Whirlwind Weeks...Time is Continuing to Fly By!

I think it is safe to say that the closer you get to the end of the school year at any given educational institution, it seems as if the days get shorter and the list of assignments and tests gets longer. This is true for me, I know. With finals right around the corner and my Freshman year of college swiftly coming to a close, I find myself even busier than I ever imagined... and I wouldn't have it any other way.


I enjoy every minute of my hectic lifestyle! Whether I'm running between the School of Music practice rooms to Biology lectures, or hopping in my car after my last class on Friday's to travel to Hartsville, I find that I love what I do. These past two weekends, I have spent time in Hartsville. As I previously mentioned, I'm visiting BI-LO this month to collect donations for the BI-LO Charities and Miss South Carolina Scholarship Organization. This past weekend, I was volunteering with my Miss South Carolina Princess and sister, Rebecca, as well as one of my sister queens, Miss Hartsville Teen, Sarah Beth Kreidler. Together, we raised over $250 in donations! It is a heartwarming feeling to know that there are people who are willing to donate and give to such wonderful organizations. Interacting with the customers as they came in was fun, too! I especially love meeting the young kids. Seeing the light in their eyes and how excited they get makes it all worthwhile. In those moments, we are being role models to them, and having the opportunity to make a positive impact on a young person's life is why I love doing this. It's sharing the message to dream big and simply talking to these children is the most rewarding for me as a local queen.

Amidst the visits the BI-LO, I have also been honored to spend a while with the people of Hartsville. The highlight of one of my visits was actually a conversation I had with a local woman. I was making my way to The Midnight Rooster, which is one of my favorite stops, for a Cafe Americano with a hint of mocha and I came across this lady sitting at the table outside of the eclectic cafe. She spotted my crown and asked me who I was. I sat down with her and we chatted about my journey as Miss Greater Hartsville and she told me some stories of her own. That conversation, even though it was only a brief 15 minute interval of time in my day, was special. I felt at home and I was overwhelmed with friendship and support as I sat there talking to her. We shared laughs and great times, and it was a wonderful experience. It proved to me that we come across opportunities each day, whether we are wearing sparkle hats or not, to just talk to our neighbors. You never know what you  might learn or have the opportunity to share with someone. Along with that brief encounter, I also had the chance to attend the Byerly Park Beach Music Festival with the Miss Hartsville Family! We had an absolute blast! Between dancing to the music on the dance floor in front of the stage to walking around signing autographs and taking pictures, it's safe to say we all enjoyed ourselves! I loved interacting with everyone and seeing how receptive they were to what we had to say. We laughed, we danced, and we loved the festival!

In other exciting news, during my trips to Hartsville, I have been working on finalizing the plans for my upcoming Blood Drive through the American Red Cross! The drive I am hosting in Hartsville will be held on May 19th from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church! I cannot express how excited I am about this event! This is the first Blood Drive I have ever hosted and I feel sure that we will exceed our donation goal! You can make an appointment to donate today! If you would like to do so or if you have any questions about the donation process, feel free to contact me at blankl@email.sc.edu! I check my messages regularly. You can even make a blood donation appointment online! Visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor code "HartsvillePres" when prompted. I hope to see all of you there! 


Also, as an aside for all who live in my hometown of Manning, I am co-hosting a Blood Drive at the Cypress Center on June 5th! More details will follow closer to the event.


These past few weeks have been a whirlwind, but time will continue to fly by from here! Each day is a day closer to the Miss South Carolina Pageant. That means each passing day, I'm closer to my goal of hopefully becoming your next Miss South Carolina through dedication, determination, and making a difference!