博客帖子 - Miss Wagga Wagga Quest

MWW & CP 2023 - Blog Number 4 - February

6/3/2023

What another exciting month as titleholders!

It never ceases to amaze us how generous our city is. Both titleholders were fortunate enough to be able to take the time to thank those who have been there for the quest such as; the Wagga Wagga Veteran and Vintage Car Motor Club and welcoming the families of our selfless Defence Force men and women to our home.

The Wagga Wagga Veteran and Vintage Car Motor Club have been supporting the quest since approximately 1987 by driving the ladies up and down the main street of Wagga Wagga in their glorious, restored vehicles for the Crowning event. Not only are the vehicles a dream to sit in but the drivers are always so kind and calming, which for that we thank them.

We then had the pleasure to welcome the families from our brave Defence Force at the Oasis Aquatic Centre. These men and women vary from being in the force for 34 years to 9 weeks and they all have a story to tell which we were able to hear about. Wagga Wagga is proud to have two army bases in our city which the quest is so thankful for their tremendous support, from being escorted down the aisle at crowing or having the fabulous Australian Army Band Kapooka sing at numerous events.

In between all this, we had the privilege to sit down with the honorable Mayor Dallas Tout for a coffee and a chat. Within this conversation we had time to reflect and also discuss what our future may hold, Mayor Tout gave us some advice that made us feel reassured and driven. We were also invited by the Wagga City Rugby Group to come and hear them sing and just have a bit of a chat, and WOW! Not only did we hear them sing at the William Farrer Hotel but we also had the opportunity to hear them practice. The choir is so welcoming and gives you an instant smile from ear to ear as soon as they begin to sing.

To close off the month, Kate attended the February Citizenship Ceremony, what a special day for all. For many, to become a citizen was quite a journey and we are honored to be a part of such a special day for you all.

We look forward to seeing what March holds with new entrants and many more clubs and charity groups to speak with. If you have any recommendations or ideas for us titleholders to fulfill throughout our year please reach out.

Kate Pevere and Haylee Burkinshaw

MWW & CP 2023 - Blog Number 3 - January

6/3/2023

Welcome to 2023! The major event of January for us as titleholders was the Australia Day Mayoral Reception & Awards Ceremony held Wednesday 25th, and Community Activities & Citizenship ceremony held on Australia Day. An incredible opportunity to appreciate the contribution that every Australian makes.

Every nominee for the Australia Day awards should be proud, it was not only recognition of their recent achievements, but for many, a lifetime of contributions to others and this city. Our very own chairperson, Ali Tanner, was nominated for many hours volunteering for Sacred Heart Primary School, Mater Dei Catholic College, Wagga Wagga Music Eisteddfod, Department of Primary Industries on the Australian Olive Oil Sensory Panel, Wagga Wagga Sister City Committee, and the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest Committee. Anyone who has been lucky enough to have met Ali would know that she is a woman of strong values and a passion for ensuring everyone has equal opportunity to achieve success in their life.

The night saw us lucky enough to celebrate all the selfless contributions that so many in our community make, an address by Mr Bob Turner, our Australia Day ambassador for 2023, and a performance by the fabulous Australian Army Band Kapooka. Kate Pevere, Miss Wagga Wagga 2023, also had the opportunity to present an address about what being an Australian and living in Australia means to her. A passionate speech about the resilience of the communities within and their strength to come together and blossom through hardship. Together, we are all a part of something special here in Australia, a place of inclusion and diversity, opportunity and freedoms, as we continue to strive to make Australia a better home for all, one day at a time.

Australia Day kicked off from 7am at the Victory Memorial Gardens, as we enjoyed a large range of activities along with the community, from sandcastle sculptures to biscuit decorating, and a range of breakfast choices. From the original Australian sausage in a sandwich to Tibetan Momo’s (my personal favourite!), a beef dumpling with chilli and soy sauce, and Afghani Pakoura, a delicious potato and vegetable fritter. A beautiful Citizenship ceremony followed where 75 new Australian Citizens made their pledges and were awarded their certificates.

For Haylee Burkinshaw, Community Princess 2023, January has been a month of reflection and growth. At the beginning of the month she was fortunate to have been sponsored by TWO of our local rotary clubs; South Wagga Rotary and Kooringal Rotary to attend a week up in Murrumbateman for RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). This program was run by none other than treasurer for the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest, Clare Lawlor. RYLA gave me the chance to not only see leadership and management in a new light, but also made me reflect on what sort of leader I aspire to be. The RYLA program has made a place in my heart that I never expected and I am so grateful.

The week after Australia Day, I had a call from my cousin, Leigh Burkinshaw, asking me if I could take a drive out to Collingullie to have a look at what he and Carmel had organized - The Collingullie Fishing Comp.

When I arrived, I found that there were nearly 300 people participating, local transport companies supplying their trucks as stages with the incredible Open Range getting everyone up for a dance, Oh Bor Adventure and Bait Bomb supplying fishing shirts, hats and baits for everyone’s safety in the sun, and also, the Black Dog Ride. The Black Dog Ride spreads awareness for depression and suicide prevention. Unfortunately, depression and suicide has effected all of us but on this day they rode for one of our own from The Rock. To see them ride and everyone come together to support this family truly shows what our city is all about.

January has been a month of reflection, growth and appreciation. We look forward to continuing this through to February, and inspiring the new year of Miss Wagga Wagga Quest Entrants at our information evening on the 15th February at the RSL Club.

We hope to see you there.

MWW & CP 2023 - Blog Number 2 - December

4/1/2023

December has seen some very exciting moments for us as Titleholders. Everything from mango fundraisers to Christmas cheer, and we are both still feeling very lucky to be a part of it all.

A highlight of which was Haylee’s chance to hand out her first CPF Cheque as Community Princess. It was a very personal grant to hand out for many reasons, as a young woman herself working in a male-dominated industry, the donation was made to the Sarah Lloyd Scholarship Fund. This foundation encourages women in male-dominated industries to get the right mentoring, tools and licenses for a good start to a new career, and this particular donation was to assist a young woman from the Riverina in her training to be a mechanic.

The Community Princess Foundation is a portion of funds raised by all 2023 Entrants and applications are open to all small community groups in the Wagga Wagga LGA. If you know someone who can benefit from this grant please be sure to apply directly through the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest website or please contact us for any questions.

We started the month with 3 pallets of mangoes, hand picked and delivered straight to Wagga Wagga just in time to be shared with the family for Christmas. As over 60 community members rolled into the Thirsty Crow to pick up their trays, each with over 12 delicious mangoes, we got the chance to say thank you for supporting the Quest through our annual Mango fundraiser.

Throughout December, we welcomed every chance to join in the Christmas spirit - Haylee herself is particularly Christmas mad! A very humbling experience was the opportunity to assist The Salvation Army with their Christmas Appeal, which involved helping to fill Santa sacks with local parents so they were able to give gifts to their children this Christmas. The generosity of the Wagga Wagga community just never ceases to amaze us. The Christmas appeal ran for 3 days and in that time had over 8 tables of toys for children of all ages, re-stocked multiple times. Everything from board games, to beautiful handmade wooden airplanes, to books and sports equipment, there was something to make every child smile.

Kate braved the busy Marketplace just days before Christmas to help wrap gifts for donations, with the funds being raised for The Salvation Army. Both Titleholders were also lucky enough to receive invitations to the Mayor’s Christmas Party, a chance to meet so many wonderful community members, and reflect on the year that we have had, with others we had met previously in our time as Entrants. The genuine support of Mayor Dallas Tout and his beautiful wife Janine, to see all Entrants as individuals succeed, and for the positive impact of the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest on the community, does not go unnoticed and is truly appreciated.

As this year comes to a close and we welcome in 2023, Haylee and I particularly wanted to say thank you to our fellow Entrants, Ash, Marnie, Celine, Courtney and Ricki-Sue, and the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest Committee who made this year so memorable, as well as everyone who supported us through kind words, time or donations.

We cannot speak highly enough of the benefits that this experience has for not only the community but also the individual. Entrant applications are open, and we couldn’t recommend this journey enough. We are very excited to watch as the 2024 Entrants start their own journeys, and to see them grow throughout their Entrant year.

See you next month,
Kate & Haylee

MWW & CP 2023 - Blog Number 1 - November

4/1/2023

Hello Wagga Wagga,

Welcome to our very first blog as official Titleholders!

On Saturday 5th November, all 7 entrants stood side by side, all dressed as elegant as the next, waiting to find out the next Miss Wagga Wagga and Community Princess. 8 months of hard work had come to an end. Everyone was so proud of their efforts, to raise more funds than the initial goals will forever be an unforgettable feeling.

With bright lights and a room packed with proud family and friends, no matter the outcome, all Entrants will be able to walk away with their heads held high. The skills learnt throughout the year from dining etiquette to media interviews, the growth that all Entrants have achieved particularly in public speaking, and the friendships that have developed, have all contributed to and blossomed into a memorable year.

As Dr Joe McGirr approached the microphone to announce 2023 Community Princess, the trumpets from the incredible Australian Army Band Kapooka Fanfare played, and the envelope was finally opened; Haylee Burkinshaw was announced!

After a very delayed reaction, I stepped forward in pure shock. I looked up and all I could see was the proud look on my family's faces and then hearing my nieces yell “MY AUNTY IS A PRINCESS”. After I was crowned I remember the rush of emotion from the entire year, I was (still am) incredibly honoured and I am so excited to see what the new year holds. - Haylee Burkinshaw

What a once in a lifetime moment it is to have the honourable Michael McCormack announce your name and sash you as 2023 Miss Wagga Wagga, Mayor Dallas Tout place the robe over your shoulders, pass you the sceptre and be crowned by 2022 Miss Wagga Wagga Jessikah McCarthy. I am absolutely honoured to have the opportunity to stand up and represent my community. I look forward to experiencing this new part of our journey together alongside Haylee. - Kate Pevere

Our transition from Entrants to Titleholders was swift and exciting, responsibilities being shifted from raising funds for local charities and developing our personal & professional skills, to standing proud, representing and supporting our community. This year presents us the opportunity to empower young women in the Riverina to take every opportunity that life gives you, and lead from the front to show how rewarding it is to give life your all and not be afraid of failure. We want to encourage being active members of our incredible community, and do everything we can to support and thank those that so selflessly volunteer their time and are the backbone of the Wagga Wagga community.

We know this next 12 months will pass by even quicker than the year that has gone, so we are very excited to take every opportunity presented to us to support the community we both love so much.

We are already one month into our exciting new journey and this month some of our highlights have been:

Discussing everything Miss Wagga Wagga Quest and what we are looking forward to for our Titleholder year in radio interviews with 2AAA and TripleM
Speaking at the Wagga Wagga Women in Business Christmas Party about the positive impacts of this experience on the Entrants and community
Being honoured to lay the wreath at Remembrance Day on behalf of all involved in the Quest, past and present
Speaking to the young minds at Rotary’s RYPEN program about taking opportunities and not fearing failure but looking at it as learning and growth
Attending our first Citizenship Ceremony and humbly assisting in presenting certificates and gifts to our 32 newest Australian citizens
Handing out purple & yellow balloons at the Wagga Marketplace to young children to kick off RESPECT Week and starting the conversation on how we can show respect
Joining Kooringal Rotary for their weekly meeting to hear about all the wonderful ways they support the community and to talk about our experience in the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest

Talk soon,
Kate & Haylee

MWW & CP 2022 - Blog Number 8

4/1/2023

MWW & CP 2022 - Blog Number 7 - June

1/10/2022

Hey everyone! Welcome to our June blog!

This month kicked off with a bang, with us attending a Mayoral Reception at the Art Gallery in honour of the Riverina College of Advanced Education (now Charles Sturt University) 50th Anniversary Celebration. We listened to speeches from Mayor Dallas Tout and previous Charles Sturt University professors. We were also treated to wonderful conversations and a VERY long and elaborate cheese board!

A couple of days later, we put on our best outfits and attended Baroque Fusions performed by the Australian Brandenburg Orchestra at the Wagga Wagga Civic Theatre. We were treated to beautiful music and classical symphonies before attending a small reception in the foyer after the show. We were introduced to the musicians from the show, as well as Her Excellency, The Honourable Margaret Beazley AC QC, Governor of New South Wales. It was an honour to meet and talk to her, and outline more about ourselves, the Quest and our role as Titleholders.

Later in the month, we were invited as guest speakers at a Professional Development Meeting for Rotaract at the Wagga RSL Club. We presented a slideshow highlighting our time as Entrants, our favourite memories from the Quest, and the events we have been able to attend during our time as the 2022 Titleholders.

A few days later, Rachael presented her first Community Princess Foundation Grant to the Turvey Park Girl Guides at their fete. Rachael was so excited to meet the Girl Guides and Guide Leaders and even participated in the girls' many different games and activities to help raise funds for the CWA Flood Victims.

The month ended with Jessikah attending a Citizenship Ceremony in the Council Meeting Room. She assisted Mayor Dallas Tout, presenting our new Australian Citizens with their Citizenship Certificates and a small gift. It is always such an honour to be invited to attend these ceremonies and meet our newest community members.

See you next month!
Jessikah & Rachael

MWW & CP 2022 - Blog Number 6 - May

1/10/2022

Welcome everyone to our May blog!

May was a quieter month for us, but it started with a meeting with Mayor Dallas Tout for morning tea. Mayor Tout treated us to coffee, hot chocolate, and a great conversation. We talked about our Quest year, why we joined the Quest, our favourite parts of being Entrants and Titleholders, and our hopes and dreams for our beautiful city, Wagga Wagga. After coffee, Mayor Tout brought us to his office to show us the beautiful artworks he was showcasing.

Later in the month, Rachael had her turn to be a guest speaker at the Kooringal Rotary Club. She was treated to dinner and plenty of hospitality before presenting her speech. She talked about her family and education, her time during the Quest, her time as a Titleholder, and the impacts she hopes to make in the Wagga Wagga community.

Towards the end of the month, Rachael attended another Citizenship Ceremony in the Council Meeting Room. We both always enjoy attending and assisting at these ceremonies, and this one was no different! Rachael had a wonderful time helping Mayor Tout and meeting some of our newest citizens.

Whilst this month may have been quieter than others, we still had an incredible time being part of our community and meeting new and exciting people in Wagga Wagga.

See you next time!
Jessikah and Rachael

MWW & CP 2022 - Blog Number 5 - April

10/8/2022

Welcome to our April blog!

We had another busy month, which started with an opportunity to give back to local community groups and organisations. We first assisted the Wagga Wagga Veteran and Vintage Motor Club pack up their trophies, photos, and memorabilia in preparation for their move to a new location. Working together with committee members, soon-to-be 2023 Entrants and many more volunteers, we made quick work of packing up and were treated to some delicious sweet treats, tea and coffee. We were even asked to present a short speech about what the Wagga Wagga Veteran and Vintage Motor Club means to us and the Quest.

Our next event was an exciting and incredibly memorable morning. The official launch of Wagga Wagga Monopoly! After speeches from Monopoly representatives and Mayor Dallas Tout, we assisted Mr Monopoly in announcing all of the local businesses and locations featured on the board. It was a great morning with many local community members in attendance.

On the 19th of April, we had an early start to attend the Mateship Miles Roadshow at the Victory Memorial Gardens. Karl Stefanovic from the Today Show was broadcasting live on location. We spoke with Gus Worland (Triple M Radio host and founder of Gotcha4life and Mateship Miles) and Steve from Man Anchor, who told us about their goals for raising awareness about Men’s Mental health in regional Australia. The morning ended with a delicious breakfast sausage sizzle. In the afternoon, we attended a Citizenship Ceremony with Mayor Dallas Tout, Michael McCormack, and Dr Joe McGirr.

Jessikah was the guest speaker at a Kooringal Rotary Club meeting the following day. She had a fantastic time and spoke about her experiences within the Quest and what we have been up to since becoming titleholders. The members of the Rotary Club were welcoming and provided outstanding hospitality.

On ANZAC day, we were given the incredible privilege to participate in the wreath-laying ceremony after the parade. We sat in the sunshine, watching different people, organisations, and schools take turns laying a wreath to honour those who had died.

As the Launch Night for the 2023 Quest drew closer, we were invited to an interview with Poppy and Leigh at Triple M to talk about the events we had recently attended and the upcoming 2023 Miss Wagga Wagga Quest Launch Night.

The last week of April was just as busy as the rest of the month. We were invited to the Entrants’ dining etiquette session at HIDE Steak and Bar. The food was delicious, and Jamie's knowledge and skills shared with the Entrants reminded us of how far our confidence and skills have come since joining the Quest.

The next day we were invited to attend the Women in Business Catwalk to Carnival. This event showcased different local boutiques presenting their race day outfits and fascinators. Rachael even had the opportunity to model for Texas Jane (she also had to restrain herself from purchasing every outfit that came down the catwalk!) We had a fantastic night talking with women from the regional area and boutique owners whilst dining on the delicious canapes.

Two days later, we were honoured to MC the 2023 Miss Wagga Wagga Quest Launch Night. We were excited to see the Entrants and listen to their speeches on “What Wagga Wagga means to me”. Our fellow 2022 Quest Entrants, Molly, Emi & Georgie, were there as well, and it was fantastic to not only support the Entrants but also show the bond we have formed and continue to hold dearly.

See you next month!
Jessikah and Rachael

MWW & CP 2022 - Blog Number 4 - February & March

19/5/2022

Hello and welcome to our blog!
February was relatively quiet for us as Miss Wagga Wagga and Community PrincessQuest, as we settled into 2022 and returned to work. We attended a Welcome to Wagga Wagga event held by the Defence Member and Family Support Branch at the OASIS. It was a great evening with a BBQ and market stalls, and entertainment by the Kapooka Army Band. We finished February with an information session for potential Entrants for the MWWQ 2023. It was great to see young women from our local community interested in the Quest.

In March, we were busy with a variety of events in the community. The first was another Citizenship Ceremony. These ceremonies are heartwarming and we feel honoured to attend and assist with the presentation of certificates and commemorative gifts to our new citizens. The photo opportunities at the end of each ceremony are always a highlight.

International Women’s Day was held across the globe on 8 March 2022. We attended a lovely dinner hosted by Wagga Wagga Women In Business. We heard from three incredible local guest speakers; Vickie Burkinshaw, Jane Robertson and Diana Gibbs. Each guest speaker was inspiring and shared their knowledge, experiences and perspective of the International Women’s Day phrase #Breakthebias. We also had the opportunity to network with many inspiring and influential local women. This dinner was held at Wagga’s newest restaurant - HIDE Steak and Bar. The food was delicious!

Mardi Gras in Wagga Wagga occurred on the 12th, and it was an absolute blast! Jessikah unfortunately could not attend, so it was up to me (Rachael) to sit on the throne for our Miss Wagga Wagga Quest float. I was joined by Miss Wagga Wagga 2020, Hannah Smith who sat next to me on the float and waved to all the awesome people in the main street. We were also accompanied by previous entrants, possible future entrants, and committee members. The parade ended at the Victory Memorial Gardens where there were plenty of stalls, music, and colourful people! It was an incredible honour to be able to help represent the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest whilst promoting equality and love!

Our last event in March was to welcome and present a professional and personal development session for the Miss Wagga Wagga Quest 2023 Entrants. It feels like only yesterday that we were attending these sessions for our Entrant year. We loved the opportunity to share our experiences with the 2023 MWWQ Entrants and did what we could to ease their nerves.

We look forward to what next month brings, there’s some fantastic events on our calendar.

See you in April!
Jessikah & Rachael

MWW & CP 2022 - Blog Number 3 - January

21/3/2022

Welcome to 2022! We hope that everyone had a happy and healthy New Year!

Our January started off pretty slow but really picked up speed in the last week.

Our first event of the year was a Summer Morning Tea at the Mercure Motel, hosted by the Defence Family and Members Support (DFMS). We were spoiled with scones, sweets, and plenty of tea and coffee to go around! It was so rewarding getting to meet so many new people.

We were invited to attend a Mayoral Reception at the Civic Theatre on that same day. It was lovely getting to catch up with members of our local Council and members of the community after the busy period of Christmas and New Year. We were treated to canapés and drinks while talking to Mayor Dallas Tout and his wife, Janine.

Straight after the reception, we were guided into the theatre to part-take in the Australia Day Community Awards Ceremony. Jessikah was invited to give a speech on what being Australian means to her. It was beautiful to see so many members of Wagga Wagga being recognised for their actions in our community and all of the hard work they do to make a difference. Congratulations again to all award nominees and recipients!

Australia Day was a very busy day for us! We started the morning off by attending the Australia Day Community Breakfast & Activities at the Victory Memorial Gardens. We had a delicious barbeque breakfast before catching up with our good friends, Poppy and Leigh, at their Triple M tent.

We then attended the Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony. We assisted Mayor Dallas Tout with handing out the Australian Citizenship certificates and gifts before posing for photos with all of the new Australian Citizens. These ceremonies are always such a special event and so rewarding to be a part of.

After attending the ceremony, we headed over to the 2AAA studios to speak with Ian about our year as entrants and our year to come as titleholders. We also put the call out for entrants for the 2023 Quest… So if you’re interested in being an entrant, or know someone who is please get in touch!

Later in the week, Rachael had the opportunity to head back to 2AA to talk to Alan on his Saturday Night Party show. She spoke about the Quest and the fantastic experiences that entrants can enjoy.

It was a hectic week for us titleholders, and we are loving every minute of it! We are so excited for the rest of the year!

Lots of love,
Jessikah and Rachael