Miss Volunteer America contestants visit the Jackson Rotary Club

JACKSON, Tennessee – 51 women from across the United States met for lunch and had the opportunity to network and introduce themselves to members of the Jackson Rotary Club.

The Jackson Rotary Club welcomed the Miss Volunteer America contestants on Wednesday at the First United Methodist Church.

The guest speaker was Hanah Perrigan from Mississippi, who was crowned Miss Volunteer America 2023.

The women introduced themselves and talked about their current jobs and training.

Interesting fact: Each of the five points on the crown you will soon wear represents a tenet of the organization’s mission.

These principles are scholarship, education, responsible volunteerism and empowerment.

The first letter of each of these five principles spells SERVE

Kayla Willing, Miss Maryland Volunteer, talks about her SERVE initiative.

It combines teaching with mentoring and began at the age of 19 when she was trekking in the Himalayas.

“I realized that the middle of a journey is often the hardest part. That’s why my SERVE initiative matches someone with a mentor to get them to the other side of the hardest part,” Willing said.

Noelle Lo, Miss Massachusetts Volunteer, focuses her service initiative on inspiring young people to become activist.

“Activism and volunteering isn’t always just the usual things like going to the animal shelter or feeding the homeless. But sometimes it’s about what you care about and how you can change the world by doing what you love,” Lo said.

The women also said they were grateful for the hospitality Jackson showed them.

The preliminary rounds of the competition begin tonight at 19:00.

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