AMERICUS — Caroline Carroll, the reigning Miss Columbus, left Saturday for a week of activities and competitions associated with the Miss Georgia Pageant in Columbus.
Caroline Carroll is the 20-year-old daughter of Beth and John Carroll of Americus. She graduated from Southland Academy as valedictorian in 2014. She is a junior at the University of Georgia where she is on the Dean’s List and is a political science major. She is a member of Tri  Delta Sorority serving as philanthropy assistant
Carroll was crowned Miss Columbus 2016, in September which enables her to compete for the Miss Georgia crown. She dances ballet en pointe as her talent and has chosen “Hungarian Dance No. 5” composed by Johannes Brahms and arranged by Bond. She will compete in swimsuit to show she has maintained her fitness and in evening gown to demonstrate poise. The interview segment of the competition enables the judges to get to know Carroll.
The Miss America Organization encourages volunteerism and partners with Children’s Miracle Network (CMN) Hospitals as its national philanthropy. Carroll has worked with CMN for several years and in many ways. She is a part of UGA Miracle which raised over $1 million this school year alone for Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, a CMN hospital. She has visited CMN hospitals in Atlanta, Macon, Columbus, and Albany. On some of these visits, she has entertained the children dressed as Tinker Bell and also as Cinderella. She has given activity bags to the children as well. On a particular visit during Easter holidays, she met a young boy, Odell, receiving a blood transfusion for Sickle Cell Disease. This was especially meaningful since blood donation through the American Red Cross is her personal platform or philanthropy. She had given blood herself that very week. She has been an advocate for blood donation since 2009. She volunteers at home with Denise Burgess for local blood drives as well as being an active member of the Red Cross Club at UGA.
Recently, Carroll was able to volunteer with her hero and friend, Audrey Nethery, of Louisville, Kentucky. Audrey has a rare form of anemia, Diamond Blackfan Anemia, for which there is currently no cure. She requires frequent blood transfusions, so blood donation is of utmost importance for her. Carroll says that Audrey is her “poster face” for blood donation.
“If everyone could see Audrey, they would most surely donate blood!” Carroll said. She said she feels honored to have met and befriended Audrey and her family. People such as Audrey and Odell bring reality to her volunteerism. Seeing these children inspires Carroll to want to help more people. Being Miss Columbus 2016 has enabled Carroll to bring more awareness to the need for a constant supply of blood through volunteer blood donation.
The Miss Georgia Pageant is June 14-18 at the RiverCenter in Columbus. Tickets are available through the RiverCenter or through the Miss Georgia website. Caroline Carroll said she appreciates all the many friends and businesses that have supported her throughout this time of preparation for the pageant. She hopes to see many friendly faces from home at the pageant.