GAYS MILLS - Amidst all the excitement of Spring Fest weekend in Gays Mills, the 2023 Apple Royalty were coronated at the Old Community Building on Main Street. Kathleen Cade officiated the ceremony, with almost 30 citizens in attendance to enjoy the ice cream social.

Visiting royalty attending the coronation included the LaFarge 4th of July Royalty, and Wisconsin Miss U.S. Agriculture, Aubrianna Schaldach.

Mya McCarn, daughter of Samantha and Adam McCarn, will continue in her role as Apple Blossom Princess. McCarn is sponsored by Larry and Theresa McCarn.

In an interview for her candidacy, McCarn provided the following information about herself. Mya said that her favorite thing about serving as the Apple Blossom Princess is being in parades and riding on floats. She says her favorite apple product in caramel apples. Her favorite things about Apple Festival are the parade and visiting the orchards. Mya enjoys Scouts, playing with Barbies and drawing.

Joining McCarn in the effort to represent the Gays Mills apple industry and the Village of Gays Mills are first-grade North Crawford students Neva Grossman and Avery Leirmo. The two will both share the title of Apple Blossom Princess.

Neva Grossman is the daughter of Joe Hart and Nikki Grossman. She is sponsored by her parent’s well-known band the Sapsuckers, who headlined this year’s Folk Festival of Music and Dance Saturday evening concert.

In an interview for her candidacy, Grosman said that what makes her want to fill the position is that she enjoys dressing up fancy and she wants to be a princess, and it sounds like fun. She said her favorite apple product is apple pie. Neva says she enjoys T-ball, singing, going to the park, sewing, playing outside and listening to her mom and dad sing.

Avery Leirmo is the daughter of Andrew and Tiffany Leirmo, and is sponsored by BAPI.

In her interview for her candidacy, Leirmo said that she is proud to be a part of the community and to help the community spread the word about the Apple Festival and the Gays Mills apple orchards, so more can experience the fun. She said her favorite apple product is apple cider donuts. Avery enjoys T-ball, drawing and singing and dancing.

Thanks given

Thanks were given to Daisy Alexander, 2022 Apple Princess, and Mya McCarn, Apple Blossom Princess, for their service in 2022.

North Crawford fourth grade student Daisy Alexander decided to take a year off from being a part of the Gays Mills Apple Royalty, but may return for 2024. She is the daughter of John and Heather Alexander, and her sponsor was McCormick’s Rolling Ground.

“It was a good year, and I had lots of fun,” Alexander said. “My favorite things were the parades and attending the coronations of other area royalty.”

Cade went on to praise Daisy for representing the community well.

“Daisy is a North Crawford elementary wrestler, and she placed fourth at state as a member of the first ever North Crawford Girls Wrestling Team,” Cade said. “I enjoyed the photos she shared of her in her wrestling gear wearing her Apple Princess crown and sash – it shows that girls can do things that girls typically do, and also things that boys have typically done.”

Cade said of Apple Blossom Princess Mya McCarn that she had grown enormously in the last year, both physically and in confidence and poise.

“When she first began in her role as Apple Blossom Princess, Mya was very shy,” Cade said. “But as the year went on, she became more confident and enjoyed smiling and waving at the crowd from the Apple Festival float.”

Appreciation offered

Cade was quick to thank all of the individuals and organizations that made the Apple Royalty ambassador program work in 2022. Those whose efforts Cade expressed appreciation for included:

• the McCarn family who helped to make the float safer as well as helping with fundraising and driving the float in parades

• the Eitsert family who stored the float over the winter, and Danny Eitsert who drove the float in parades

• the Alexander family who let them have Daisy for a year, and did lots of running to help make the program work

• Adam and Samantha McCarn for letting them have Mya both last year and for the coming year

• all of the sponsors of the Apple Royalty

• The Marketplace for donating the meat and cheese for the Coronation snacks

• Kathleen Cade’s mother who embroidered the sashes after Cade had sewn them

• the Village of Gays Mills for use of the Community Building