FARMINGTON – A sophomore at Mt. Blue High School will be competing in the Miss Maine Teen USA pageant on Nov. 26 & 27 in Portland after coming in as a state finalist. Talazen Smith has been working hard to raise funds for the pageant, with a Go Fund Me page as well as selling raffle tickets locally. The raffle will not only support Smith in her pageant efforts, but will also support the Franklin County Animal Shelter with any leftover money.
Tickets are $25 and will buy participants the chance to win a DogWatch Hidden Fence System, valued at over $1,000. The system comes with complete installation, a tutorial on how to run it and collars to keep two lucky dogs safely in their yard.
“The fundraising was something I chose to do,” Smith said. “I wanted to promote local businesses with any donations they made and I also really wanted to help support the shelter.”
Smith decided to run in the pageant this past summer.
“I already strive to be a good role model in our community,” she said. “ I knew the pageant would offer me the opportunity to further grow in that role.” Not only does Smith work hard within the community, but she also works hard at school.
“Weekends are mostly school work,” she said, “and family time.” Her family has played a major role in supporting her pageant efforts, both with offering up the DogWatch fence for the raffle prize, as well as emotional encouragement.
“There are many opportunities available to her through the Miss Maine Teen USA pageant that will help her reach some of the personal goals around education, community involvement, and personal enrichment that she has set for herself,” Smith’s family wrote on the Go Fund Me page, “This is something that she can do and something she will do very well.”
Tickets are available to buy either for personal use or as a gift to the animal shelter. Smith and the Franklin County Animal Shelter will have a booth set up on opening day of the Farmington Fair in the exhibition hall. You can also purchase tickets online at www.gofundme.com/talazensmith.
To learn more about the DogWatch Fence system visit: http://www.mainedogwatch.com. A winner will be drawn at the end of September with fence installation scheduled for early October.
