Maisie’s on show

By Bridget Scott
SITTING at home just isn’t an option for Pakenham resident Maisie Howard, who will this year lead the show girls component of the Pakenham Show.
She is used to a busy lifestyle as a life member of three associations in her previous home town of Yarrawonga.
After moving to their new home in Heritage Springs with her husband, Maisie was just as keen to be involved in the community in Pakenham as she was in Yarrawonga.
“My next-door neighbour asked me to come along to a Rotary women’s meeting.”
At this Inner Wheel Club of Pakenham meeting, Maisie came across Sue Blenkhorn.
After speaking to Ms Blenkhorn of her involvement in Yarrawonga and how she effectively ran the show, Maisie was invited to attend a Pakenham Show committee meeting.
It was at this meeting Ms Blenkhorn nominated her to run the show girls competition at the Pakenham Show.
“I agreed to this but told them I would only do this if it was on my terms,” Maisie said.
“I could’ve had the roof off if I wanted to, the committee were right behind everything I did and do.”
Maisie is now in her second year of running the show girls component and spoke of a few minor changes she intends to make to the feature this year.
“I really want a photographer, we didn’t have one last year and I think it would be nice.”
Maisie also mentioned she wouldn’t bother with flyers this year to advertise, and agreed word of mouth was the most effective way to promote the show.
“I often see ladies in the supermarket with children, and I ask them how old their kids are and I tell them they should come down and enter.”
She said they generally got a really good response from the community, and last year saw about 50 applicants to be a part of the show girls feature.
There is no doubt Maisie brings a wealth of knowledge to the Pakenham Show, with years of experience in the Yarrawonga-Mulwala Show.
“When I lived in Yarrawonga the show organisers often told me they didn’t know how they would do it without me,” she said.
A perfect candidate to run the show girls competition, Maisie not only brings experience as well as a talent for working with children. She has nine grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren of her own.
In addition to the life membership of the Yarrawonga-Mulwala Show, Maisie says she is also a life member with the Girl Guides and Red Cross, having done over 20 years of work for both these organisations.
“I feel like I’ve had a good life,” she said.