Mobile County is known for many things, chief amongst those being the birthplace of Mardi Gras and the oldest organized carnival in the U.S. Everything about the second largest county in Alabama exudes a rich, cultural milieu. So it should come as no surprise that when President-elect Donald Trump decided to make a return stop to the county Dec. 17 as part of his cross-country ‘Thank You’ tour, that Mobile rolled out the red carpet.
As Trump disembarked from his signature Boeing 757, waiting in the wings as representatives of Mobile County, were six Azalea Trail Maids.
Famous for their vibrant, pastel-colored dresses, the Azalea Trail Maids is a non-profit organization sponsored by the Mobile Jaycees and the Young Women’s Civic Club of Mobile. Among the Trail Maids selected to represent the county during Trump’s return to “The Port City” was Kamryn Harvey, daughter of Randall Harvey, Chief of Water Resources-Engineering Division, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Mobile District.
The Trail Maids are chosen each year to serve as official ambassadors of Mobile based on academic performance, current events, and knowledge of Mobile history. Out of thousands of girls who apply, only 50 are selected and only six were chosen to represent the county during Trump’s ‘Thank You’ tour.
As one might expect, Randall Harvey couldn’t be more proud of his daughter for her tremendous accomplishments.
“She’s top 5% in her high school, does National Honor Society, Key Club, she’s on the high school newspaper, plays varsity soccer, and in the community she volunteers through an organization called Claire’s Hope,” said Randall Harvey. “The organization works with high school and middle school girls to bring them together to volunteer in the community.”
“I am extremely proud that she was selected to participate in an organization like the Azalea Trail Maids…and to be an official ambassador for the city of Mobile. It’s definitely a distinct honor that she has been afforded, and we are extremely proud of the hard work and effort that she puts into all of her extracurricular activities. Not only is it good for her, but it gives her the opportunity to be out there and volunteer and to do something that supports the community.”
As Trump stepped off the plane, he shook hands with each of the girls and asked them where they purchased the “beautiful” dresses that are a staple of the Trail Maids. For Kamryn Harvey and the other five girls who greeted the President-elect, that was a moment they will remember for the rest of their lives.
“She was super-excited just having the opportunity to meet someone of that level and being able to be there when he steps off the plane and greet him to the city of Mobile. The excitement that her and the other five girls had is hard to describe, but they were definitely elated to have been able to participate,” Randall Harvey recalled.
In addition to greeting Trump, the Trail Maids also had the chance to meet Alabama Governor Robert Bentley and Senator Jeff Sessions.
“Not only did they have the opportunity to greet (Trump), they had the opportunity to greet Governor Bentley and Senator Sessions,” said Randall Harvey. “Senator Sessions and his wife took the opportunity to talk with the six girls while they were waiting. After the motorcade had gone away the excitement on those girls was clear. It’s probably the most exciting thing they’ve done at this point in life.”
For more information about the history of the Azalea Trail Maids visit http://www.azaleatrailmaids.com/.