MARTINSBURG — The Miss West Virginia 2025 competition hosted the Go Red Fashion Show Friday evening to support the American Heart Association and celebrate 80 years of the competition.
Contestants joined previous Miss West Virginia titleholders as they walked down the runway at the Airborne Event Center in their best red dress, showing their dedication to making a difference in their community.
Inspired by the Go Red for Women movement, the fashion show raised money and awareness to help those who face heart disease and stroke. Since 2004, when Go Red for Women was founded, the American Heart Association’s initiative has dedicated itself to helping women at every age who have cardiovascular disease and ensuring they get the treatment they need.
Dr. Cathy Funk, an advocate for women with heart disease, came up on stage to talk about why Go Red is so important and to thank everyone who participating in raising awareness. To her, the partnership between the American Heart Association and the Miss America Organization makes sense, because women’s health is critical for the family. The AHA understands that and is focusing on helping women and doing the research.
“Women are the typical person in the family to do the preventive things – making sure you get sleep, making sure you eat the right foods, making sure you get enough water, helping you deal with your stress,” Funk said. “In research, we have not been promoting looking at why women have different responses to medications and certain disease processes. So, the research dollars that you guys help raise are promoting the health or these women on stage.”
Tiffany Lawrence, president of the Miss West Virginia organization, alongside State Director Shelley Nichols-Franklin and Teen State Director Donna Newman, recognized several people who have impacted their communities during the event. That included Dawn Cain, Miss Berkeley County director; Brenda Pyles, Miss Hampshire County Fair director; and Denny Barron, treasurer of the Shepherdstown Fire Hall.
“Heart health is near and dear to all of us, but I have been personally impacted by family members’ heart conditions,” Lawrence said. “So, it’s been said that the road to a healthy heart is paved with good intentions and positive choices. Tonight, I’m proud to say that we celebrate good intentions and positive choices of all that surround our organization.”
At the end of the event, around $10,000 in scholarships was given away to several contestants, rewarding their work in community service, mental health awareness, promoting STEM and much more.
