SALISBURY — Erica Leigh Averill recently won the Ms. North Carolina Petite 2023 pageant and her platform on eating disorder awareness includes efforts to educate the community on all types of eating disorder with statistics, facts and her own personal history.

“I especially would like to reach the youth and young adults who are more at risk now more than ever with the media and social media having an impact on mental health,” she said in a news release. “I am so excited to be doing this and much more of a variety of volunteering within our community and the state of North Carolina.”

The Salisbury resident says, “I want to leave this world a better place and I am so grateful to be chosen to wear the crown. I truly want to make a difference in any possible way in my state. If given the opportunity, I can promise I will not let you down.”

Averill won the N.C. pageant on Sept. 2 and the national event will be held in Wisconsin in August of 2023. She is seeking donations and support from local businesses to help sponsor her journey to the 2023 USA Petite National Pageant, which will cost a few thousand dollars for travel and wardrobe expenses.

You can email her at EricaLeighAverill@icloud.com or call 704-698-8190.