By Chris Aldridge

Kentucky Ag News

FRANKFORT - From the time she first picked up a violin 21 years ago at the tender age of 3, Chapel Tinius had a dream.

“To play my fiddle on the Miss America stage was an absolute dream come true,” said Tinius, the reigning Miss Kentucky who represented the Commonwealth in the 2025 Miss America pageant earlier this month at the Walt Disney Theater in Orlando, Florida. “It is something I will never forget.”

Tinius, a Bowling Green native, is currently the spokesperson for Kentucky Proud. Part of her role as Miss Kentucky is serving as spokesperson of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture’s marketing program.

Tinius uses her fiddling talent to get the attention of elementary school students as she speaks to them across the state.

“I get to incorporate music to teach students about agriculture,” Tinius said. “I learned a long time ago how to make animal noises on my violin. So, my attention-getting device for elementary school students is telling them this story about a lady named Aunt Rhody. When I was little, one of the first songs that I ever learned on my violin was a song called ‘Go Tell Aunt Rhody.’ In the story, Aunt Rhody decides that she's going to take a trip down to a Kentucky farm where she meets all of these animals, and kids just love it. Then that leads into a natural segue to teach them about Kentucky Proud.”

Since she was crowned last June, Tinius has made 189 appearances as Miss Kentucky, the majority of those for KDA. 

“I've been to 72 (Kentucky) counties,” she said. “So, I've got 48 counties left before I get to my goal. I'm really trying to get to all 120 counties.

“I’m proud of where I'm from, and being the spokesperson for Kentucky Proud has only expanded that and has continued to grow my love for the state, the people, and especially the farming community,” added Tinius, who grew up showing horses. “Seeing firsthand how hard our farmers work to make sure that they continue to provide all of these resources that we need every single day, that's just something that my heart is really attached to and that I love getting to speak to students about. I mean they (farmers) are heroes just like our military.”

Honoring and fundraising for the U.S. military is also important to Tinius, the granddaughter of two World War II veterans.

After the war, Tinius’ maternal grandfather, Navy veteran Dr. Lawrence Emberton, was a doctor in medically underserved Metcalfe County for 58 years.

“My dad's father (Army vet George Tinius) was a triple amputee,” she said. “Due to a land mine explosion, he lost both of his hands and full mobility in his left leg.

“My papaw was denied life insurance five times,” she added. “He would remind us every year on his birthday that he outlived every life insurance agent who denied him coverage, and he ended up living to be 93.”

When Chapel   was 6, her papaw gave her his Purple Heart medal for safekeeping.

“That was something that always stuck with me because I've always wondered why he asked me to keep it safe? What was a 6-year-old going to do?” she said. “I could look at him and see the physical sacrifice that he had given to keep our country safe.

“When I started competing in the Miss America opportunity … I realized that it was a legacy of service that I was called to protect. So, while I didn't serve (in the military) myself, I’ve dedicated so much of my time to serving those who did, because a veteran is so much more than someone who went and served our country. They are someone who writes a blank check to the United States of America for an amount up to and including their life….I feel like our job as American citizens is to make sure that we provide them with gratitude, awareness, and all the resources that they need.”

Chapel  ’s community service initiative is “Operation Gratitude: For the Fallen, For the Fighting, For the Veterans.”

Chapel has run more than 25 half marathons and three full marathons to raise funds for the Honor Flight Network. She also started her own 10K (kilometer) fundraiser called "Run to Fly" where she runs 10 10Ks in 10 days in 10 Kentucky counties to benefit Honor Flight Kentucky.

Chapel also served as a National Relay team member with Carry The Load, a non-profit organization. The team walked more than 20,000 miles across the nation while raising $2 million.

Chapel's favorite project has been creating a violin/harp CD titled, “Gratitude,” which she gifts to veterans as a music therapy tool. Chapel began playing the harp at age 8.

"I watched how music helped heal my papaw,” she added.

Chapel will complete her role as Kentucky Proud spokesperson in June when a new Miss Kentucky is crowned. However, she intends to continue advocating for Kentucky agriculture and Kentucky veterans.