SAUK RAPIDS - Sauk Rapids kicked off their annual Rapids River Days tonight (Thursday) with the community ambassador pageant.

The Sauk Rapids community said farewell to the 2015-2016 ambassadors Nikki Bukowski, Tana Hendrickson, and Kelsey Christensen.

Ambassador candidates participate in a nine week program throughout the spring, which focuses on building confident young women through community involvement.

(Clo Myer -- 2016-2017 Sauk Rapids Ambassador) Chrissy Gaetke, WJON
(Clo Myer -- 2016-2017 Sauk Rapids Ambassador) Chrissy Gaetke, WJON
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With tears of joy in their eyes, three young women were crowned ambassadors, Clo Meyer, Sydney Burk and Allyson Walz.

All three women are excited to take on the royal status and hope to make a difference in the community. So far all three of them enjoy lending a helping hand saying a recent event for the Tanner's Team Foundation warmed their hearts.

"We went to the Ronald McDonald house and I got to meet a little boy who just passed away not too long ago [from cancer] and it was very impactful," says Walz.

(Allyson Walz -- 2016-2017 Sauk Rapids Ambassadors) Chrissy Gaetke, WJON
(Allyson Walz -- 2016-2017 Sauk Rapids Ambassadors) Chrissy Gaetke, WJON
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The newly crowned ambassadors already have a list of goals they hope to accomplish.

Meyer, who has struggled with having a speech impediment says she hopes to inspire others to overcome their insecurities.

"I'm excited to continue to be a role model and inspiration for younger children who feel like they don't fit in, in school," says Meyer.

(Sydney Berk -- 2016-2017 Sauk Rapids Ambassadors) Chrissy Gaetke, WJON
(Sydney Berk -- 2016-2017 Sauk Rapids Ambassadors) Chrissy Gaetke, WJON
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Walz has made her goals clear since the beginning of her ambassador candidacy, true beauty comes from within not from a tube of lip stick or eyeliner.

Walz says she's focusing on be natural and showing young girls that make-up is not needed to be beautiful.

"I don't wear make-up that often, I didn't wear it for my [ambassador] interview and I wore my glasses for the interview, it's something totally normal for me and I hope kids will look up to me and see 'oh she doesn't wear make-up I don't need to either'," says Walz.

Burk also has big plans for the year, she says she can't wait to learn more the community and its history.

"I just want to get out into the community and learn everyone's stories about how they ended up in Sauk Rapids," says Burk

You can come see this year's Sauk Rapids Ambassadors tomorrow (Friday) at the Rapids River Days parade at 6:00 p.m.

(Sydney Berk, Allyson Walz, Clo Myer -- 2016-2017 Sauk Rapids Ambassadors) Chrissy Gaetke, WJON
(Sydney Berk, Allyson Walz, Clo Myer -- 2016-2017 Sauk Rapids Ambassadors) Chrissy Gaetke, WJON
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