Taylor Atherley is looking forward to an exciting year representing the city as Miss New Westminster.
Atherley was crowned Miss New Westminster 2015 at Saturday night’s pageant at Anvil Centre, a night after the speech and talent presentations took place at Bernie Legge Theatre. Along with being named Miss New Westminster, Atherley’s photography exhibit was deemed to be one of the top three talents as selected by judges.
Miss New Westminster and the Hyack Ambassadors will be accompanying the Hyack float in parades and festivals in the Lower Mainland, B.C. and the Pacific Northwest in the coming year.
The theme of this year’s float is “Laugh Out Loud in New West.”
Joining Atherley will be Hyack Princess Jolene Bernardino and Miss Friendship Jasmine Miriguay, as well as the other ambassadors: Bernie Legge Award recipient Sarah Stewart, Top Talent Award and People’s Choice Award winner Sophie Candolfi, Sydney Fitzsimonds, Skye Wright-Hinton and Simran Rattan. Bernardino also took home the Top Speaker Award.
Atherley took to Facebook to thank all of the other ambassadors, sponsors, 2014 ambassadors and 2015 contestants for their support of the program.
“Thanks to the Hyack Festival Association for keeping with the tradition of our New Westminster heritage and running the ambassador program,” she wrote. “It has made a big change in the life of youth just like me!”
The pageant attracted folks from near and far, including youth ambassadors from Summerland, White Rock, Osoyoos, Nanaimo, North Thompson, Oliver and Vernon, who brought greetings from their communities and congratulations to the eight candidates who were installed as the 2015 Hyack ambassador leadership team.
The event also included a 65 Red Roses display in honour of Eva Markvoort, Miss New Westminster 2002, to support Cystic Fibrosis Canada.
