By Katie Holland

Staff Writer

Miss Greater Sampson County Katie Mills takes her crown seriously, knowing that her job is not merely to just wave and smile at events.

This beauty queen wants to make a difference, and she is doing so by bringing more attention to a cause close to heart, The American Red Cross.

“I want to try and get as much support to it as possible,” Mills noted.

Currently, she pointed out, people are becoming more aware of Red Cross and how it helps people with so much focus on the victims of the relief aid in earthquake-stricken Haiti. However, she feels that as the attention on this is disaster fades, the American Red Cross will continue to need all of the support it can get.

As for why the Red Cross plays such a critical role to her, she stated, “It is something that can help everybody.”

While most would not want to think of what it would be like to be a victim of fire, Mills noted, it is something that could happen here and require aid from the local chapter of the Red Cross.

Mike Russell, the executive director for the Highlands Red Cross knows without a doubt how important it is for people, like Mills, to go out and help the American Red Cross.

“There is a huge need for it now, and not only because of the relief efforts in Haiti,” said Russell. He pointed out that locally the chapter has had to deal with the highest number of home fires in the chapter’s 92 year history.

“We have a 20 percent increase in 2009,” said Russell who bragged on the good work that Mills has done.

“Katie really has done an amazing job of getting the word out,” said Russell.

In addition to helping with disasters, Mills also throws her support to helping the American Red Cross with some of its other missions, including blood drives and feeding the National Guard.

Recently, she helped provide meals to the National Guard and their families before they deployed earlier this year.

In addition to pageant support, she has even been named as the state’s youth outreach spokesman to continue to her message beyond her pageant days.

Mills, an Eastover resident and graduate of Cape Fear High School, is a senior at North Carolina State University majoring in Zoology. She is the daughter of Michael and Susan Mills.

While she is not from Sampson County, she feels a special connection to the people here.

“The people in Sampson County are so nice,” said Mills, who feels the better question is, “Why wouldn’t I want to represent Sampson County; It is such a great place.”

Ironically, Mills said that she didn’t start off wanting to participate in pageants as she has for the last seven years.

“I was actually a bit of tomboy,” Mills noted, who said that she used to crawl in the dirt, catch tadpoles and grasshoppers.

Regardless, she is now in full pageant swing and looks forward to representing Sampson County at the Miss North Carolina pageant later this year.

“I want to do a good job and bring the Miss North Carolina title back to Sampson County,” said Mills.

Katie Holland can be reached at 910-592-8137, ext. 136, or by e-mail at silife@myclintonnc.com.