Our April meeting featured decorations of brightly colored umbrellas and table decorations of blue and yellow flowers as well as delicious refreshments provided by our hostesses Madeline Harris, Dorothy Clayton, Edith Stuart, Elsie Ramsey, Mary Taulbee and Beverly Ballina.

The speaker was Joann Broadus, Executive Director of the Eastern Shore Optimist Club which sponsors the Dogwood Trail Pageant and Scholarship Program. We were also very fortunate to have two of the lovely Trail Maids join us for the meeting.

According to Ms. Broadus, the Dogwood Trail Maid program was started in 1961 and is in its 48th year. It was named for a Dogwood Trail which in the 1960's started in Spanish Fort and went all the way to Point Clear. (I wonder if it could still be found today?) Each year six sophomore or junior girls from the Eastern Shore are chosen to act as goodwill ambassadors for the community. They must live on the Eastern Shore or go to school on the Eastern Shore and agree to maintain high moral standards along with performing extensive community service. They are seen at many public events in their colorful dresses, but did you know that they are obligated to spend 150 to 200 hours in community service? That means every weekend they are acting as goodwill ambassadors for the Eastern Shore instead of hanging out with their friends. There is a lot more to being a Trail Maid than just wearing a pretty dress!

The Trail Maid program starts in September and ends a year later in January with their Pageant and Scholarship Program where they compete in various categories. During the year they are taught poise and composure as well as presentation skills so they will excel when they go for those important job interviews after graduation from college. They even have an interview coach and have a dance coach for the pageant. All of this makes them very poised and gracious goodwill ambassadors for our Eastern Shore Community whether for events here or on their travels throughout the state and even out of state. They make us proud.

Unlike Mobile's Azalea Trail Maids, our own Dogwood Trail Maids do not have a single Queen for the year but rather each of the six Dogwood Maids takes a two month turn acting as Queen with the goal of developing leadership skills. Also, Dogwood Trail Maids do not have to purchase their own dresses. They are presented to them by the Optimist Club so that no girl will be prevented from participating in the program on the basis of finances.

The Optimist Club estimates the cost of the Trail Maid program to be between 18 and 19 thousand dollars. Each Trail Maid receives a $1,000.00 scholarship to the college of her choice plus there are additional $250.00 scholarships which are awarded as part of the competition at their annual Program. Each also receives her dress which costs the Optimist Club $1,500.00 per dress. The club raises money for these expenses by selling Christmas Trees. The Trail Maids also sell tickets to the Program and ads in their souvenir brochure.

The Optimist Creed perhaps illustrates why this why this group chooses to sponsor the Dogwood Trail Maids. Here is just a small quote from their creed: ... To think only of the best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best ... To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your own ... To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear, and too happy to permit the presence of trouble."

Good thoughts for all of us!