pink.

More than a dozen anti-war activists staged the "I Miss America" pageant organized by local members of Code Pink, a national, women-initiated movement whose goals include ending war and redirecting resources to health care and education.

Sunday's pageant contestants included "Miss Used Funds," "Miss Led," and "Miss Informed."

"In 1965 I was misinformed about the Vietnam War," "Miss Informed," Joy Sirois of Madison, said from bridge. "And in 2003 I was misinformed again about the war in Iraq.

"I was misinformed about weapons of mass destruction. I think both these wars were unnecessary."

Code Pink emerged out of a desire by a group of American women to stop the Bush administration from invading Iraq, according to the organization's Web site.

The name "Code Pink" plays on the Bush administration's color-coded homeland security alerts $ yellow, orange, red $ that signal terrorist threats.

Code Pink is a call to wage peace, the group says.

Locally, the group formed as an off-shoot of the Greater Waterville Area Bridges for Peace and Justice, organizer Lisa Savage of Solon said.

"I'm 'Miss Led', aren't we all?" Savage said in full Code Pink regalia. "It's a slogan everyone can relate to $ it's not a Democrat or Republican thing.

"Many people are nostalgic for the values they once thought America stood for and they miss American."