Leader photo/CRAIG HAUPERT
Miss Blossomtime Roxie Elliot and Miss Niles Danielle Villa take a picture with Niles residents Sandy Klekowski and Madalyn Crocker-Alford Monday at the Greater Niles Senior Center. The senior center was one stop on the Blossomtime Festival Royalty’s Goodwill Tour, which began Monday and wraps up Wednesday.

The Blossomtime Festival’s Goodwill Tour wound its way through Niles Monday morning as pageant royalty, including Miss Blossomtime Roxie Elliot and Miss Niles Danielle Villa, visited a Niles school and senior center before parading through the streets of Niles.

Villa said she was excited to let fellow Blossomtime royalty experience what her hometown is all about.

“Even though I’m in the community every day, it’s different when you bring others here because you get to showcase what is really amazing about this place,” said Villa, who was crowned Miss Niles 2014 in November.

As part of the tour, Blossomtime royalty sang to elementary school students at Eastside Connections School before mingling with senior citizens during lunch at the Greater Niles Senior Center.

From there, they headed to Cassopolis on what will be a three-day tour of the festival’s 22 communities in the counties of Berrien, Cass and Van Buren.

“The kids just love it,” said Anna Abdelnour, president of the Blossomtime Festival. “We are trying to show them that building relationships is what life is all about. We also want to spread the word about making right choices and being good role models for the kids.”

Miss Blossomtime Roxie Elliot said she is looking forward to the tour reaching her hometown of Buchanan Tuesday. Elliot was crowned Miss Buchanan in December before being named Miss Blossomtime in March.

Elliot said her sister Katie — Miss Buchanan 2011 — would be attending all the festivities Tuesday.

“My sister told me so many stories how this was the highlight of her year so I’ve been excited about this for a long time,” she said. “It will be fun to spend time with her because I really appreciate her being there. I’m also looking forward going home to celebrate as Miss Buchanan.”

The Blossomtime Festival, now in its 108th year, kicked off Sunday with the Blessing of the Blossoms in Benton Harbor. The Goodwill Tour is one of many activities and events scheduled for this week leading up to Saturday’s premier event — the Grand Floral Parade in St. Joseph.

The Miss Niles Scholarship court will perform its own goodwill tour May 21 in Niles.