Nassau, Bahamas (MBO) June 2, 2008 – The “Fierce Fifteen” contestants of the 2008 Miss Bahamas World pageant are living up to the Miss World tenet of Beauty with a Purpose. The beauties presented a check in the amount of $985.46 to The Crisis Center following an exercise in which they were encouraged to follow the example set by the Parable of the Talents.

The contestants were split into two teams, and given the challenge of planning and executing a project to raise money during a five hour period, starting only with seed money of $100 provided by the Miss Bahamas Organization®. Each team was required to choose a charity with the idea that the funds raised by both teams would be donated to the winning team’s charity of choice. The A-list Beauties proved to be an innovative bunch. They held a car wash, offered shoulder massages to their clients while their vehicles were being cleaned, and sold snacks and soft drinks to passing motorists. In all, they raised more than $600 dollars. The plan of the Beauties with a Purpose team ran into a few snags, which led to their eventual defeat. They too held a car wash, coupling it with a kiddie’s fair. However, poor location choice proved to be a major factor in their loss. The competition will be chronicled in episode three of the new Reality TV show Miss Bahamas World Backstage Pass, which airs on ZNS on June 17th.

Says MBO President Michelle Malcolm, the Miss Bahamas Organization® is very serious about its mission to advance and support today’s women through its Passion for Pageantry with a Purpose. “As it says in our mission statement, we aim to bring out the personal bests women seek to achieve by cultivating their passions, self-image, and education in an environment that encourages the pursuit of purpose, promotes discipline, and supports the strengthening of character,” she said. “MBO places heavy emphasis on community service for all of its winners and contestants. Its philosophy is that all are called to use their inherent gifts for the betterment of others – and thus its slogan “Passion for Pageantry with Purpose.”

The Miss Bahamas Organization® is in search of a Beauty with a Purpose – a young woman who is passionate about her role in the improvement of her community and the world at large. For this reason, a community service project is mandatory for all Miss Bahamas World contestants. These projects must be documented and submitted for review by MBO for the Beauty with a Purpose competition, and - in the case of the pageant winner - may be used at the Miss World Competition. The winner of the Beauty with a Purpose competition automatically advances to the semifinal round of the competition.

Special thanks to Jerome Sawyer / Miss Bahamas Organization

MISS BAHAMAS WORLD 2008 CONTESTANTS

MISS BAHAMAS OFFICIAL WEBSITE