By Tammy Scardino

tscardino@journalnet.com

    POCATELLO — According to Camille Gilbert, life doesn’t end after marriage.

    The office manager and mother of two children represented the Gate City at the Mrs. Idaho America competition on Oct. 13 in Nampa, Idaho. Her husband is Tyler Gilbert.

    Camille Gilbert earned the title of Mrs. Pocatello in June of 2012.

    In a question-and-answer session the Pocatello native had this to say?

    Q. How did you first hear about this competition?

    A. “Well, I have never participated in a pageant before, but when I got married three years ago ... I decided that I was going to accomplish something each year that made me step outside of my comfort zone. This year, a friend of mine made the suggestion (with regards to the Mrs. America pageant), and I ended up loving it.”

    Q. What was the competition like?

    A. “It felt like I had walked into a whole different world. Several of the competitors had done this sort of thing before. But, even though I felt out of my element, I still placed in the top ten. What an accomplishment that was. I don’t think many people can relate to something like this. They hear pageant and think of world peace type of statements. I was shocked to find out it ended up being more of a sisterhood than it was a competition. Everyone was so friendly and willing to help out. It wasn’t like what you see in the movies.”

    Q. What cause did you support?

    A. “It was my goal to support local youth, namely young girls. We didn’t have to choose a cause to support, per say, but I used my time as Mrs. Pocatello to try and help build girls’ characters. I helped them learn how to complete tasks such as budgeting and cooking. I also taught them the importance of having fun and doing things like going bowling. Overall, I wanted to boost their self-esteem. At the competition, I tried to make my costume and dress as modest as possible. I wanted to lead by example to get the word out that you can be beautiful without baring skin. I wanted to show them that was possible.”

    Q. Tell me about the costume you wore at the competition. What was the challenge?

    A. “Each state contestant was asked to dress up in a costume that somehow represented the state of Idaho. I chose to wear a costume with a butterfly theme since the state insect is the Monarch butterfly. My mom and I designed the costume ourselves. I would say it took 15 -20 hours to complete. At the competition, I waited until I was on the stage and standing in front of the judges before I unveiled the wings. It was definitely planned to be a ‘wow factor’ moment.”

    Q. What part of the competition do you think you nailed?

    A. “I think I did best during the personal interview portion of the contest. My wardrobe did not impress at least one of the judges that told me I had one of the worst wardrobes she’d seen at the competition. Nonetheless, my personality apparently came through when I was interviewed, because I received compliments on my eloquent personality and how well I represented myself overall.”

    Q. What did you gain from this experience?

    A. “I think it really changed my opinion on what takes place at pageants. I had thought there might be a lot of crying and ‘cat fights.’ But that wasn’t the case at all. It ended up being a support group for women who want to accomplish amazing things. I also realized that the sash almost acts like a mega phone. When you put on a banner like that, you get to choose how to influence others by way of example. Plus, I was able to support a cause near and dear to heart.”

    Q. Would you consider vying for the title of Mrs. Pocatello again since it is a viable option?

    A. “I actually am considering doing this again, because it was so rewarding. I very well may place my name into the running for Mrs. Pocatello again next year. I would also encourage any married women who want to step out of their comfort zone to sign up. It’s an opportunity for growth. It was quite the learning experience for me anyway.”

    To apply for the 2014 Mrs. Idaho America Pageant visit http://www.mrsidahoamerica.com/.

    Delegates must be married, at least 18 years of age, a U.S. citizen and a resident of Idaho. Past contestants range in age from 19-60.