'Kentucky Beauties' Combine Pageantry with Charity

By: Eric Eckstrom

(source: http://www.wkyt.com)

Beauty pageants have a storied and at times controversial history in America, but while opinions vary, they continue to attract young women who believe in the value of them.

“I practice all the time doing pageants. I work hard at this and this is something I absolutely love,” said Kaleigh Kendrick, a pageant contestant.

“I think it just builds confidence in a person and it is like ‘hey’, I’m out there and I can get these titles and make a difference,” said Laura Castle, another contestant.

Here is Prestonsburg, that call for making a difference isn't just an empty cliché', a Kentucky pageant production called Kentucky Beauties is holding its preliminary contest while collecting items for a Lexington based charity group called military missions.

“This specific truck is going to them tonight to go towards their Operation S.E.N.D. program. Last week, they sent out over 450 care packages to our deployed men and women [over] seas,” said Stephanie Warren, the founder of Kentucky Beauties.

So far, the group has collected more than 30,000 items for this charity. And while the short term impact is obvious, organizers hope the spirit behind their work changes perceptions about what it means to be in the pageant industry.

“Pageantry is not always what you first anticipate. It’s not the stereotypical fake tans, and hair and big [puffy] dresses,” Warren said.

“We’re not stuck up; we don't think we are better than everybody else. We love getting out there. We love helping the community,” Kendrick said.

Melody Price, mother of one of the contestants, said, “Most people have the ‘toddlers and tiara’s’ image. That they are not really working on anything important, that it's all about beauty and who is the prettiest and who wears the best dress, and it’s really not, it's a lot about what they can do for their community.”