Aikum Takher was crowned as the first Osoyoos Ambassador at the end of June last year, just before Cherry Fiesta. Because the Ambassador program was new last year and Takher was the only candidate, she had a condensed program. (Richard McGuire file photo)
Organizers of the Osoyoos Ambassador program have decided to skip the program this year after they were left with only one girl who was interested.
Initially four girls expressed interest, but the committee decided they couldn’t justify running the program with only the one girl.
The program ran in 2017-18 with only one contestant, Aikum Takher, who had an abbreviated program. Her Ambassadorship ends in June.
Kara Burton, who chairs the program, said the committee wanted to run it this past year so they could figure out what they wanted to change.
Last year was the first year it has been run as an Ambassador program after many years of being the Osoyoos Royalty Program.
“It’s a lot of work to run for one candidate,” said Burton. “So we decided that we just couldn’t do that again. Plus we decided that we want there to be a level of competition because we think it helps them to grow if they’re actually trying to push themselves a little bit more.”
The committee ran last year with Burton and two other women, Natasha Schroeter and Marie Launier.
Burton said three more have joined up as committee members at large. These are Charlene Fernandes, Penny Duperron and Wendy Mellace.
Mellace is interested to coach Ambassador candidates in public speaking, Burton said.
“We’re all very different women,” said Burton. “We all have different interests, so it makes a good collaboration that we all have different strengths to draw on.”
One of the reasons the program became an Ambassador Program was that it now allows boys to participate.
Oliver has had an Ambassador program for a number of years, often with only four candidates, Burton said.
“This year they have nine,” she added. “They’ve done amazing.”
Burton said she’s been in touch with the Oliver program to try to learn from them how they’ve been so successful.
“We haven’t really really figured out what we need to do yet to really intrigue our students,” she said.
The program has changed considerably over the years and now the focus is more on self improvement and acquiring public speaking and presentation skills.
“It’s not a pageant like when I was involved [as Royalty] with modelling bathing suits,” she said. “It’s not like that anymore. It’s more about public speaking and presentation. They still get glamour, they still get gowns, they still get the sparkly crowns and all that.”
Burton said many programs throughout B.C. have had to take a year off due to lack of interest. Even the B.C. Ambassador program had to take a hiatus this year, she said.
The challenge of running a program with only one contestant is there aren’t as many people to draw on for fundraising.
“You’re putting in the same amount of effort for one as what you’re putting in for four or five,” she said.
The girl who was still interested will still be able to run next year and Burton said there are several other girls now in Grade 9 who may be interested.
Although this girl was “very mature” for her age, normally the program encourages girls and boys to run when they reach Grade 10.
Typically, Ambassadors and Royalty participate and help with local events, sometimes working with children or seniors.
They also travel to other communities around the province to represent Osoyoos at fairs, parades, pageants and other events.
For more information about the Osoyoos Ambassador Program, search for it on Facebook.
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
