Preparing to compete in the Mrs. United States pageant, Sarah Lynch hasn’t stopped being a mom and a volunteer.
SABATTUS – Sarah Lynch has come a long way from milking goats and combing cow-tails for the title of Miss Oxford County.
The 25-year-old will represent Maine in this year’s Mrs. United States pageant.
On July 19, Lynch will fly to Las Vegas to compete at the Orleans Hotel and Casino. The pageant will begin July 22 with the preliminary contest. From there, the top 10 will be chosen for the final competition on July 23. The pageant will not be broadcast live, but it will air in a couple of months, according to Mrs. United States pageant spokeswoman.
Lynch, a Norway native, lives in Sabattus with her husband Philip and their 4-year-old son, Zachary.
A graduate of Oxford Hills High School and Southern Maine Technical College, Lynch also attended the Barbizon Modeling School in South Portland. There she learned how to properly fix hair, apply makeup and walk the runway.
“I went from introverted to extroverted,” she said. “I’m completely different now.”
During her sophomore and junior years of high school, Lynch competed in the Miss Oxford County pageant at the annual Oxford County Fair. Both years she received 1st runner-up and Miss Congeniality. One year she even received an award for best apple pie.
But Lynch can put away her cow brush and her apple pie recipe. In the Mrs. United States pageant, she’ll compete against 51 other married women in five categories: personal interview, swimsuit, evening gown, Lady in Red and costume.
Her interest in the pageant stemmed from an advertisement she saw in the newspaper last summer. This year, she decided to check it out on the Internet. She found herself filling out the applications, sending in pictures and officially being declared Mrs. Maine in April.
Because Maine has no director for the national pageant, there was no local or state competition. Lynch was chosen from seven entries in the at-large application process.
She has been extremely busy the past few months juggling everything from raising her son and working full-time at the Norwich House in Lewiston to volunteering at the local library and preparing for the national pageant.
“I’ve been busier planning for this competition than I was when planning my wedding,” Lynch said.
But she’s loved every minute of it.
Preparation
To prepare for the pageant, Lynch practices fixing her hair with the tiara every morning. She’s even practiced sitting on a stool in front of the full-length mirror to see herself from a judge’s perspective.
Lynch chose a knee-length, sleeveless black business dress for the personal interview.
“I wanted something youthful and professional, because I am young,” she said.
In another category, she’s taking a lighter approach. In the costume contest, contestants are asked to represent their states. Lynch chose a lobster to represent Maine.
She designed and sewed her own costume by cutting out, stuffing and sewing a long red tail to a pair of red shorts. She’ll complete the costume with a red tank-top, felt claws and red pipe cleaners as antennae.
For the swimsuit competition, contestants must wear a one-piece suit that is “tastefully cut.” After trying on numerous designs and colors, Lynch opted for a simple black suit.
“This is really the only category I’m nervous about,” said Lynch. “I’ve been working out a half-hour every day since February.”
For the two other categories, Lynch will be a bit more covered up. She will wear a long, sparkling black dress for the evening gown competition and a red dress for the Lady in Red question-and-answer segment.
During the competition, Lynch will be continuously changing outfits, fixing her hair and touching up her makeup.
“I’m going to take it as going out there to have fun – yes, I want to win,” she said. “But I’m not going to stress about it.”
jkachinski@sunjournal.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
