MOUNDSVILLE, W.Va. — Miss West Virginia Paige Madden is on a mission. She wants to get the word out about domestic violence. It’s a cause near and dear to her heart. That’s because her late grandmother Donna Madden was an advocate for the cause.
“When she passed away, I thought was there any better way to continue her legacy,” explained Madden.
The Moundsville native won her title last Tuesday in Fairmont at the state’s 70th Miss West Virginia Pageant. Her platform for the pageant is titled “Silence Hides Violence.”
“I really think it’s a big problem in this state and one that’s not addressed frequently enough. I hope as Miss West Virginia to really make a difference,” she said.
Madden is well on her way. She already volunteers with several local domestic violence charities and is anxious to team up with the West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence to empower women in abusive relationships. She was talking to some friends at WVU about domestic violence and wanted to take action.
“What can we do on campus because there’s not a lot of information on campus about domestic violence, dating violence and sexual assault which is encompassed in that field.”
Instead of just talking about it, Madden got busy doing something about it when she started collecting items for victims.
“When women leave domestic violence situations they may not have time to grab everything. They may not have time to grab their clothes, their cell phone and other necessities,” stressed Miss West Virginia. “So when people donate their old cell phones, these women are able to call their families. When people donate clothing, they have something to wear.”
Madden will compete in the Miss America pageant in September.