By Rebecca Rider

rebecca.rider@salisburypost.com

FAITH — While the town of Faith celebrated a lively Fourth of July, Rowan County teenager O’Shannus Wood passed the mantle to Salisbury native Ricki Goodman.

For the past year, Wood has served as Miss Rowan County Veteran, working with and representing local veterans. But on Tuesday, the time came to give up the crown to someone else.

“I’ve held this crown for a year, and it’s been awesome,” she said to a small gathering of family and friends after Faith’s midmorning July Fourth parade.

Wood encouraged the group of girls vying for the title to stay active in their local American Legions and to continue volunteering with local veterans whether they won or not. It is a high honor, she said, and they wouldn’t be disappointed.

Goodman, 18, representing Kennedy Hall American Legion Post 106, is a recent graduate of Carson High School.

“I’m definitely very excited,” she said.

She was joined Tuesday by her parents, Tim and Sonda Goodman. The family lives just outside the town limits of Faith.

Goodman frequently spends time volunteering to write cards to veterans. She said it’s an honor to be able to serve veterans in a new capacity and that she hopes she can be a “source of light” to them.

“It’s such an honor to be able to represent the people who are the heroes of the community,” she said.

Goodman also has volunteered with Operation Christmas Child and Faithful Friends Animal Sanctuary.

In the fall, she plans to attend Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and study radiology. Once she has her degree, she hopes to work at the local Veterans Affairs hospital. In the meantime, she said, she plans to volunteer more.

“I really want to do all that I can,” she said.

Other contestants were:

• Carlee Rae Lowry, representing Livengood Peeler Wood Post 448.

• Makayla Lynn Eagle, representing Faith Legion Post 327.

• Andrea Olvera, representing Post 185.

• Morgen Star Ridenhour, representing VFW Post 9134.

• Amy Margaret Taylor, representing AMVETS Post 565.

• Madison Kaye Hunter, representing AMVETS Post 845.

• Emma Ritchie, representing 40/8 Voitures.

• Laura Caroline Johnson, representing American Legion Harold B. Jarrett Post 342.

• Honesty Carter, representing J.C. Price Post 107.

Contact reporter Rebecca Rider at 704-797-4264.