Mrs. Sebec becomes Mrs. Maine America

By Stuart Hedstrom 
Staff Writer

    Sebec resident Liza Pembroke Smith had the opportunity to represent the area when she took part in the 2014 Mrs. Maine American Pageant on April 12-13 in Portland. Smith made the most of her opportunity as she ended up winning the crown as Mrs. Maine America, qualifying for the national pageant in Arizona in August.

Photo courtesy of Liza Smith

    MRS. MAINE AMERICA 2014 — Sebec resident Liza Smith was crowned Mrs. Maine America for 2014 during the state pageant earlier in the month in Portland. Smith will represent not only her community but her home state when she takes part in the national pageant in Tucson, Ariz. in late August. Smith will also be making appearances across the state as Mrs. Maine America in the ensuing year.

    “The pageant recruiter/coordinator contacted me through a mutual friend last spring,” Smith said about how she first became involved in the Mrs. Maine America Pageant which for three and a half decades has celebrated married women and their accomplishments. Smith said she had no previous pageant experience when she decided to take part, which came after some discussions with past contestants and meeting with pageant organizers.
    Smith and her husband of 12 years Ryan have two sons, 9-year-old Jackson and 6-year-old Landon, and she said, “As a parent you are always encouraging your children to take advantage of opportunities that come their way, even if they are not sure.” Smith said she heeded the advice and became involved in the Mrs. Maine America Pageant process. “Ultimately I said ‘why not?’ and I thought there was more to gain than lose.”

Photo courtesy of Liza Smith

    PROUD FAMILY — The newly crowned Mrs. Maine America Liza Smith is pictured on the stage in Portland with her husband Ryan and sons Jackson, left, and Landon.

    “I signed up in June and I had the majority of the year to take part in the various events,” she said. “Really it’s been a great year leading up to the pageant,” Smith said. She said working on a Habitat for Humanity project had been on her bucket list, and she and other pageant contestants helped on a home in Freeport.
    Last December Smith combined a Mrs. Maine America Pageant fundraiser with a benefit for charity at the Holiday for Hope Gala at Pat’s Pizza in Dover-Foxcroft. The gala raised money to purchase Christmas gifts for Maine foster children.
    “The actual pageant weekend took place over two days,” Smith said with the event being held at Seasons Event & Conference Center in Portland. “The first day was a photo shoot and the private interview portion.”

Photo courtesy of Liza Smith

    THERE SHE IS, MRS. MAINE AMERICA — Liza Smith, center of Sebec, finished in first place at the 2014 Mrs. Maine America pageant on April 13 in Portland. Pictured with Smith is, from left, fourth runner-up Meghan Gray, second runner-up Courtney Bain, first runner-up Lori Geroulo-White and third runner-up Beth Jones. In addition to taking top honors, Smith also received awards for the best performances in the fitness and interview competitions.

    The private interview makes up 50 percent of the pageant contestants’ overall score, with half of this based on the actual interview and communication skills and the other 25 percent based on a contestant’s beauty. “You had five minutes with each judge and all I could think of was speed dating,” Smith said, as she would be talking with a judge and then the timekeeper signaled to move on to the next official.
    “Following the interviews we had a technical rehearsal,” Smith said with she and the other 12 contestants going through aspects of the pageant. “Our husbands joined us that evening for a big formal dinner,” she said, mentioning the spouses were also involved in a portion of the pageant rehearsal.
    Smith said that unlike with some pageant stereotypes, the Mrs. Maine America Pageant contestants all got along very well. “Everybody was so supportive and encouraging and we have formed friendships,” she said. Smith said she had a dinner scheduled in Augusta with Mrs. Gardiner and Mrs. Lewiston, and the pageant reunions are being planned.
    “Sunday there was a group breakfast and then there was a dress rehearsal,” she said. “We met for the show at 2:30 and it started at 3.”

Photo courtesy of Liza Smith

    PASSING OF THE CROWN — The brand new Mrs. Maine America Liza Smith are crowned by 2013 Mrs. Maine America Lisa DiBiase.

    Smith said the opening number of the Mrs. Maine America Pageant featured a performance by herself and the others in cocktail dresses, followed by a “fun interview” with the contestants introducing themselves to the audience.
    Pageant entrants then had the fitness and evening gown competitions, which combined made up 50 percent of their scores. Smith said following these portions of the pageant, preliminary awards were presented. She ended up with the Fitness Award as well as the honor for having the top performance during the interview.
    From the field of 13 five finalists were selected. Smith said she and the other final four had a stage question which reflected on the previous day’s interviews and enabled the audience to get to know them better.
    The final results were announced, starting with the fourth-runner up and then announcing who placed fourth and third overall until only Smith and Mrs. Seacoast Lori Geroulo-White were left in the running for Mrs. Maine America.
    “That was a real cool moment, with us holding hands and having grins on our faces,” Smith said as she and Geroulo-White waited in anticipation. Smith said the announcement indicated who was the first runner-up, which ended up being Geroulo-White meaning that Smith had won the pageant.
    Smith said she was happy that Geroulo-White was able to have her moment in the spotlight as the first runner-up before the focus was put on her with the crowning and her first walk as the 2014 Mrs. Maine America.
    She said she was not too emotional upon first hearing her name called, but this changed when she saw Jackson and Landon. Smith said she had some photos taken onstage before her family was able to come on stage and congratulate her. “Finally they came up and gave me a big hug,” she said. “It was just really moving because they have been so involved with everything I have done this last year. It was special for sure.”
    As Mrs. Maine America, Smith will take part in the Mrs. America Pageant in Tucson, Ariz. in late August. She mentioned that the runners-ups from across the country all have another chance to compete in the national pageant, with the winner of a voting contest receiving this opportunity. Smith said she hopes Geroulo-White would be supported with votes in this contest.
    “I have quite a few family members who are going,” Smith said about the national pageant. “I had a big cheering section in Portland and I will have a big cheering section in Arizona as well.” Smith said she was not sure about the 2014 pageant, but in years past the Mrs. America Pageant has been televised and streamed online.
    For winning the Maine pageant Smith won a large prize package, including the trip to Tucson, evening gown and other pageant attire. One of the prizes is use of a state costume from Christine Blake Designs. Dr. Blake is the 2010 Mrs. Maine America who, in addition to being a family physician, has her own design studio and is one of a number of former pageant winners who have provided for some of the prizes in 2014.
    “That’s just kind of a fun piece of the pageant, a costume representative of your state,” Smith said. She said Dr. Blake is designing a lighthouse costume. “It’s really elegant and glamorous,” with feathers coming out to represent the beams of light.
    Before heading to Arizona, Smith will be making appearances across the state as Mrs. Maine America. She said her first official post-pageant obligation was on April 24 for a photo shoot. “I’m already booked in May to work at a Big Brothers Big Sisters auction in Portland,” Smith said, as in late May she will serve as a judge at the Living Doll Pageant Extravaganza in Portland.
    Closer to home, Smith said she plans to take part in the festivities for Milo’s Black Fly Festival on June 7. Smith also will be looking to be in Sebec’s annual Fourth of July parade. She also will continue to inspire and encourage other mothers and women to lead healthy and fit lives, as well as bring awareness to opportunities for people with disabilities to be active and celebrate the abilities they are blessed with.
    About two dozen businesses in the area and beyond sponsored Smith in her pursuit of the Mrs. Maine America crown, and she said she will be seeking out additional sponsorships for the national pageant. “I feel so blessed, I was just welcomed with open arms,” she said about many of her sponsors, adding that some originally sought her to get involved.
    “As I told the business sponsors, I hope I am able to make everyone as proud of me as I am of where we live,” Smith about all of the support she has had from the community. “I have really been blessed.”
    “All of the meaningful experiences you get to take part in and learn from really make it a significant experience for sure,” she said. “I’m sure glad I did this, I don’t have any regrets at all.”