An Athens children’s boutique is sponsoring a beauty contest to raise money to buy supplies for the siblings of cancer patients so they have something to do while they are waiting in the hospital.

Toodlebugs will host the first Miss Athens Care for Childhood Cancer beauty pageant at 9 a.m. June 3 at the Athens-Limestone Senior Center.

Proceeds will be used to buy backpacks for the Sibling Survival Sacks program under Eli’s Block Party nonprofit organization.

The pageant, which will feature infants to girls in fourth grade, is strictly a “no glitz” event.

Toodlebugs owner and pageant coordinator Melissa Anderson said she wanted the event to show off the girls’ personalities.

“I have always been partial to the natural beauty,” she said. “I wanted little girls to participate without feeling like they had to spend a lot of money on a dress or feeling like they had to be made up. This pageant is all about love and compassion and care for children battling something serious.”

Pageant contestants will be divided into two categories and will be eligible for numerous awards. including prettiest smile, best dressed, Living Doll and most photogenic.

Division 1 contestants range in age from 0-3 years and division 2 contestants range from kindergarten-age through fourth grade.

Siblings of Eli Williams, a local child battling brain cancer, know what it’s like to sit in a waiting room or a hospital room with nothing to do except hurry up and wait. Because of their experiences, they began the Sibling Survival Sacks program. They fill backpacks with colors, coloring books and other activities that help keep children busy and send the packs to hospitals such as St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Anderson said the goal is to have at least 25 contestants, which would raise about $2,400.

“If we raise that much, we will be able to mail 10 backpacks a month for a year,” she said. “Anything above that we’ll give half to Eli’s foundation and the other half will go to families with children battling cancer.”

Elkmont local and cancer fighter Leah Seibert will crown the winning contestants. Local performer Laura Kee will entertain. The special guest will be Miss America 2005 Deidre Downs Gunn, who will emcee the event. Gunn’s platform as Miss America was childhood cancer.

Admission is $5. Children 2 and under are admitted free.

How it began

Anderson said she decided to start the pageant because she wants the Toodlebugs business to be an outlet for giving back.

“We are hoping at some point to develop or create a foundation supporting different children’s organizations in the community,” she said. “The community has supported us very well and once we create a foundation, we want to pick different organizations children are involved with to help out.”

Toodlebugs employee Christy Boggs said community members were more than helpful when it came to donating for the pageant.

“Anytime you go around and ask for donations, it’s not the easiest thing to do,” she said. “Just about everybody we asked gave money to be one of the main sponsors or wanted to help out in some way. I was more than pleased with the way the whole community was receptive of it and the way they helped with donation money and other items. We got everything we needed, plus some, and that made it a lot easier to put on.”

Sponsors

Anderson thanked all the division sponsors: Athens Limestone Hospital, The News Courier, Kids Journey Child Development Center, Elles Photography, Brown & Brown, Factory Select Children’s Store and Bobby Terry Company.