Miss a model for healthy living
Holly Dysserink has been crowned Miss Fraser Valley.
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Updated: July 14, 2009 2:54 PM
Holly Dysserinck entered the Miss B.C. 2009 pageant to meet new people and take advantage of the educational workshops. She didn’t plan on being crowned Miss Fraser Valley.
The 18-year-old Maple Ridge secondary grad had never competed in a pageant before.
In fact, she spent most of her time in high school on the soccer pitch. So when Dysserinck was declared the region’s winner, she was shocked.
“When they said my name I was completely immobilized,” she said. “It’s pretty crazy. I never thought of myself as a pageant girl. It was an amazing feeling, but it was not something that I had gone in for. It was not about winning.”
The Miss B.C. pageant, which raised more than $16,000 for Cops for Cancer this year, was held July 3-5 at the Chief Sepass Theatre in Fort Langley.
The 29 contestants participated in modelling, interview, manners and etiquette, self-defence, and choreography workshops before judging began.
Unlike many other pageants, Miss B.C. doesn’t feature a swimsuit competition.
Instead, there is a sportswear event where each contestant demonstrates an activity they enjoy doing that keeps them fit.
“Miss B.C. pageant is a role model for healthy living and for being physically fit, not on having a perfect body,” said pageant director Darren Storsley. “We stand for being healthy and to promote the equality of women in society. [The pageant] really increases your self esteem and shows the importance of being a leader in your community and charity representation.”
The Miss Fraser Valley win means Dysserinck could be competing in the Miss Canada 2009 pageant.
She is currently waiting to find out from pageant organizers if she will joining a group of B.C. representatives this fall in Toronto.
In the meantime, Dysserinck is preparing to head back to school in September.
She will be studying languages at the University of British Columbia.
As for pageants, Dysserinck isn’t sure whether she’ll continue competing but she isn’t ruling out the idea.
“I never realized the preparation that goes into pageants beforehand. It is immense. You don’t realize that backstage it is a madhouse,” she said. “But it’s just such a fun atmosphere. It just makes you want to be around it. It was the best experience of my life.”
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