Life pitched Michelle Saine curveballs from the first inning.
Her grandparents adopted her at birth. They cared for her until she was six when their health failed and she was placed in care of her biological father. He suffered from bipolar disorder, and she and her brothers moved multiple times.
Without the continuity of a stable home, Saine struggled with forming long-term relationships and a strong sense of family and security.
Saine promised herself if she were to ever marry, shesa国际传媒檇 provide a loving, secure home.
sa国际传媒淢y dad sa国际传媒� was a really good person, but he struggledsa国际传媒a国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淗e did the best he could, for sure, but it made me who I am and it made me strong and it made me want to have a different life.sa国际传媒�
Saine, now 54, has been married 29 years sa国际传媒� she met her husband 35 years ago on the day she arrived in Nanaimo sa国际传媒� and has three grown children and has had a 25-year career with the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction and is Nanaimosa国际传媒檚 Mrs. category contestant in this yearsa国际传媒檚 Miss B.C. pageant.
In her work, Saine faces societal issues. Social housing and working with young people are are important to her and she plans to complete her degree in social work. Shesa国际传媒檚 also trained in suicide prevention and credits much of her success to the positive influences from people who appeared at critical times in her life, including her grandparents and her stepmother Liz Reddick.
sa国际传媒淢y dad was with a woman who was a saint,sa国际传媒� Saine said. sa国际传媒淪he took us on sa国际传媒� myself and my two brothers sa国际传媒� and she was an amazing role model for us and I miss her a lot sa国际传媒� she made a total difference sa国际传媒� at pivotal moments, at the beginning when yousa国际传媒檙e a teenager. There were really positive people in my life that guided where I was going.sa国际传媒�
Those influences will also guide Sainesa国际传媒檚 future.
sa国际传媒淲hat Isa国际传媒檓 hoping to do when I grow up is work with families sa国际传媒� work with children, integrating families that are struggling, working with children and parents and keeping families together,sa国际传媒� she said.
The pageant happens in Fort Langley on Monday, July 2, but in the days leading up to it, contestants participate in workshops on public speaking, interviewing, etiquette and manners, self-defence, personal expression, self-esteem awareness, modelling choreography, on-stage presence, lifestyle and leadership. With a lifelong interest in education and personal development, the pageant is up Sainesa国际传媒檚 alley.
sa国际传媒淲hen I was 17 I lived in Calgary and I was at a mall and they were asking for contestants for Miss Teen Calgary,sa国际传媒� Saine said.
A friend of hersa国际传媒檚 had competed in a local pageant and loved the experience. Saine, being shy, wondered if she could do it too.
sa国际传媒淚 was in the second or third from the table to sign up and I jammed, I just couldnsa国际传媒檛 do it. I thought, no way, so here I am, years later and I thought, you know, this might be a really good thing to do. Face your fears,sa国际传媒� she said.
This time around she has support from her family and her friend and sponsor Sybil Worthington, owner of Xcessoreyes Cosmetic.
sa国际传媒淭o me I look at shesa国际传媒檚 representing everybody,sa国际传媒� Worthington said. sa国际传媒淪hesa国际传媒檚 a wonderful representation of a female sa国际传媒� shesa国际传媒檚 just a beautiful person inside and out.sa国际传媒�
Saine admitted shesa国际传媒檚 as terrified facing the prospect of walking across a stage in high heels and speaking publicly as she was when she was 17, but pushing through the fear is part of her message.
sa国际传媒淒onsa国际传媒檛 be afraid of who you are. Donsa国际传媒檛 be afraid of who you think you are. Donsa国际传媒檛 be afraid of what people think of you. Itsa国际传媒檚 how you feel about yourself and having the courage to stand up and do something that scares you, that yousa国际传媒檙e afraid to do and do it anyway,sa国际传媒� Saine said.
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