FOUR-YEAR-OLD Laylah Ross is Teesdale\u2019s youngest local pageant queen and she\u2019s developing a love for charitable efforts.<\/p>\n
Set to compete for the title of Mini Miss Diamond International in Brisbane in mid-April, Laylah\u2019s mother and supporter Brydie Ross said with the pageant is centred around charity work, they were excited to jump on board.<\/p>\n
\u201cCharity work is a big part of the pageant and also some public appearance stuff, so we try to get to charity events and fundraisers that are local,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe chose Barwon Health as our charity because the hospital have looked after both Laylah and my son, they\u2019ve always been great and we wanted a way to give back and say thank you.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn the day of the pageant, she will compete in a charity wear section, that\u2019s where we will create an outfit for her to wear that represents the children\u2019s ward.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the core component of the pageant is charity work, Ms Ross said they\u2019ve found a variety of ways to raise funds and get involved in their community.<\/p>\n
\u201cLaylah\u2019s kinder in Bannockburn as well are hosting a fancy-dress day for her with a gold coin donation and then all donations go directly to the hospital\u2019s children\u2019s ward,\u201d she said,<\/p>\n
\u201cMy son\u2019s school are also doing a gold coin donation fundraiser.\u201d<\/p>\n
Having competed in pageants since she was two, Ms Ross said although this isn\u2019t Laylah\u2019s first competition she will be one of the youngest to ever compete for Mini Miss Diamond.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the first time they\u2019ve accepted four year olds into the pageant because the youngest age group is actually six to nine years,\u201d she said. \u201cShe\u2019ll be competing up quite a bit but we have no doubt she\u2019ll have just as much fun.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s no one else from the region competing, I think only a couple of other girls from Melbourne, everyone else is from around the globe.\u201d<\/p>\n
After receiving a scholarship to help get her through the pageant, Ms Ross said they feel really lucky to have been included in the competition at all.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of the girls have been doing it for a year now, because it was due to happen last year, but because of COVID obviously they had to postpone it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBeing gifted the scholarship only a couple of weeks ago, we are playing catch up and have to work a bit harder to do all of the charity work we want to.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s okay because we like a challenge and all of the other girls who have been doing it for quite a while are really supportive and excited to have Laylah join them.\u201d<\/p>\n
As for Laylah, while she\u2019s a seasoned campaigner, it\u2019s the little things she\u2019s looking forward to about the trip to Brisbane.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, I am excited for the pageant, and I\u2019m most excited to get on a plane,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FOUR-YEAR-OLD Laylah Ross is Teesdale\u2019s youngest local pageant queen and she\u2019s developing a love for charitable efforts. Set to compete for the title of Mini Miss Diamond International in Brisbane in mid-April, Laylah\u2019s mother and supporter Brydie Ross said with the pageant is centred around charity work, they were excited to jump on board. \u201cCharity […]<\/p>\n