Last April, 27-year-old Teri Mann never thought she'd be part of a pageant. But when a scout for the Miss Canada Globe Productions team approached the MRI technician, she was up for the challenge.
"I thought, 'why not?'," said Mann. "It'll be a great opportunity."
After an interview process, Mann was in the running for Miss Saskatchewan Petite, pitted against 70 other competitors from across the province, many of whom had been involved in pageants for most of their lives.
So it came as somewhat of a surprise to Mann when she won.
"I went into it with the mentality that it was going to be a fun experience," she said.
A further surprise came when Mann, who grew up on a farm near the Battlefords, was crowned Miss Canada Petite at the national pageant, held in Toronto Aug. 29.
"It was a very rewarding experience," said Mann, who said she enjoyed meeting people from all over the country.
"There's a lot of great girls out there and I've made friends, friends that ultimately, I'll have for a lifetime," she said.
Mann emphasized pageants aren't what most people would expect. They're not all about make-up and hair and female hormones gone wild. Rather, she said it's about making the world a better place.
"You can use your title to benefit others," said Mann.
Mann's platform focuses largely on women' health. She is promoting the Look Good, Feel Better Campaign, CIBC's Run for the Cure and extending the Child Fitness Tax Credit to adults.
The Look Good, Feel Better Campaign is a Canada-wide initiative, started in 1992, that has helped over 90,000 women in their struggle with cancer by hosting workshops and meetings where women can share tips on how to look good during treatment.
"It's a supportive environment where women who are going through the same thing can get together and just have a fun experience," said Mann.
As an MRI technician specializing in breast cancer, Mann said efforts like the Look Good Feel Better Campaign and CIBC's Run for the Cure are near and dear to her heart.
Mann is also excited about teaming up with the Fitness Industry Council of Canada in an effort to extend the Child Fitness Tax Credit to adults. Currently, people can show their support for this initiative by sending an e-postcard to government officials in their area. For more information, go to www.adultfitnesstaxcredit.ca.
After a full year of reign, Mann hopes she will have made an impact on Canada and she will also have the chance to compete for the international title of Miss Petite in Texas in 2011.
Mann said one of the biggest lessons she learned throughout her experience was how generous and supportive the community can be, saying she appreciates the many sponsors who helped her along the way.
"I'd like to thank everyone who sponsored and supported me and helped make this dream a reality," said Mann.
