Source: The Telegraph
October 25, 2015
Miss America Betty Cantrell, of Warner Robins, was in Macon on Sunday at the Central Georgia Greek Festival held at her home parish, the Holly Cross Greek Orthodox Church on First Street.
Cantrell, 21, who was baptized and confirmed at the parish, received a warm welcome from her congregation and members of the public attending the festival.
She posed for photographs, signed autographs, gave lots of hugs and spoke to the crowd under a large tent.
"It's been the most insane whirlwind of my life," Cantrell told the crowd. "I can't believe I am wearing the Miss America crown and able to represent the greatest state on earth, Georgia.
"I am such a Southern girl at heart. I love the state of Georgia. I love Macon, Warner Robins, and I do miss it very much during my travels. When I was flying into Georgia yesterday from Canada, I could look out the window and see the Georgia red clay, and I just couldn't help but get teary because I just miss it so much and I miss my family and everybody here that I love so much," she said.
"Betty, I can't tell you how proud all of the people at the Holly Cross Greek Orthodox community are of you," Father John Stefero told her. "When we were watching television that night, everybody was just gasping.
"When it gets down to the last three people and only one is going to be chosen, I can only imagine what it was like for you up there. We were all praying for you, we were all pulling for you, and several people have come up later and just said we knew it was going to be you."
He also told her, "Obviously, you have tremendous talent and don't ever forget that it is God who gives you that talent. Always give him the honor."
Stefero then asked everyone to bow for prayer as he gave a blessing to Cantrell.
He also presented her with a diptych, hinged wooden panels that can be closed like a book, which had paintings of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child.
"You can take it with you," Stefero told her. "Every day say a prayer. Every day thank God and may his will be done in your life. God bless you always."
Parish member Jim Lekas presented Cantrell with flowers on behalf of the parish.
Natalia Saratsiotis, another parish member who participated in the presentation, said, "We just want to say we love Betty.
"We're proud of her and just keep representing, girl, because you're doing a great job. We love you."
Georgia Saratsiotis was among those who gave Cantrell a hug. She's known Cantrell through the parish since she was "a little baby."
Mary Catherine Liberty, of Warner Robins, was up for the festival and had heard that Miss America was expected to make an appearance.
"I think it's wonderful to have such a wonderful woman representing Warner Robins and now the nation," she said.
She had been doing pageants for about 1 1/2 years.
"It was very new to me but I took to it very quickly," Cantrell said in an interview with The Telegraph before making her appearance at the festival. "It's become something that's turned my whole life around and it's given me so many opportunities.
"The Miss America organization has been so good to me and so many other contestants with scholarship opportunities and helping women further their educations," Cantrell said. "And also with the service aspect, and it's given me the heart of a servant and helped me to sort of grow in myself as well as help others around me."
Traveling is the most challenging aspect of serving as Miss America, she said.
"It is a lot, and it does get tiring," Cantrell said. "But that can't even compare with the good that comes out of this title and the opportunities it gives me."
She will travel 340 days of the year. To relax, she grabs an hour of sleep whenever she can.
Serving as Miss America has given her the opportunity to connect with a lot of different types of people. Although there are differences, Cantrell said she's learned people are basically the same wherever she goes.
As Miss America, Cantrell strives to be a good role model to young women.
"I'm honored that the judges chose me to be Miss America because they see something in me that would be good to show the world," Cantrell said. "I'm really trying to embrace that about myself -- be that role model for young women and give them someone to look up to that is striving for better things and living the American dream."
Cantrell plans to use her scholarship money to attend a conservatory musical theatre and hopefully be on Broadway some day.
"That would be my dream," Cantrell said.
Her schedule placed her in Atlanta on Saturday, which coincided with the Greek festival and gave her the opportunity to stop in. Her homecoming in Warner Robins will be Nov. 13-15.
"I'm really excited to see everyone and their reactions," she said.
