Kentucky Derby socials feature work of Clintonian Tammy Carver-Wells

By Lauren von Foregger

Miss Volunteer America Berkley Bryant at the Kentucky Derby, wearing a hat made by Clintonian Tammy Carver-Wells

Tammy Carver-Wells of Clinton, who has lived in Olde Vineyard neighborhood of Clinton for six years, recently designed two hats that were worn at the Kentucky Derby.

“I have been involved with the pageant for world for more than twenty-five years,” she said. “I was a local director with the Miss Mississippi pageant for twenty years and retired from that system. I would make the shoes for the Miss Mississippi contestants to wear at the Miss America ‘Show Me Your Shoes’ parade.”

Carver-Wells, who has a degree in interior design from Mississippi State University, retired from being a local director with Miss Mississippi and became involved with Miss Mississippi Volunteer, as a part of the board in the inaugural year, 2021. Miss Volunteer America is the national pageant that the winners from all fifty states compete in during the year of their reign.
“I have always been a crafty person; everyone always asks Mama Tam to make whatever, and I love making people smile, so I will try anything,” she said.

Carver-Wells was recently given the opportunity to make hats for an event called “Race for the Crown” with a derby theme.

“I helped to make Lauryl Joiner’s hat, the current Miss Mississippi Volunteer. Berkley Bryant, Miss Volunteer America, heard that I was involved and asked if I would make her hat for the luncheon. We talked, we worked on the details, and our first hat was born.”

Allison Demarcus, the owner of the Miss Volunteer America pageant, which is held in Jackson, Tennessee, also the wife of Jay Demarcus of musical group Rascal Flatts, always asks the winners what their dreams are. Berkley Bryant’s Dream was to attend the Kentucky Derby.

“Berkley reach out to me and said ‘Miss Tam, do we have two more hats in us?’ And, of course, I said yes.”

She needed two hats, one for the Friday races and one for Saturday, the Kentucky Derby.

“I was honored and scared to death at the same time,” Carver-Wells said. “How could I possibly make something worthy of wearing to the derby? Well, I am a jack of all trades and a master of none, so I jumped off headfirst. My husband and I drove the two hats to Jackson, Tennessee, to deliver them.”

“Fast forward to Sunday afternoon, and I get a text that said, ‘Miss Tammy, this is your hat, isn’t it?’ I sat up and started screaming to my husband, ‘Oh my gosh, it is my hat!’ It had made the Kentucky Derby X account. I was blown away. Then, in about two hours, I had another person tell me the hat is on the Kentucky Derby Instagram account. It has just made me walk on cloud nine. I could not be more excited!”