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By Carey Reeder | Managing Editor

For the second time, Mary Jane Cole won a Miss Blackberry crown after being named the 2024 Miss Blackberry Queen on Nov. 2. Cole’s new reign comes two years after her reign as the 2022 Junior Miss Blackberry Queen. She thoroughly enjoyed her Young Miss Blackberry experience in her first county pageant, and she knew when the time came she wanted to compete for the Miss crown this year.

Now, she is back on the throne.

“I am excited, and I like knowing that younger girls are going to look up to me and that we will be at all of the events and businesses supporting everyone in the community,” Cole said.

Cole’s pageant journey is a bit different than most. She got a late start and did not do her first pageant until she was a freshman in high school. Cole saw other girls do them and enjoy their experience, and she wanted to try the same thing.

“Seeing a lot of girls do them, I wanted to be a part of it,” Cole said.

Now, with experience under her belt, Cole did not go into this year’s Miss Blackberry Pageant with the mindset of winning it or nothing. She was just excited she was getting the opportunity to do it and being in the environment, and she did want to win, but was not focused on just that.

The pageant at Jemison High School was a lot of waiting around for the contestants as the nerves built throughout the day. A group interview between the judges and the contestants was part of the pageant, followed by the walk to showcase their attire. After a lengthy wait, the contestants were invited back on stage to crown a winner.

As the judges read the names, Cole had a nervous excitement to her. She was not expecting her name to be called as the winner, but it was said aloud.

“It felt like a good day, and I was confident about it, but it was a surprise,” Cole said. “I was so excited, and I was shaking. It was just a shock.”

Derived from the Petals from the Past garden nursery in Jemison, the name of the pageant and queens is based on the Black and Blueberry Festival held there each year. The newly crowned Miss Blackberry Queens will make appearances at business openings, community events and other areas during their reign, and work towards serving the Jemison community throughout it all.

Along with the events and business openings, Cole is looking forward to appearing in the parades throughout the year and the upcoming Christmas tree lightings. With the holiday season around the corner, it is the busiest time of the year for all queens with appearances at numerous events in the next few months.

Cole lives in the Thorsby area and has learned a lot about the city next door that she will be representing. She said she learned quickly about the Jemison Lions Club and their impact on the community.

“I did not realize how much they had to do with the community and all of the things they help with,” Cole said. “I feel like being a queen just helps us realize all the small things the community really does, and we can help put focus on it.”

Cole is a senior at Chilton County High School and spends a lot of her time at a local boutique doing a co-op through school. Also at CCHS, she is a member of the SGA and Beta Club, and is in the process of narrowing down her college choices.

Through it all, Cole wants to be a good role model for others during her reign, and hopes to grow the popularity of the Miss Blackberry crown to have more young girls in Chilton County wanting to participate in the years to come.