The article below was publish in the Peak in August of 1999:
Hindle captures hearts of Miss BC Judges
Melissa Hindle’s heart jumped when she was announced as the winner of the Miss BC pageant on Saturday, August 21.
“Everything I’ve been working for, all the effort I've put in really paid off,” said Melissa. “It was an incredible feeling."
Melissa was one of 19 young women from around the province who gathered in Penticton to prepare for the pageant last weekend. On Thursday, she went through a 20-minute interview with a panel of judges, at which she was asked a variety of questions about Canadian history, politics, current events and geography.
Melissa, age 19, said she learned a lot in the months she was preparing for the interview. She said she now follows the news because she has become interested in it, not just because she has to.
“She started buying different magazines, like Time and Maclean's,” said her mother, Anna. “It really was a growing experience.”
On Friday, Melissa gave an informal speech in front of other candidates, committee members and the judges at the luncheon. The topic of her speech was: What does Canada need to compete on the world stage?
In the evening, she displayed a traditional Italian costume at the fashion show to celebrate her Italian heritage, and performed ballet to a song by Celine Dion in the talent show; she was chosen as one of the eight finalists to perform her talent again on Saturday.
Anna said her daughter has been on cloud nine since she was crowned.
“I was absolutely ecstatic,” said Anna, of Melissa's success. “I had to ask myself, was it real? This experience has made her realize what is out there, and what it means to go after something and get it.”
“As Miss BC, Melissa will represent 60 cities throughout the province during the course of the year. She will travel to each of those cities, giving speeches on behalf of BC, helping out at charities and fundraisers and lending support to the candidates at local pageants.
“I feel very honoured to represent the youth of BC,” said Melissa. “I'm also very thankful for the support I've received from my community. I had to sell 20 posters to be able to go to attend the pageant, and if it wasn't for the Powell River community, I wouldn't have been able to go.”
Melissa said she is eagerly anticipating her year to come.
“Maria Graziano, who was last Miss Interior BC, told me wonderful things about her year," she added.
All the friends she made was one of the best things about her experience in the pageant, said Melissa.
Her roommate during their stay in Penticton, Andrea Zaytsoff of Castlegar, was first runner-up. Trina Brooks of Kelowna was second runner-up.
The pageant expanded this year to include the Lower Mainland on Vancouver Island. Consequently, the name of the pageant was changed from Miss Interior BC to Miss BC.
“I had no idea what lay ahead of me when I became Miss Powell River, Melissa said with a gleeful laugh.
She was crowned as Powell River Youth Ambassador (renamed from Miss Powell River in 1991) in July of 1998.
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