KENT: Warner Robins welcomes Miss America back home with a celebration

"There she is," the song goes, "Miss America."

But this time maybe the lyrics should be changed to "Here she comes."

This Saturday, Miss America, better known around here as our own Betty Cantrell, will be returning home.

Betty's day back home, officially known as the Miss America Homecoming celebration, starts off with a parade at 10 a.m. That has an official name as well, "The Welcome Home Motorcade." After all, we might call her Betty, but to the rest of the world she is Miss America and royalty has to have more affluent events.

The parade/motorcade will start off at the intersection of Watson Boulevard and Houston Road from the old mall, now the Houston Health Pavilion, just like the Christmas parade does and follow that route down Watson and ending at City Hall.

Along with Miss America Betty Cantrell, bands from local high schools will participate, as well as plenty of Miss America dignitaries.

Betty's alma maters will be represented, groups of students from both Sacred Heart here in Warner Robins and Mount de Sales in Macon will be in the parade, as well as bands from Mercer University and Wesleyan College, where Betty has taken classes and voice lessons.

The newly crowned Miss Georgia 2015, Adeline Kenerly will also be in the parade.

Also on hand will be Miss Warner Robins 2016 Tess Hammock, who is literally following in Betty's footsteps.

"It's a little surreal, the girl who crowned me is now Miss America," said Tess, who is a student at the University of Georgia. "I know there are a lot of people who will be watching and wondering if Warner Robins can do it two years in a row."

While the question of whether Warner Robins can make it a repeat at Miss Georgia and Miss America is one for the judges, Tess says until then she is content to leave it up to a much higher power.

"I am just content in trusting God's plan for my life and for Betty's life," Tess said. "I can't wait to have her back in Warner Robins."

Between her studies at UGA, Tess has been busy herself representing Warner Robins, literally, all across the country. She participated in National Youth Science Day in October and traveled to Washington, D.C., to do media interviews with astronaut Leland Melvin, speaking with reporters from radio and television from every state in the country.

She has started preparing for Miss Georgia as well, and since the Miss Warner Robins title is associated with the current Miss America, has to deal with a little mistaken identity, too.

"I get asked all the time when people find out I am Miss Warner Robins if I am Miss America, too," Tess said. "The other day, someone said to me, 'Oh you are the one that dates the Georgia quarterback?' "

That question was also a case of mistaken identity - the current Miss Georgia is the girlfriend of the UGA starting quarterback, Greyson Lambert.

After the Miss America homecoming parade, a dinner will be held that evening in Miss America's honor. Attending the parade will give you the chance to attend the dinner.

Fans will be handed out to the first 5,000 people at the parade and on the fan will be a website where people can register for two free tickets to the dinner.

Alline Kent can be contacted at allinekent@cox.net or 396-2467.

This story was originally published November 10, 2015 at 10:57 PM with the headline "KENT: Warner Robins welcomes Miss America back home with a celebration ."