Carly Belue of Caledonia will represent Lowndes County in the 70th Mississippi Miss Hospitality competition Friday and Saturday at the Saenger Theatre in Hattiesburg. The 20-year-old is a graduate of Caledonia High School and Itawamba Community College. She is currently a student at Mississippi University for Women, where her major is elementary education. Belue’s interests include kayaking, hiking and travel. Her parents are Michael and Lacy Belue.
Belue has competed in state level pageants since she was 15, bringing home her first crown in 2018 as Miss Magnolia State. She has been preparing for Miss Hospitality for months and hopes to bring Lowndes County the win. Belue said she has enjoyed preparing for the event because it is a Mississippi Tourism-directed pageant and has pushed her to become a better, more knowledgeable citizen.
“I’ve learned so much about Lowndes County and the state of Mississippi and will continue to learn, no matter the outcome,” she said.
Forty-four women representing all regions of the state will vie for the state title this week. The winner will serve as Mississippi’s official goodwill ambassador for economic development and tourism. Sponsorships and patrons of the Miss Hospitality program allow it to annually award more than $100,000 in scholarships and prizes to participants.
Learn more about the Mississippi Miss Hospitality program at misshospitality.net.
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