This article was intended to run in the Friday, August 8, edition of the Huron Plainsman. With the closure of the Plainsman, it has been published elsewhere in the meantime, but now appears as intended in these pages.
HURON – Before May 31 this year, Huron native Jamee Kattner had a plan for how things were going to happen this year. She had recently graduated from South Dakota State University and had a teaching job lined up in education to begin in the fall.
She had one more thing before her summer – and it altered her next year and her whole life. She participated for the second time in the Miss South Dakota competition in Brookings on the final weekend of May, and the music education major focused her community service initiative and her talent around music. When the final winners were announced, Kattner received the crown from reigning Miss South Dakota, Joelle Simpson.
The change this year in the Miss America program meant a big change for Jamee, though, as the national competition was moved from late December to early September in Orlando, Fla., with the final award show on Sept. 7.
That means squeezing approximately seven months of fundraising into just three months, so Jamee has been very busy this summer.
A whirlwind is the exact word I use all the time, Kattner shared. One moment, youre competing, enjoying the experience. You hope you win, of course, but you enjoy making friends and the fun of the competition.
She continued, Then you win. Now, you have deadlines and all of these other things you need to be doing!
I thought, at first, three months seemed soon, but I thought itd be workable, Kattner further explained. Then, you look up, and its the Fourth of July, and a whole month of those three months is already gone!
Kattner is doing one final send-off official fundraiser. She is doing a trunk show event at the Huron Country Club on August 23, beginning at 2:30 p.m. She will show off her wardrobe for the Miss America competition. Musical entertainment will also be provided.
In the time between those planned fundraisers, Jamee will continue doing multiple events around the state, hoping that those appearances also bring in funds toward her trip to Orlando for competition. Her final event will be singing the national anthem on Wednesday night at the bull riding event at the South Dakota State Fair before she leaves the next day for Orlando. Through August 3, Kattner had logged 4,160 miles for appearances as Miss South Dakota.
So far, Kattner has truly enjoyed meeting people across the state. She says her best experience so far was being at Mount Rushmore on Independence Day, where she had the opportunity to sing the national anthem.
I was so excited to meet everyone, but then, theyre all excited to meet me! Kattner recalled, I think all of the people I met that night were from a different place.
One thing Kattner did relay that isnt likely considered for someone in her position is a feeling of isolation.
I am meeting a lot of people. I am going to lots of places. But at the same time, that can be very isolating, Kattner said. Im the only person I know who is going through this, so others cant really relate at the same level.
To that end, Kattner has leaned on the Forever Miss South Dakotas, previous winners of the award who offer advice and any assistance they can in her fundraising and preparation for the September competition, not to mention a place to stay during her extensive travels.
She specifically noted that Huron and the Huron area have a host of previous Miss South Dakota winners (Carrie Wintle, 2018, Iroquois; Miranda Mack, 2017, Redfield; Loren Vaillancourt, 2010, Huron; Callee Bauman, 2006, Huron; Sara Frankenstein, 1998, Tulare; Gwen Resick, 1973, Clark; Sandra Hart, 1952, Huron; and Myrna Clemenson, 1948, Conde) who have been especially helpful.
Kattner is attempting to be the first Miss America from South Dakota. In 1950, Irene OConnor of Burbank finished runner-up, and four other previous winners finished in the top 15, most recently Alexandra Hoffman of Eureka in 2008.
When I called up the school where I had a job for this coming year and told them that I wouldnt be able to be there because I won, they said, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Kattner laughed. Thats exactly how Ive felt throughout this experience; its a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and Im enjoying every minute of it.
To donate to Jamee Kattners pursuit of the Miss America crown:
– Attend the trunk show fundraiser at the Huron Country Club, August 23, at 2:30 p.m.
– Donate directly at linktr.ee/jamee.kattner, where you can find a link to a Venmo account for Jamee as well as a t-shirt fundraiser.
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