Young Miss Rabbit Fest raising funds to fight cancer
By WENDY SLEDD
Special to the Leader Press
CCHS rising sophomore Carleigh Ross sketches across a sheet of paper. Backing up to look at her work, she re-approaches the table, erases some of the marks and starts again. She wants her drawing to be perfect. After all, this is an important project…literally a matter of life and death.
The petite high school cheerleader is earnest as her eyes narrow as she focuses on designing a custom T-shirt that will raise funds for a cause that hits close to home for the 14-year old.
“I want to promote cancer awareness and fundraising to reduce the amount of suffering that cancer invokes in people’s lives. My grandfather just recently passed from Leukemia and my CCHS cheer director, Coach Regina Anderson, is a survivor,” Ross said. “Millions of people die from cancer every year, and many of these deaths can be prevented. The number of fatalities from this horrible disease is steadily decreasing due to the efforts of cancer programs, fundraising, and donations.”
Ross holds the title of Young Miss Rabbit Fest 2015 and saw the opportunity to promote her cause of cancer awareness if she were fortunate enough to be awarded the title. Her custom-designed shirt reads, “Adjust your crown and fight cancer” and it contains a sparkling silver crown and of course, a pink ribbon. Rabbit Fest Pageant Director Wendy Sledd said Ross is the first of the titleholders to begin advocating for the cause of her choice this year.
“Our older Rabbit Fest queens are required to have a platform of service that they promote during their year-long reigns. Carleigh is very self-motivated and her enthusiasm is contagious. It is hard not to lend all of your support to her when she is so passionate in her beliefs,” Sledd said.
Ross took her design to Sporty B, one of the Rabbit Fest Pageant sponsors, who agreed to print the shirts upon request. Thanks to multiple shares of the order form through social media, orders have poured in from as far away as Germany. Shirts can be ordered and picked up at Sporty B or they can be shipped for an additional fee.
“For the past two years, I have been working closely with American Cancer Society through Relay for Life to raise funds and awareness in the fight against cancer. The support and motivation given through Relay for Life is an inspiration not only for me, but for many here in Copperas Cove,” Ross said. “My goal is to get the people of Copperas Cove to join the fight and spread hope, as well as raise $15,000 to donate to American Cancer Society.
“This project is completely non-profit and all proceeds will be donated. I’m planning a beauty pageant this fall and a 5-kilometer run for Spring. These events are a great way for me to be directly involved with the community to celebrate the victories experienced by survivors of cancer and spread hope to find a cure. I am grateful to have the Copperas Cove Rabbit Fest Royalty to join me as we work towards our goal.”
All proceeds from the shirt sales and related events benefit the American Cancer Society. The shirts can be purchased at Sporty B or by contacting Ross at 765-914-1469 or carleighross2014@gmail.com.