In celebration of Valentine's Day and Random Acts of Kindness Week, a group of local pageant queens, including Maille McNicholas, a student at Twin Valley Middle School, delivered 80 handmade valentines to the residents of Hickory House Nursing Home in Honey Brook, as well as chocolate bars and cupcakes for the staff members. The girls also painted the windows with inspiring messages and Valentine's Day-themed art that included hearts, smiles and sunbursts.

The girls, nicknamed "sister queens," traveled to Hickory House on Feb. 13 to complete the artwork and distribute the goodies. In addition to Maille, who is Miss Northeast Jr. High United States 2021, participants include Emilee Koch, National American Miss (NAM) Miss Wernersville City Preteen 20-2021; Athena Worley, NAM Miss Keystone State Preteen 2021; Sydney Gonzalez, Miss Pennsylvania Elementary United States 2021; and Macie Bazella, Miss Pennsylvania Jr. High America 2021.

The girls met through a Facebook page created by Maillie's mother, Megan. "Maille and I thought it would be fun to try to get together with some of her friends she made through her years through pageantry and do community projects together. It's more fun to do things with other with friends," explained Megan. "We invited sister queens from current pageants (to join the Facebook group), and that expanded because they had friends in pageants. It's a pretty big group."

"The last time we went (to Hickory House) was to decorate Christmas trees," Maille pointed out. "My mom is friends with Jennifer Dunbar at Hickory House, and we got permission."

On both occasions, the girls had to remain outside because of COVID-19 restrictions. At Christmastime, the girls decorated a tree in the courtyard of Hickory House, brought holiday cards for distribution and sang Christmas carols outside for the residents.

For the latest visit, Dunbar accepted the valentines that the girls had made in advance, and she also guided residents to the windows so that they could watch the girls painting.

"(We used) acrylic paint mixed with soap so it's easier to get off. And we had window markers," Maille said. "We had one resident that was really engaged. She sang carols with us (during the Christmas visit). She was watching and talking through the window. We had some other seniors who were watching, too."

Prior to completing the Valentine's Day project, the sister queens also filled backpacks with essential items that will be distributed by For the Love of a Veteran Inc., a veteran's organization based in Hanover.

The girls are also planning future projects. "We are constantly talking. Every time we have a new idea, we share, and we will do it," Maille said.

Maille is currently collecting aluminum pop tops from soda cans and other beverages as part of a national service project associated with her upcoming pageant. All money generated by the pop top collection will benefit the Ronald McDonald House. Maille will collect donations through July, when the national pageant will be held at Hershey Lodge.

Currently, donation bins for the pop tops are located at Goin' Postal and AJ's Family Pizza, both located in the Morgantown Crossings shopping center on Route 23 near Walmart. Those with large quantities of pop tops can arrange for pickup by contacting Maille at mailles.mission@gmail.com.

For more information about Maille and her community service projects, including the pop top collection, readers may visit http://www.facebook.com/missnortheastjrhighunitedstates2021.