Elle and Andi Dunn visit residents at a local nursing home to hand out puzzle and word search games who I am , and I give them word puzzles and word searches because Google said that word searches help with dementia ,” Elle said . “ So I just hand those out to any elderly people .” Elle and Andi said they enjoy going to the nursing homes as part of their Memory Matters initiave because they always get hugs and the seniors seem to love their visits .
“ You can be honest ,” Ashley Dunn said when Ellle admitted there are occasions when she would rather sleep late on a Saturday morning instead of working their lemonade stand as planned . “ This morning , she was like , ‘ I don ’ t wanna go out there . Sometimes it ’ s hard to get up and get going … but when you know you are doing it for a good cause , they will get up and go … and at the end of the day , she enjoys it .” While they started the projects as a way to make a little extra money to help out with pageant expenses , Dunn said the girls now do the projects as part of their community service initiative . “ We know community service is important and it helps them get out there and communicate with people ,” she said . “ And they like knowing they did something positive , and they like getting recognized at school for doing community service .” The sisters first got into pageants by chance , their mom said , when Elle entered a local pageant . She enjoyed dressing up , modeling on stage and performing her dance talent , which comes easy to her since she has taken dance lessons at Carol Merrill Dance Academy for years .
In spring 2023 , she won the Miss Mississippi Universal Preteen pageant , then competed in the national
pageant last June in
Elle Dunn in New York City
Orlando , Florida , the youngest contestant in her category . She walked away with the national Universal Miss Preteen title , winning a trip to New York City .
As part of her title package , Elle walked the runway during last fall ’ s New York Fashion Week , modeling a gown from designer Krissy King . She also participated in a New York City photoshoot . “ That was very exciting ,” the young student said . “ I got to wear this big flowy dress that had a
Elle Dunn poses in a Krissy King gown after walking the runway at New York Fashion Week last fall .
train on it , and two puffs right here ,” she said , pointing to her shoulders . “ It ’ s all blue . I think it was , like , fairy themed or something .” She said there were a lot of people along the sides of the runway and she was coached not to smile or laugh , but to look straight ahead . Her mom said Elle looked like a pro and took to walking the runway quite naturally . “ When she hit that runway , she surprised me , really she did ,” Dunn said . “ I was like , ‘ whoa , who taught her how to do this ?’”
Andi , who takes competitive cheer at East Mississippi Cheer , just won her state title earlier this year during a regional pageant in Baton Rouge , Louisiana .
In June , the Dunns will travel to Orlando , Florida , where Andi will compete in the National Universal Miss Young Miss pageant and Elle will crown the new winner of the National Universal Miss Preteen title .
Andi , who tagged along on the New York trip , said her favorite part was visiting the FAO Schwarz toy store in New York , especially playing on the upstairs Big piano that made its debut in the classic Tom Hanks move , “ Big .” But , she wasn ’ t a fan of the rest of the Big Apple .
Elle called the city very loud and very crowded , compared to Meridian . She also enjoyed the FAO Schwarz store , as well as Times Square and Central Park . She , unlike Andi , would love to check out the city again and is considering modeling although she really wants to be a dance teacher . “ I will definitely go back ,” Elle said . The Dunn sisters will be serving up smiles and plenty of glasses of cold , refreshing lemonade at the remaining Earth ’ s Bounty festivals this year . Remember , their proceeds go to help the homeless and elderly residents in the community . M
30 • MERIDIAN LIFE