When some of Canada's most beautiful and brightest women take to a Toronto stage this June, a small-town girl from rural Saskatchewan will be among them.
Miss Universe Canada contestant Courtney Hewalo of Montmartre (pop. 500) believes that what will set her apart from the 57 other competitors in the June 23 to 25 pageant is her small-town upbringing.
"I feel that being from small-town Saskatchewan will give me an edge other delegates don't have at the pageant," said the 20-year-old University of Saskatchewan student. "I believe that it makes me a well-rounded person to have grown up in such a small community. My community involvement in Montmartre while I was growing up has given me the skills I need to be a competitor in this competition."
The U of S anatomy major will head to Toronto this month to compete in a competition that Hewalo says is not just about beauty, but is about being well-spoken, educated and experienced as well.
"Miss Universe Canada is a role model for young girls and women and she must be able to represent the organization to its charities and sponsors, as well as the media."
Hewalo qualified for the competition after submitting an application, going through a series of interviews and raising money to help cover her expenses during the nine-day pageant experience. The delegate who raises the most money for the pageant's official charity, the SOS Children's Villages, will earn the first-ever Miss Universe Canada Humanitarian Award and an automatic spot in the top 20.
The competition begins with a preliminary show on June 23 in which all 58 delegates participate in a swimsuit competition and an evening gown competition.
In between the preliminary show and the final show on Saturday, June 25, all of the delegates will also do an interview. Fifteen finalists will be chosen based on their scores in those three areas. To those 15 finalists, five more will be added, including Humanitarian Award, People's Choice (online voting), Audience Favorite (audience vote at the preliminary show), Best Runway Model (chosen by separate judges at preliminary show) and Best Body (chosen by separate judges at preliminary show),
The final show on Saturday will feature all the delegates in the opening and closing dance productions, but only the top 20 will compete in swimsuit, top 10 will compete in evening gown, and top five will compete in an on-stage interview. The winner of this show will train with Beauties of Canada until August when she will be sent to Sao Paulo, Brazil to compete in the Miss Universe Pageant on September 12.
To vote online for Hewalo, visit www.beautiesofcanada.com.
