| SHERRY: |
What are your fondest memories of the training you had? |
| ROXANNE: |
The training that I had in Queens was very memorable because there were
things that I learned that have benefitted me all of my life. So far anyway. We learned a
lot in speech and that's helped me a lot, either for job interviews or just for relating
with other people. I was always shy before, and it was hard to mingle either when out in
public or just at parties or whatever. |
| SHERRY: |
Yes. |
| ROXANNE: |
We learned a lot about dealing with other people, how to communicate with
different types of people... like some people are shy and some people are aggressive or
that type of thing. We learned how to just intertwine with a group of other people...At
first it seemed that there were a lot of groups. When you first start... you don't know
everybody and it's hard to talk to other people if you don't know them that well. By the
end we were all really close and it was a lot of fun. |
| SHERRY: |
Ok. What are the fondest memories of the ceremonies you were in? |
| ROXANNE: |
The ceremonies - like the Enderby Pageant? |
| SHERRY: |
Yes |
| ROXANNE: |
I enjoyed the fashion show because it was neat.... I had only been in a
couple before and it was fun because you knew a lot of people in the audience. And I
remember walking out to the end and seeing Mrs. Reay. And I knew she was a judge and she
was smiling and she got me laughing up on stage and that was kind of neat. Its kinda neat
to see your parents in the audience. When you walk down - its almost like you're getting
married, walking down the aisle, and you see them sitting in the audience. It's kinda
cool. I also enjoyed when they announce the Queen and Princess, and the talent award and
the speech award... it's neat because you want everybody to win something - you know? |
| SHERRY: |
You want to win yourself kinda... Did you want to win? |
| ROXANNE: |
I...I just did it to improve myself - like at first I wasn't even sure ...
I think I decided the very last day. I knew it was a lot of hard work and I didn't know if
I had that amount of time because I was in grade 12 and there were a lot of things I
wanted to do. But I figured it was my last year and if I wanted to do it I should just go
for it. But ... it was funny, there was a little acceptance speech we were all supposed to
have to read in case we did win. What we were supposed to say. Now I never did end up
reading it. I just - and everyone said well you better read it, and I said no. |
| SHERRY: |
Ya! |
| ROXANNE: |
I just didn't think at all. Because I was kind of a nobody and no one
really knew me. And pageants you always think it's the people that... |
| SHERRY: |
The "in" people! |
| ROXANNE: |
Yes. |
| SHERRY: |
What are your fondest memories of being Queen, being crowned and
everything? |
| ROXANNE: |
I remember... when they called my name. I sat there for a while and then
it kind of sank in and then I stood up. And I remember they couldn't get the crown off my
head because I had so many bobby pins stuck in it. So that was embarrassing because my
hair was a total mess. And I remember... during the fashion show where we had to change
our hair styles quite a bit during the show and I just had time to take it down and it
didn't look ... It looked like there were curls but no one had brushed it out and I have
this picture of it - it looks funny - at home. But the crowning - that was kinda neat.
When you... when you're handed the robe and stuff ... it doesn't hit you. You're just
standing there up on the stage, after you walk and then sit down. But still it just
doesn't seem real... that night even at the dance its kind of a shock... like a lot of the
out-of-town royalty will come up to you and they will say " Hello my name is so and
so and I'm from Vernon, Kelowna or wherever. And you probably won't remember me the rest
of the night but I just want to congratulate you." And it's hard because you see so
many people. But as you travel around to the different communities and stuff... you get to
know people and thats kinda neat; you make lots of good friends. |
| SHERRY: |
Yes. What was your most worrisome time? When were you worried the most? |
| ROXANNE: |
When... It was our first pageant we went to. It was in Summerland and we
had to stand up and talk in front of a group of people which we'd never done. And I got up
there and I forgot what to say. And I ... just my mind went blank and I was staring at all
these people and when Maureen... stepped in front and kind of took over for a bit and then
I calmed down. But I just thought, oh no! I also got worried, too, before a function...
before I went to a pageant or a tea, to make sure we had everything. There is a lot to
remember, your shoes and extra nylons. And then you have to look your best and then you
have to drag all this stuff behind you. And it gets kind of hectic, which you probably
noticed when you went to the... |
| SHERRY: |
Yes, I had a suitcase ... this big.. |
| ROXANNE: |
That's like when I went to the P.N.E. We were up every morning at 6:00 and
maybe in bed by 11:00 and it was non-stop all day and you had to look your best and you're
just totally dead. It's hard. It's a lot of fun though. We got to go to a Rick Springfield
concert. That was kinda neat. |
| KERRI: |
Would you say that your most worrisome time though was talking in front of
people... throughout the whole thing... or did you get... |
| ROXANNE: |
Actually, I got better at that when we did our speeches during the year...
I still found myself getting nervous when I did say my speech and my impromptu but that's
because you're getting judged. But in Summerland that was more just the one time
because... |
| SHERRY: |
Because you were in front of a new crowd. |
| ROXANNE: |
Yes, because you're in front of a new bunch of people so you're not used
to the faces and you're not used to what's expected of you, what you're supposed to say.
But I just think getting ready for each function... you want to look your best and it's a
lot of pressure on you... it's fun doing it but once you're all ready and everything. Our
mom's were good. Maureen and I... they always came wherever we went... chaperoned us. And
it's good to have someone you know well, that you can relate to, so you can say "Hey,
go grab me this" or "Go do this." They will ...if you need it done they
will do it. |
| SHERRY: |
Throughout your training did... were you worried about the big day, like
the final day? Did you ever worry about that? |
| ROXANNE: |
I was looking forward to the fashion show and pageant because it was ...
it is kinda the big thing. The final thing. The final time that you are all together. That
I'd say. I wasn't really worried about it at all because I was looking forward to it.
There was a lot of preparation. The week before you have to try on all the clothes ...you
have practices everyday and dress rehearsal is usually the night before, so that was a lot
of work but it still seemed like... it was a lot of fun. But if you put your whole effort
into it, then it was worth it. When I first started running there were a lot of candidates
that I really didn't know that well. It was neat because you got to go to different
functions. You'd either group together and drive together or you'd ... at different teas
you'd have to work together so it wasn't like you were only with your one... food buddy or
whatever. Like Michelle Burke (Brandt) - she was my best friend when we were running, she
didn't run that year so it was like I didn't have a real close buddy to run with. But I
knew a lot of people and by the end you're all really close. There is always some type of
conflict with personalities. But usually if there is any it will work itself out. |
| SHERRY: |
Who was the Princess when you were... |
| ROXANNE: |
Maureen Halvorson. |
| SHERRY: |
Did you guys ever fight? |
| ROXANNE: |
Not really... I'm not the type of person that will get mad at someone. I'd
rather just take it and leave it at that. But she was never like that. We always had a lot
of fun, she's easy going. But I have heard of some years where people just... their
personalities do conflict. And it's hard. I think it just depends on the personality. If
one person is easy going then it should work out. But we had a lot of fun and we grew
close. It was hard to say our last speech. It sounds... like some people might think it's
corny but when you're with someone that's like a sister and you're always together...
almost every weekend. And then she moved away to Edmonton so that was different. But we
had a lot of fun. |
| SHERRY: |
What was your most embarrassing moment? |
| ROXANNE: |
Well, discussing escorts. I won't mention what town it was from but I met
this escort and he had a bit much to drink or whatever. And he just wouldn't leave and he
kept coming out after me, grabbing me and trying to get my phone number and stuff and I
said "no forget it" because he was kind of a real geek. Some of them are really
nice and some of them, you don't know where they pick them up. |
| SHERRY: |
Yes, like here it's like... |
| ROXANNE: |
...Whoever will. |
| SHERRY: |
Yes. "Any grade twelves that want to escort put your name in the
office." |
| ROXANNE: |
I don't really know why it's so hard, but guys get really embarrassed when
they have to.. any out of town things we would go to, they bring the girls in and the guys
would be on the other side of the room. They would automatically feel uncomfortable. And
there is another embarrassing, well this is probably my most - I should say our most -
embarrassing time. Maureen and I went to Cranbrook. And I had a real bad head cold and my
ears were so plugged that my balance was off sometimes and I couldn't hear at all. And
Maureen just got her Wisdom teeth pulled out so her mouth was pretty swollen. And we were
riding up in the car... I have pictures of her, her face was puffed right up. We had to go
to the dinner than night and our escorts that night must have thought we were just total
losers. Because I'm totally deaf, I kept saying "hu hu what did you say?" and
she had to take... |
| SHERRY: |
And she looks like a chipmunk. |
| ROXANNE: |
...these drugs so she wouldn't get an infection and just for the pain. And
they knocked her right out and she was crying at the table. Just cause the drugs had an
effect on her. So we left. But our escorts must have thought they will never do it again. |
| SHERRY: |
They probably said the next day "we had a couple of crazy women last
night." What was it like to go a different town and not know what kind of guy you
were going to have for an escort? |
| ROXANNE: |
... That was worrisome because you always want to end up with the nice guy
or the pretty good looking one... you don't want to end up with some guy you're not going
to want be with the rest of the night. But some towns didn't have escorts. Some towns you
just.. You have your dinner or whatever and then they had ... a tea or something the next
day. But I remember going into a room and looking at all of them and thinking I will
probably get that one. And then in Vernon they send you.. Before you go they send you a
card that the guy has written telling you a bit about themselves and I got these real high
expectations of this guy. He sounded real outdoorsy. And then when I met him I was sure he
got someone to write the card because he was not at all what was written down. |
| SHERRY: |
Oh he was just trying to impress you. |
| ROXANNE: |
"Oh I skydive" - all these different things he had written down. |
| SHERRY: |
Oh what a liar. |
| KERRI: |
What was it like... Okay say... in grade 11 you... never had restrictions
on what you would do every weekend and then all of a sudden you were in Queens and you
couldn't drink... |
| ROXANNE: |
I was going to mention that.. It was hard because it was our grad year and
there was a lot of conflict about our grad parties and that type of thing, just any
parties let's say out of your own home. When I was younger I was never into that many
parties... I'd like to go or whatever, but it didn't seem there was much of that. Just
like before I was running or whatever. It's hard, basically we would say the... the
Queen's Committee would say if you're going to do it don't publicize it. I mean if you're
going to go down town and go to the bar and come out hammered... people are going to know
about it and in a small town people are going to talk. Like it's something you have to do
if you're going to commit yourself to do the program which is hard enough, and especially
in Grade 12... when you want to go to parties and stuff. |
| SHERRY: |
You can go to parties and stuff, it's just that you can't drink, right? |
| ROXANNE: |
That's what they say, "don't drink", but I'm not saying it's
proper to have... a glass if you want to have a drink. But don't go around saying
"oh, I got this, do you want a drink", because it will get around. People say it
just to put you down, because you're trying to create a person to look up to. Like smoking
and drugs ...people look down on it already and if they see someone that's in the
public... |
| SHERRY: |
They don't want someone representing the community that does things like
that. |
| ROXANNE: |
No, but if you're going to do it around your own home or do it and not
publicize it, there shouldn't be anything wrong with it. That's how I feel about it
anyway. |