CRESTVIEW — Madeline and Samantha Redmond are doing what they can to participate in the July 27 Little Miss Magnolia State pageant in Mississippi.
The sisters, 6 and 4, respectively, have collected donations at public events like the May 10 Rise and Unite Music Festival in Crestview, and they've displayed showmanship in several online videos.
Skits featured on their YouTube channel are inspired by their favorite films, Christina Saxton, their mother, said.
"I would see them play these little roles and I thought that would be really cute to record them," she said.
"Creating a Monster," their latest video, features the girls in a black and white horror send-up with a twist ending to the familiar mad scientist plot.
Acting out storybook fantasies is fun, Madeline said.
"You get to marry a prince," she said. "Plus, I get to have magic friends."
She feels the same excitement for participating in pageants.
"It's fun … we always get to be pretty," Madeline said.
So, why the Little Miss Magnolia State pageant?
Well, the family recently moved from Pearl, Mississippi to be closer to loved ones in Crestview.
The girls have participated in the pageant and want to return. Christina, a single mom working two jobs, has raised enough to cover production fees, including a banner and advertisements. Now, they need roughly $450 for admission fees.
Their fundraising account, gofundme.com/maddieandsammie, has helped some, but it's not all about the money, Christina said.
If residents can't donate toward the pageant fund, they can just click play on videos like "Creating a Monster" to be in good spirits.
And if that's the case, just sharing the video is all she asks.
"It's worth it knowing it brings a smile to so many people's faces," she said.
Email News Bulletin Staff Writer Matthew Brown, follow him on Twitter or call 850-682-6524.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Sisters show talent while raising money for pageant