Audrey Bolte, Miss Ohio USA 2012 and Miss USA second runner-up, met with local media for one-on-one interviews Thursday as a prelude to her involvement with this week’s Festival of the Bells.

“I love the Festival of the Bells,” Bolte said, adding “kudos” to organizers for “doing a great job with it” and for having the knack to book entertainment on the verge of hitting it big.

She spoke of her experience with the Miss Ohio and Miss USA pageants and how they have affected her life and her opportunities. “I put my whole heart and soul into it and it turned out pretty well, I think, for having never seen a pageant before or being in one.”

“I wanted to be that one person you can say, ‘Geez, she’s a small town girl, hey she has horses, she cleans out her own horse stalls, no big deal.’ But you know what? Anyone can make anything out of themselves,” Bolte said.

As to what she would like to say to residents of Highland County Bolte said, “Support your local community, support your local athletes and your children in school. The more you put into the kids, the more that they’re going to give back to you when they get older.”

She said she is grateful for being asked to participate in the festival and honored to be a part of it all. Bolte will be attending festival events throughout the weekend.