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closeWhen Sandy Bunn got involved with raising money for the American Diabetes Association, she wanted to start a fundraiser that would be a money-maker and raise awareness about diabetes.
So she decided to start a pageant.
“I didn’t want to just ask people for money,” she said. “I wanted to give somebody something in return. They have pageants for the school and Relay For Life, so I thought, ‘Why not diabetes?’
A pageant, she figured, could be an annual fund raising event but could also have winners that would spend the next year promoting diabetes awareness as they rode in parades or cut ribbons at store openings.
It was a great idea with only one glitch. Bunn knew nothing about running a pageant.
A friend put her in touch with Vicki Lovett, who runs the Miss Georgia Forestry pageants in several Middle Georgia counties.
“She has just helped me tremendously with everything,” Bunn said of Lovett. “With her help, I have been shocked at how smooth and easy it has been to organize this and get it all going.”
With the pageant still a few weeks away, the first annual Miss American Diabetes Association Tour De Cure Harvest Pageant has generated a lot of interest.
“Already, I can see that this has been a great way to talk to people about diabetes,” Bunn said. “I have had a lot of e-mails and a lot of phone calls. I love getting to talk to a lot of people, and with this, the subject turns to diabetes.”
Diabetes has affected the lives of her friends and family members, and Bunn said she doesn’t believe it gets the same attention as other diseases.
“Diabetes changes everything about your life, from what you eat to when you eat to daily injections and medicine,” she said.
Although Bunn could have come up with a shorter title for the winners to hold, she said the long name will ensure people think about diabetes when they hear it.
The first-ever and, Bunn hopes, annual Miss ADA Tour De Cure Harvest pageant will be held Oct. 3 at the City Auditorium in Cochran.
There will be seven categories for girls to enter: Baby Miss, 6 months to 1 year; Teeny, 1-3 year; Tiny, 4-6 years; Little Miss, 7-9 years; Junior, 10-12 years; Teen, 13-15 years and Miss, 16-20 years.
A queen will be selected in each category, along with first and second runners up. Optional categories also are available: best personality, prettiest smile, prettiest face, prettiest dress and most photogenic as well as talent, theme wear and people’s choice.
The entry fee is $50 and the optional categories are $10 or five for $30.
All money raised will go to the American Diabetes Association.
“I tried to make the entry costs not so outrageous, and all the money is going to a good cause,” Bunn said.
Applications can be picked up in Houston County at Wilkes Automotive, located near the corner of Ga. 96 and Ga. 247 or at Bleckley County and Pulaski County high schools.
Or contact Bunn at 973-2514 or bunnsandy24@yahoo.com or Kathy Shifflett at 230-2496 or twins2@cstel.net
Contact Alline Kent at allinekent@cox.net or at 396-2467.
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