Back Home Again: Kara Mawhorter warmly welcomed after big win at Indiana's Junior Miss
(Talk of the Town photo by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Whitley County’s Junior Miss Kara Mawhorter, above, stands with her Indiana’s Junior Miss awards and some of the cards and flowers she received from well-wishers at the Whitley County Community Foundation Sunday evening.
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
Whitley County’s Junior Miss Kara Mawhorter received a warm welcome yesterday when she returned to Whitley County, weary but smiling brightly.
Mawhorter, as we reported yesterday, was named first runner-up in the Indiana’s Junior Miss – a first time event, according to long-time Junior Miss volunteer Pam Thompson.
Whitley County’s Junior Misses have won various awards at the state level in the past four decades, but hadn’t ever won a first runner-up spot until this year.
“We have never had a first runner up,” said Thompson, but the win brought about recollections of past wins, including Jana Beeching’s Indiana’s Junior Miss win in 1974, in addition to the placings of Ann Gates, Betsy Jane Gates and others over the years.
“We get girls in the finals or special awards,” added local program coordinator Ann Rentschler. Rentschler added that about half of Whitley County’s Junior Misses leave the state program in the final eight or 12.
In addition to winning first runner-up, she won the overall fitness award and one of two panel interview awards. The runner-up title garnered her a $2500 scholarship with an additional $500 each for the fitness and interview awards, bringing her total scholarship to $3500. Not bad for a week’s work, noted Rentschler!
In the boardroom of the Whitley County Community Foundation on Sunday evening, friends gathered in support of Mawhorter, bringing cards and encouragement. Barely able to speak, she greeted each person who arrived to visit with her.
The week had been a long, busy one and her voice was strained in the process. Friends said it was lemon juice that helped her perform her solo in the competition.
“Her work ethic is a good thing to see or she wouldn’t have ended up where she did,” said Thompson.
On behalf of the Whitley County Junior Miss Board of Directors, Thompson formally extended congratulations to Mawhorter, adding, “We’re extremely proud of her efforts.”