We’re so excited to host 20 young ladies, including Miss Alabama and other Miss Alabama titleholders, tomorrow April 7th! These volunteers will be serving with Ms. Randolph of Hurtsboro and Ms. Reid of Notasulga! This is the first time we have partnered with Miss Alabama and the Miss America Serves Day event, and we’re so thankful to be connected with other organizations that value service and loving others in practical ways. We look forward to all the ways Christ’s love will be extended as homes are made warmer, safer, drier, and more beautiful!
PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Debra Talley State Field Director dntalley@bellsouth.net 256-560-1615 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Birmingham, AL……As a part of “Miss America Serves”— a national day of volunteer service presented by Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals— Miss Alabama contestants will join together for this third annual event, to work on seven projects on April 1st, 7th and 8th. As a center stone to the Miss America purpose, which is to provide young women with a vehicle to further their personal and professional goals and instill a spirit of community service through a variety of unique nationwide community-based programs, Alabama charities will be the beneficiary of these talented young women’s service.
This combined effort will raise funds for the children’s hospitals in Birmingham and Mobile, while addressing the unique needs of communities across Alabama. ‘Miss Alabama Serves’ will bring together Miss Alabama titleholders and volunteers to work on service events that address particular needs in their communities.
In Auburn and Lee County, titleholders and volunteers will work with Alabama Rural Ministries. ARM is a hands on ministry, responding to people through Christian love with an emphasis in home repair and children’s ministry-it’s all about building the family! Alabama Rural Ministry coordinates home repair efforts and children’s day camps in rural areas of Alabama. The organization is interdenominational but is connected to the United Methodist Church.
ARM began in 1998 in Sumter County, AL. as a pilot project through the University of West Alabama Wesley Foundation (United Methodist Campus Ministry) and Auburn University. Founded by, Lisa Pierce, there was a heart and desire for two things: to minister to families on limited and fixed incomes in the rural parts of the community and to create intentional mission and discipleship encounters between all those involved.
“Alabama Rural Ministry has a big vision to end sub-standard housing in rural Alabama”, said Joe Davis, Director of Ministry Operations. “I have a special connection with this vision because it began in Sumter County where I grew up. However, it took serving with ARM all summer as a construction coordinator intern after my freshmen year of college for me to see the need for this vision” continued Davis. “I drove by homes that were not safe, warm, and dry throughout my childhood, but I didn’t respond in love. Thankfully, ARM introduced me to the families living in those homes and empowered me to serve with them in a meaningful way that extended the love of Christ. I was given new eyes to see my own community and a new heart for serving. I now serve full-time with ARM as the Director of Ministry Operations and my primary role is to recruit and organize our mission teams and our summer staff interns. We host mission teams all year round, both locally and from across the southeast and midwest, but a majority of our teams serve in the summer during our youth mission camp. I love seeing how these students’ eyes and hearts are opened to serve just like mine were”, he concluded.
ARM has grown into other areas of housing including renovating abandoned homes, working with veterans, and exploring new builds. Since 2012, they have been renovating Tuskegee Methodist Church into a missions outreach center called the Tuskegee Hub. The day camp ministry expanded in 2012 by partnering with I Am My Brother’s Keeper (IAMBK) that hosts an after school tutoring ministry in Tuskegee.
“After serving more than 30+ years of volunteering with the Miss Alabama organization, and now being the Team Leader for the Auburn location directing the team of talented and smart young women in a life changing event like Miss America Serves Day, is so very rewarding” said Tina Jones, Director of the Miss Auburn Opelika Pageant. “These beautiful young women contribute to Lee County and the Auburn-Opelika area everyday through many community service projects. Friday, April 7, the contestants will showcase their physical skills and servants’ hearts by swinging hammers, donning paint brushes and nailing lumber with Alabama Rural Ministries. For the first time, I can actively participate onsite, and I am so excited to see the homes we have a part in providing to deserving families throughout the community”, continued Jones.
“Using our influence to serve others and lead by example may be one of the best ways to change our community, nation, and world for good”, said Lisa Pierce, founder and Executive Director. “These young women represent the heart of Alabama as we reach out to all of our neighbors. We are inspired by their willingness to swing some hammers and help families make their homes warm, safe, and dry, but more so to meet some of the host families and hear their stories. We believe these ladies will serve as an example for all youth and adults in our communities”, concluded Pierce.
About Alabama Rural Ministries
We exist to end substandard housing in rural Alabama and to extend the love of Christ through home repair and children’s ministry.
About the Miss Alabama Pageant
Alabama is home to a remarkable and respected organization with a rich history that spans more than nine decades. This not-for-profit organization awards college scholarships to outstanding young women of our state, and its mission is more critical than ever in this time of inadequate funding for education in Alabama. The Miss Alabama Pageant stands as a shining example of what can be accomplished when college women are challenged and encouraged to achieve ambitious goals.
The community service aspect of the Miss Alabama program propels contestants into arenas of prominence where policy is made, laws are enacted or changed, crucial funding is realized, and lives are positively affected. Contestants work for causes represented by their personally chosen platforms which may include Cancer research and education, organ donation, child enrichment and mentoring programs, senior citizen advocacy, arts and cultural organizations, and many others.
About Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals
Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals raises funds and awareness for 170 children’s hospitals across North America. Every year, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals treat more than 10 million kids – that’s 32 million hospital visits annually. Since 1983, Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals has raised more than $5 billion, most of it $1 at a time through corporate partners and fundraising programs. These donations support research and training, purchase equipment, and provide charitable care, all in support of its mission to save and improve the lives of as many children as possible. Learn why member hospitals rely on community support at CMNHospitals.org.
About The Miss America Organization
The Miss America Organization, a 501(c)4 non-profit organization, is the nation’s leading advocate for women’s education and the largest provider of scholarship assistance to young women in the United States, awarding millions of dollars annually. The Miss America Organization is comprised of 52 licensed organizations, including all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico. Miss America contestants contribute tens of thousands of community service hours annually and have raised over $13 million for Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and Miss America scholarships since 2007.
Comments are closed