There were plenty of smiles to be had at Sunday’s World’s Shortest St. Paddy’s Day parade in Adamsville, but few as wide as Caroline Wilkie Wordell’s.

Occupying spot 39A in the parade order of march, Wordell walked the parade’s 89 feet with a Rhode Island Red rooster (stuffed) in her right hand. Across her shoulder hung a sash made for the occasion — “Miss Rhode Island Red.” She drew cheers from start to finish.

The award was a long time coming. Wordell, who is organizing Little Compton’s 350th anniversary celebration, was talking with parade organizer Chuck Kinnane recently when the subject of one of her most traumatic childhood moments came up. She recounts:

“We were just rambling about whatever,” she said. “So I told him that in 1954 they had the 100th anniversary of the Rhode Island Red (which was developed) in Little Compton,” she said. “I was 11 and I had red hair. I saw in the paper that the governor was bringing Miss Rhode Island Red to an event here. I was so excited.”

But when she finally saw the governor and Miss, “it was a little girl with dark hair and a little red curl at the front. It was very traumatic for me because as you can see, I was 11 and now I’m 80, and I’m still talking about it.”

Recognizing an opportunity, Kinnane called Wordell a few weeks later and offered her an invitation to march as Miss Rhode Island Red. Though she told him the red was long gone from her hair, he said that wasn't a problem.

“It was a huge amount of fun,” Wordell said. “The Kinnanes really know how to throw a parade.”