Arling named Miss Ohio spokesperson
Minster native Genoa Arling, a student at Bluffton University majoring in social work and psychology, was crowned as spokesperson ahead of the Miss Ohio Volunteer pageant, which will take place June 26-27 at the Marion Palace Theater in Marion.
The coronation for spokesperson took place Friday at Rhinestone Lipgloss. Arling beat out 10 to 15 other applicants for the distinction.
Arling has been competing since
July 2019, where she competed in the Miss Lake Festival program in Celina.
“It was actually one of the board members who sent me the post about the Miss Ohio Volunteer program,” Arling said. “[They] were looking for a spokesperson to represent their organization for the next six months, and I had done a lot of competing in the Miss America program, the Miss Ohio program.”
Arling’s volunteer work stretches back through her time at the Sidney Theater and other local community theaters. She was also involved in Girl Scouts and 4-H and has worked at a nursing home.
After winning the distinction, Arling hopes to be able to bring more awareness to mental health, primarily anxiety and depression, through her platform, Out of the Darkness.
“I dealt a lot with it in high school, and so I think talking about it early opens up conversations for other people, and I just want to show
other people that it can get better,” Arling said.
During her sophomore year of high school, Arling said she felt like she was stuck in a hole and experienced nightly panic attacks.
“I actually ended up attempting to take my own life on multiple occasions throughout high school,” she added.
And after a friend brought up her concerns to Arling’s mother, she started taking medication as well as seeking counseling, something she’s been doing for three years.
And being selected as spokesperson means she can use her platform to reach a larger audience.
“To me, it’s all about
helping others and sharing that it does get better,” she said. “[I want to] raise awareness because there is still a stigma that revolves around mental health and I think it’s really important to try to eliminate that as much as possible so that as many people as possible can get help.”
While COVID-19 precautions have restricted what she can do and where she can go, Arling still plans to speak virtually and educate others.
Executive director of the Miss Ohio Volunteer program Veronica Hawk already has plans for Arling.
“We will be working … on virtual interview, virtual school chats — however they’re doing that anymore,” Hawk said.
But for one night, Arling wanted to enjoy the moment.
“It’s something I’ve been dreaming about since I started doing pageants, and the fact that it finally happened is just, it doesn’t feel real,” Arling said. “I was at work today, and it kept rolling through my head, ‘ it’s actually happening tonight.’
“Once I clocked out, I walked out the door and I did a little happy dance.”