DOWAGIAC — For 17 years, Lynsie Stolpe has called Dowagiac home. However, home now takes on a whole new meaning as Stolpe was crowned Miss Dowagiac 2020 on Saturday evening in front of a large crowd of the community.

The Dowagiac Union High School senior immediately went up and hugged her fellow pageant contestants and shared smiles and laughs after receiving her tiara, sash and a key to the city.

“I wanted to participate in this pageant mostly to create bonds with the people I had always grown up with,” Stolpe said following the ceremony. “I wanted to take the chance to represent my community, and now I get to do that.”

Stolpe was crowned Miss Dowagiac 2020 during the 81st annual pageant, which took place Saturday evening in the Dowagiac Middle School Performing Arts Center. Stolpe was one of 14 contestants who entered the scholarship pageant and competed for the title of Miss Dowagiac. To date, the pageant, which is organized by the Greater Dowagiac Chamber of Commerce, has awarded about $90,000 in scholarships.

Stolpe is the daughter of Dave and Jennifer Stolpe and was a four-year member of the Dowagiac girls golf team. She is also a two-year member of the National Honor Society and part of the Rotary Interact club.

After graduation, Stolpe plans to attend Kalamazoo Valley Community College to pursue a career as a dental hygienist, or attend a four-year university with an undecided major.

Stolpe was also the recipient of the Judy Dodd Community Service Award Scholarship. She is a classroom helper for Miss Haner’s fifth-grade class at Patrick Hamilton Elementary and volunteers through Cass Lewis Intermediate School District with the Great Start Readiness Program.

“All the community service I do is with kids because I like to help the future of Dowagiac,” Stolpe said.

Stolpe’s hobbies include cuddling and spoiling her two pet cats, raising market rabbits and a market lamb each year for 4-H, golfing, reading and watching “Friends.”

During the pageant, the final five contestants were asked how they would welcome a visitor to the city of Dowagiac. As Miss Dowagiac 2020, Stolpe said she would tell them about everything the small town has to offer.

“A lot of people think Dowagiac is a small town, but we have everything that big cities have,” She said. “We have the airport, the college and an amazing school system. Plus, we are such a close-knit community. I love that everybody is so close, and you always have someone there if you need anything.”

Joining Stolpe in her court of honor is Jenna Davis, who was crowned first runner-up and won the communications award; Haydyn First, who was crowned second runner-up; Lacey Fry, who was crowned Miss Congeniality; Maddison Hill and Elizabeth Brito, who were both two of the final five finalists.

New to the pageant this year, all five finalists earned a spot on Miss Dowagiac 2020’s court of honor.

With all her new Miss Dowagiac responsibilities, Stolpe is most excited for one aspect in particular.

“I’m mainly looking forward to spending time with the court of honor,” she said. “It’s just going to be an amazing year, and I’m looking forward to every event.”

As Stolpe proudly wore her crown and stood up tall in front of the community, she embraced her pride in Dowagiac.

“Dowagiac means so much to me,” Stolpe said on stage after the pageant. “I’ve grown up here my entire life.  Everyone in this community has something to offer me and everybody else. I love the fact that I got to grow up in a small community and that it was Dowagiac.”