OSHKOSH (NBC 26) — Miss Wisconsin 2023 contestants took a break from competition preparations to work with their hands and offer encouragement to their fans on Friday.
Contestants from all over the state came to the Oshkosh ReStore for a community service day. The women built benches for Habitat for Humanity houses, hosted carnival games for people to play and win prizes, and took time to mingle with fans.
ReStore Manager Liz Merida says that, in addition to the work on the benches, the contestants gave back to the community, by inspiring the young girls of Wisconsin.
“It’s so great to see them come and just share their stories, and share their energy with our community," said Merida, "all the young girls that come to see them, it’s great to have role models with such high ambition and such drive, and just pure hearts.”
Last year's Miss Wisconsin and current Miss America Grace Stanke also came out to help. She says inspiring young women, is what the roles of Miss Wisconsin and Miss America are all about.
“It's all about women supporting women," she said, "This is a place where it’s cool to be nice, it’s cool to be successful, it’s cool to be ambitious, driven, and powerful, that’s something that this class represents excellently from the women of Wisconsin.”
Miss Wisconsin 2023 will be crowned Saturday afternoon at Oshkosh West High School's Alberta Kimball Auditorium. Stanke will be in attendance, according to Miss Wisconsin Organization officials.
