Ladysmith’s 2017/2018 Ambassador Sidney Mrus has decided that she wishes to go further and is now representing her hometown in the BC Ambassador program.
The 24-year-old Ladysmith resident is one of a field of community representatives vying for the title of BC Ambassador.
The B.C. program is an opportunity for past royalty from local Ambassador programs, such as the Ladysmith Ambassador program, to participate in a broader provincial program. It gives the candidates an opportunity to represent their community on a larger scale.
Mrus represented the Ladysmith Fire/Rescue department in 2017/18 and was crowned Ladysmith Ambassador and Miss Congeniality.
The B.C. program is similar to the Ladysmith one, Mrus said.
“We are judged by a panel of four judges," she said. "We have an interview, a community speech, a personal speech, a community table, and a two-hour B.C. knowledge test.”
Part of the ongoing criteria for the candidates is they are required to assist at community events to promote the program along with fundraising.
“While we have been doing the visible things we have also been preparing our speeches, our community table and studying both local and provincial history,” Mrus said.
Locally Mrus has been involved for years as a volunteer for Ladysmith Family and Friends, Ladysmith Show ’n’ Shine, Ladysmith Thrift Store, Festival of Lights and other events throughout the community.
“I have also volunteered with for local businesses, and at the local elementary schools and I help out at our church, especially with the younger children,” she said.
Mrus said if she wins she's looking forward to travelling to other communities and spread the word about Ladysmith.
“I really want to learn as much as I can about as many places as possible, while a big part of my goal is to let the province know about Ladysmith and how great it is,” she said. "Going to other communities and telling them what we have in our town is really important and that includes the people who make Ladysmith wonderful.”
As part of the B.C. program there is an online people’s choice award.
“This is really important as it shows the support that each community’s representative has and how well they're known, and that can indicate the type of ambassador the could be,” Mrus said.
Friends, family and the whole town can vote daily online by going to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WCYH8LC
“They can also go to the BC Ambassador Facebook page and follow the link there,” Mrus said.
The winner of the people's choice award is given a bursary from the program.
The actual selection of the BC Ambassador will be happening over two evenings at the end of July. Friday, July 26 is speech night for all the candidates and then Saturday evening, July 27 is the gala night, which is where the various awards are handed out and then the crowning of the 2024/2025 new BC Ambassador team.
