Miss Brundidge 2015 Carter Caitlyn Senn was the program guest of Rotarian Dixie Shehane at Wednesday’s meeting of the Brundidge Rotary Club.

Shehane is also the president of the Brundidge Business Association, which sponsors the annual Miss Brundidge and Little Miss Brundidge Pageant.

Carter said she is honored to represent her hometown at “Peanut,” the loose term used for the Miss Peanut Pageant held in October in Dothan. The pageant is held annually in connection with the National Peanut Festival.

“Being Miss Brundidge is not about the competition,” Carter said. “It’s about learning life-long skills. It’s about the great journey that I’m on.”

As a contestant in the Miss Peanut Pageant, Carter has had the opportunity to attend several Peanut Parties. She also co-hosted the Queen’s Tea, with Little Miss Brundidge Aubrey Lightner, at the BBA’s Independence Day Parade the last Saturday in June.

“The first Peanut Party I attended was in Columbia, and I learned about the role the steamboat played in the town’s history,” Carter said. “Aubrey and I rode in the Independence Day Parade and then hosted the Queen’s Tea. So much preparation went into the tea. Everyone worked so hard. It was the longest day of my life.”

At the tea, Carter welcomed the queens to Brundidge in her first official address.

“The next day, I attended the Eufaula tea at the Shorter Mansion,” she said. “Miss Alabama Meg McGuffin spoke about her platform which is ‘health is the new skinny.’ For Peanut, we each have to have a platform. She inspired my platform which is Lung Cancer Awareness.”

Carter said her platform is dedicated to her granddad, Jackie Senn, who died recently from lung cancer.

Carter is a senior at Pike Liberal Arts School. She plans to attend Auburn University and pursue a degree in chemical engineering.

“I want to then go on to become a pharmaceutical engineer,” she said. “I want to be a part of the medical research to find cures for illnesses, especially lung cancer. My granddad fought hard against cancer but he didn’t win. I want to find a cure for lung cancer.”

Carter said heredity only accounts for one percent of the incidents of lung cancer. Given that, lung cancer is preventable to a degree. Her “Peanut” platform is, therefore, focused on awareness and prevention of the disease.

The Miss Peanut Pageant will be Oct. 9 and 10 in Dothan. Thirty-four contestants will compete for the coveted title.

“Carter will be an outstanding representative for Brundidge,” Shehane said. “We are proud to have her as our Miss Brundidge. We are looking forward to supporting her at ‘Peanut’ and wish her all the best on her journey throughout the year as Miss Brundidge.”