A Final Note

Now that my reign is over, I can look back at all of the precious memories I made. The Andouille Festival meant so much to me growing up. Now it means even more to me since I was able to reign over it. I know that canceling the festival due to Hurricane Isaac really upset so many people, but it also made us all cherish the festival even more.

Another amazing part of my time as Miss Andouille is the friendship I gained when Heather was crowned my Teen Queen. She is such a caring, self-less, and beautiful young lady. She always knew how to make me laugh and is probably one of the few people that can deal with my crazy younger sister, Madison. My friendship with Heather means so much to me.

Ten short months ago, I began the journey of a lifetime. The last ten months of my life essentially revolved around a goal, a responsibility that I inherited from the moment that beautiful crown was placed on my head: To promote the one and only St. John Parish Andouille Festival. What many do not know is that being a Queen is more than wearing a crown. Queens must fulfill a duty to the organizations they represent. We travel the wondrous and mysterious land that is Louisiana, speaking to people at festivals in every corner of the state, volunteering our time and efforts at events, and supporting our festivals in every way possible. During the last ten months, I had the privilege of attending many pageants, festivals, and events around the state. I held a baby alligator, raised money for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation while listening to swamp pop music, toured the sugar mill in Gramercy (and took home a hard hat), spent the night in a haunted plantation, and rode in the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival Parade, all while wearing a dress, high heels, and what feels like a two ton crown after a long day. Although I had more fun than I could have ever imagined on the road, the days I spent in my own parish were the most meaningful to me. When I made the decision to compete for Miss Andouille, I knew that my reign would be shorter than usual. I knew that I would have to wait an entire year to reign over my festival. But I also knew that St. John Parish was broken. After Hurricane Isaac, homes were flooded, families were forced to move, and schools were closed down. One of my favorite weekends of the year, the annual Andouille Festival, was canceled. It was a hard time, but the people of St. John the Baptist Parish are a resilient group. With strength, determination, and a lot of prayer, our beautiful and diverse parish slowly picked itself back up. The responsibility of Miss Andouille is one that cannot be taken lightly. I was extremely blessed to have gotten this opportunity to represent the parish and festival that mean so much to me. Thanks to God, I was also blessed with an amazing support system. My family and friends have helped me achieve my goals as Miss Andouille. Mommy, Daddy, Madison, Megan, Granny, Maw-maw, Nanny, Josh, and the rest of my family have been my backbone this entire year. My Teen Queen, Heather, my Director, Dana, and the Andouille pageant committee have been by my side every step of the way. And the Rhinestone sisters I have gained this year have made my traveling experiences so very memorable. Thank you to the people of my parish for allowing me to represent you and the festival we all love.