By Jessee Allen
Trail Times correspondent
Three years ago, the slight possibility of participating in a pageant began to form in Danielle Beattie’s mind.
On July 3, the 24-year-old Beaver Valley native’s possibility became reality, and then some, when she was crowned Miss BC Interior 2016/17, in Fort Langley.
Passion, humility, and excitement radiated from her as she recounted the time leading up to the pageant, the weekend itself, and what’s ahead.
A piece of advice that’s kept her inspiration and determination strong is, “I don’t need a plan B, because there’s no way plan A will fail,” given to her by a friend, Corey Woods, who’s pursuing an acting career in Vancouver.
The supportive and encouraging environment at the pageant put her at ease right away, and showed Beattie that they were all there for the same reasons: to give back, help others, and change the world.
“It was clear to us right from the start that the pageant was about who we are as people,” Beattie explained.
“The staff was there to help us be the best we could be.”
She decided after the first hour that she wasn’t there to win a title; she was at the Miss BC pageant to have fun, and learn from the other incredible women there. Including wearing the BV Lions costume on stage – a full lion’s outfit – she recalled having the most fun ever, and just being real.
A leadership forum the pageant ladies attended, proved to be a memorable experience for Beattie. Five women in business, from a TV host, to a mom-preneur, and one who works with the Prime Minister, offered wisdom and knowledge to the ladies vying for the Miss BC title.
Beattie was struck as the women talked about finding “your crowd” – the people who elevate you, and who get more excited about your successes than you do.
She realized what an amazing support group she has, from friends and family, to her local community. Her deep gratitude was clearly evident, for all who supported and donated to her campaign, and to the BV Lions for their sponsorship.
Beattie dubbed 2016 as her “year of courage.” Her first step in realizing that was applying to the Miss BC program, which then led her to raise $7000 - $2000 above her goal – for Cops for Cancer, the official charity of Miss BC.
Now, as Miss BC Interior, Beattie will be traveling around the province to various charity events, promoting the Miss BC program, and fundraising for causes. She also hopes to organize charitable events in the Trail area, as she’s proven to be a passionate volunteer.
Issues that are close to her heart, and which she will continue to fight for, include stigma around mental health, violence against women, and educating others that pageants, including our local Miss Trail, are far from superficial.
She also wants young people to realize that it doesn’t matter where you’re from; your location doesn’t determine who you are or what you do, but rather, how hard you work.
As she moves forward, Beattie reflected on the last six months, and everything leading up to the pageant. She walks away with even more confidence, determination, and passion.
“I’ve figured out who I am, and now that I know, I don’t want to sugar coat it. I want to real, authentic, and open.”