S.C. Strawberry Festival Pageant Saturday

March 5, 2012 is forever etched in Chrissy McCurry’s mind. April 6, 2015, is forever etched in Katlynn Savage’s.

Both women tragically lost a loved one on those dates. Both wish to use the pain they’ve faced to enact change. Both will compete in the South Carolina Strawberry Festival Pageant to spotlight their platforms.

On a Monday morning last spring, Savage’s boyfriend, Lance Corporal Benjamin Campbell, was set to return to Fort Benning, Ga., where he was stationed with the United States Marines Corp.

He never made it. Campbell took his own life.

On a Monday morning four years ago, McCurry’s cousin, Jason Cohut, died from a drug overdose.

Both Savage and McCurry, by participating in the pageant, hope to keep their loved one’s memory alive.

Savage, a Fort Mill High School graduate and student at The University of South Carolina-Lancaster, is competing for the “Miss” title in the pageant to raise awareness for suicide prevention among military service members through the organization “22 Too Many.”

Every day, approximately 22 veterans take their own lives, according to a report released by the Department of Veterans Affairs in 2012. The “22” group encourages competitive athletes to enter races to honor members of the military lost to suicide. Racers wear a picture on their shirt of the veteran they are racing in memory of, and send any medals to the service member’s family.

Savage wants to speak out against the stigma of mental illness, especially Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and encourage those struggling to reach out for help.

“I think (veterans) may be embarrassed to ask for help because they’re the big guys who protect people,” Savage said. “But they’re people too.”

The pageant will take place Saturday and is the first in a series of events slated for Fort Mill’s award winning festival May 6-7. Contestants choose platforms to represent as they compete for one of three titles – Teen, Miss and Mrs. Pageant winners, or “Strawberry Queens,” advocate for their platforms throughout the year and act as ambassadors for the town at local and regional events.

For Savage, enduring the pain of loss changed her perspective on life.

“It makes you realize that this world isn’t all about you,” she said. “You need to move past it and use it.”

Addiction awareness

McCurry, a “Mrs.” contestant, will spotlight drug abuse prevention, a topic close to her heart after losing her cousin to substance abuse.

“I have two boys, and it scares me to death,” said McCurry, adding that open lines of communication between parents and kids is key. “Do not sweep it under the rug.”

Even worse is pretending the problem doesn’t exist, or doesn’t exist here, McCurry said.

“(People) say Fort Mill is all good and everything, but it’s here. It’s in our school systems. It’s very well hidden,” she said.

Many young people do not realize the long-term implications of abusing drugs, both for themselves and their loved ones, McCurry said.

“It changes a family.”

This story was originally published April 25, 2016 at 2:17 PM with the headline "S.C. Strawberry Festival Pageant Saturday."