While Abbotsford contestants didn’t take home crowns at the weekend’s Miss, Miss Teen and Mrs. BC Pageant, local resident Becca Toews won the Heart and Soul award.
Heart and Soul is the first event of the pageant, where each contestant shares a bit about herself. It is judged by the contestants themselves, who vote on the most inspiring or touching message. Toews was competing for the title of Mrs. BC.
The pageant was held July 3 to 5 at the Chief Sepass Theatre in Fort Langley and can be seen on Shaw Television later this fall.
This year’s roster of contestants from Abbotsford included Toews, Aleshia Mund, Annalise Gardner, Carrisa Neville, Jasmine Brar and Sonia Khumna.
This pageant is different from others in that all previous rules that may have discriminated against women in pageants have been lifted. There is not a maximum age limit to participate nor are there height and weight requirements. Also, among the contestants are women who are single parents.
The charity for the Miss BC Pageant is the Cops for Cancer Tour of the Canadian Cancer Society. Since 2007, the Miss BC Pageant has raised more than $225,000 for the cause.
Shakti Shunmugam from Vancouver was named Miss BC, while Shalini Gambhir from Vancouver was Mrs. BC and Shalom Reimer from Fort Langley was Miss Teen BC.