Lady of the Lake ambassadors: Alicia Fall, the 2012 Lady of the Lake; Sydney Allan, the 2012 First Princess; and Nikki Gibson, the 2012 Second Princess, recently returned from an ambassador pageant in Peachland, B.C.
The three say they had a great time.
“The drive was really pretty,” said Allen. “Peachland is a very pretty little town.”
Denise Allan, Lady of the Lake Society chair for 2012, says that one thing the girls have noticed as they have been visiting pageants, is the quality of the Lake Cowichan pageant when compared to others.
“Honestly, what a difference. Black and white,” added Denise. “So we have lots to be proud of.”
The girls made their regular pageant speeches, with Gibson opening and introducing the three of them, thanking the hosts, and talking about how busy they’ve been since their crowning in June.
“I just talk about Lake Cowichan and promote it and stuff,” said Allan.
“I invite them all to Lake Days,” said Fall.
“She’s really good, she encourages them to enter our parade and to our ball,” said Denise.
Approximately 15 B.C. communities were represented at the Peachland event and the ladies were able to meet the B.C. ambassadors.
Shortly after returning home to Cowichan Lake, the ladies were invited down to the Chamber of Commerce Visitor Centre and were presented with the chamber’s yearly donation of $2,500 to the Lady of the Lake Society.
This money goes toward travel expenses incurred by the three ambassadors as they promote the Cowichan Lake area.
“The chamber is our biggest monetary supporter,” said Denise. “The chamber, for quite a few years now, has donated the $2,500. The girls, every April, assist with the Chamber of Commerce Spring Fling. They don’t make them work very hard for the $2,500, but we do the best we can.”
The funds are gathered from local businesses, and Rita Dustow, the chamber’s president, says it is a positive way for these businesses to support the Lady of the Lake program.
“We try to use the money to travel as far and wide as we can to promote the Cowichan Lake area,” said Denise.
The girls say they do not have much planned between now and November, but they are looking forward to Christmas pageants and parades. They also say that on their wish list is a trip to Vernon in February.
If you would like to help this wish come true, and just contribute to the Lady of the Lake Society in general, you can do so by partaking in the regular meat draws happening at the Riverside Inn, or by taking in your returnables to the Duncan Bottle Depot and donating your refund to the Lady of the Lake Society account.