Family, friends, community sponsors, Decatur County and the City of Bainbridge will join together on Thursday, July 17, to welcome the newly crowned Miss Georgia 2014, Maggie Bridges, back home to Decatur County for a special celebration at the Kirbo Center at Bainbridge State College.

Bridges will arrive at the Brinson City Hall, in her hometown, at approximately 4:15 p.m. for a special presentation by The Mayor and Council of the City of Brinson.  After greeting Brinson residents, she will board a limousine at approximately 4:45 p.m., escorted by Decatur County Sheriff’s Deputies to the Kirbo Center.  There she will be met at 5 p.m. by City of Bainbridge Mayor Edward Reynolds, Decatur County Commission Chairman, Frank Loeffler and guests.

Bridges will be available at the Kirbo Center to meet anyone in the community who would like to take pictures with her or receive her autograph.

“I am so grateful to the people who organized this event for me to see everyone,” Bridges said.  “I really appreciate all the support and encouragement that I have received from my friends and family in Decatur County, and surrounding counties. This will give me a chance to say ‘thank you.’”

The 21-year-old daughter of John and Cathy Bridges of Brinson, Bridges is the granddaughter of John, Sr., and Carolyn Bridges of Brinson, Martha Brown of Donalsonville, and Glenn and Dottie Brown of Bainbridge.  She is a 2011 graduate of Southwest Georgia Academy in Damascus, and is currently a student at Georgia Institute of Technology with a dual major in Pre-Pharmacy and Information Technology.  She plans to pursue the Doctor of Pharmacy degree after she earns the Bachelor of Business Administration degree next year.

As the new Miss Georgia, Bridges received $15,500 in scholarship awards and a new car to drive for a year.  She will now represent Georgia in the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City, New Jersey, on September 14.  Her platform is “Impacting Others Through Volunteerism.”

Everyone is invited to welcome Bridges home and meet her at the Kirbo Center on July 17th at 5 p.m.  Light refreshments will be served.