City council has thrown its support behind what they hope is a resurgence of the Miss Penticton royalty program.
On May 21, when municipal politicians were asked to support in-year grants for several groups across the community, Coun. Amelia Boultbee presented a motion to increase funding for the Penticton Peach Festival Society Royalty and Ambassador Program.
Her motion called for $2,500 in cash to be distributed to the program and $1,658.25 in kind, which is what it costs the organization to rent the Cleland Theatre for events.
91ƵThis is not a beauty pageant, it91Ƶs a leadership and ambassadorship program,91Ƶ said Boultbee. 91ƵIt91Ƶs been around in Penticton for 76 years and these are really emerging leaders in our community, these young women.91Ƶ
Annika Neill, Miss Penticton, and Elena Collins, Penticton Princess, served as the 2023-2024 ambassadors for the society.
The duo was most recently in Wenatchee, Washington, where they represented Penticton at the Apple Blossom Festival.
91ƵThey are at every single Vees game, every Farmers91Ƶ Market, all these public events then go to over 20 communities throughout the summer representing Penticton and being great ambassadors for us.91Ƶ
The Miss Penticton program is currently gearing up to name its next ambassadors, which is typically during Peachfest in August.
Four candidates recently gave their final speeches and presentations, ahead of the 2024-2025 Miss Penticton season.
91ƵWe can91Ƶt underfund this program and then be surprised when it doesn91Ƶt have participants,91Ƶ Boultbee added. 91ƵWhen Coun. Graham and I were growing up [in Penticton], there would be 20 or 30 women every year participating in this.91Ƶ
The first-term councillor motion to provide the additional funding was unanimously approved.
91ƵI would personally like to show support to this endenvour as well,91Ƶ said Penticton Mayor Julius Bloomfield. 91ƵI hope to see some sort of revival and I think the direction of leadership rather than beauty pageant is very welcomed.91Ƶ