| Subject: Clarenville beauty seeks Miss Universe Canada crown |
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 Tommy
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Date Posted: 18:56:38 05/20/10 Thu
Ashley Avery of Clarenville is a third-year business student at Memorial University. She aspires to be a lawyer with her own firm. "Law is something I was always interested in ... I want something that will challenge me," she said. Raphael Borja photo
RAPHAEL BORJA
The Packet
"Guess what - I was just asked to go to Miss Universe Canada!" she exclaims to her mother on the phone.
That was 20-year-old Ashley Avery's first reaction when a Miss Universe Canada director told her the news last September. Avery will be among 63 Canadian women competing for the Miss Universe Canada 2010 crown in Toronto this June. She is the pageant's first candidate from Clarenville. She is also this year's only Newfoundlander and Atlantic Canadian.
The candidates will arrive a week prior to the competition, where they will tour Toronto - a novelty for Avery, who has never been there before.
The competition, which will be held on June 12 and 14, consists of a preliminary round of judging in three categories: swimwear, evening wear and interview. The top 20 scorers will then advance to a semi-final round of more swim- and evening wear judging.
The band of beauties will eventually shrink to five finalists who'll face an impromptu interview question. The winner will be crowned Miss Universe Canada and compete for the country at the international Miss Universe 2010 pageant in Las Vegas on August 22.
For the past eight months, Avery's preparation regime ranges from exercising her body at the gym four times a week, to exercising her mind on news and current events; from practicing answers to potential interview questions, to practicing her four-inch heel strut.
Avery has competed in pageants before, finishing in the top 10 of Miss Teen Newfoundland and Labrador 2007 and the top eight in Miss Newfoundland and Labrador 2009.
She's a volunteer for community organizations like the Clarenville Lions Club Leos, Students Against Drunk Driving, G.B. Cross Memorial Hospital and Students In Free Enterprise Memorial.
Avery was born in Halifax but spent her childhood in five different towns across Newfoundland.
"It's interesting because you're always having to meet new people and trying to fit in... you learn to adapt and every community is different," she says.
"I think it will help when I go to the competition, because I'm the only girl from Atlantic Canada."
Beauty pageantry is often criticized for objectifying women and promoting sexism, but Avery doesn't see it that way.
"I think a lot of people are misinformed about beauty pageants. I don't even know if I'd call them 'beauty' pageants - some of the pageants here in the province have nothing to do with your physical appearance," she says.
"This one does, but I just explain [to critics] that if you're comfortable to walk across a stage in a bikini, you've probably worked really hard... if you're confident about it, then I don't think it's putting down women in any way."
She delves further into the topic of beauty.
"Beauty is more than how you look - it's how you carry yourself, how you treat other people. It's you as a whole, and not just physical."
Reaction from the community has been supportive, according to Avery. People from across the province have called and emailed their wishes of good luck. Her Facebook group now boasts over 3,000 members.
People also show support by voting for her online for the People's Choice Award. The delegate with the most votes will automatically advance to the semi-final round.
Avery, currently in the top 20 for the award, continues to seek votes up until the day of the competition. She says she's even garnering votes from people she's never met.
"Last night [at her sister's high school graduation] I met a lady and she said, 'Ah, you're the girl I've been voting for!'"
Financial sponsors are also behind her, donating and raising funds for her travel expenses and $2,500 entrance fee.
"The Clarenville Lions Club is my biggest sponsor, but I've got all different types," she explains. "Some have lent me things, like dresses for [promotional] photo shoots... Sara Rostotski did my headshots... the Hair Force have been taking care of my hair all year."
Avery, who has never travelled internationally, sees Miss Universe Canada as an opportunity.
"Miss Universe Canada gets to travel the country and the world; she gets to speak to a lot of different people across the country. Of course, she gets to compete in Miss Universe, which is a pretty big deal and a great experience to go there and meet women from all across the world."
Avery not only views this as an opportunity for herself, but for her town as well.
"It's a compliment for the community too. The people who are helping me get to the pageant have never done this before, so it's kind of another way to put Clarenville on the map.
"While I'm up there I'm going to be speaking about Clarenville, my experiences growing up here and how supportive people have been for me."
For more information about the pageant and Ashley, visit beautiesofcanada.com.
http://www.thepacket.ca/index.cfm?sid=340580&sc=421
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