Miss BC

“Glow in the dark” is what I live by. My name is Gloren Guelos and I was crowned Miss BC 2016. Winning the crown was an unexpected blessing that I will forever cherish. The Miss BC Pageant was my first pageant experience and looking back at the crowning moment, I remember saying “God, If you want me to win tonight, I will use it for good.”

I had so many goals I always wanted to achieve but I never knew how. Some of my goals were to feed the poor, encourage less fortunate children to pursue education, make time for passion and to break the stigma that revolves around mental illness. I would say that the crown has helped me slowly achieve these goals despite some personal challenges I had to overcome. As Miss BC, I promised myself to stay grounded, to aspire, and inspire everyone I come across. Throughout the past year, I was able to attend events such as the Torch Light Parade, Vancouver Pride Parade and soon, the 150th Canada Day Parade. I also had the privilege to meet Mayor Baldwin of White Rock, and Mayor Hepner of Surrey. I got to meet some lovely people from the pageant and the most influential person I had the pleasure of being mentored by was Tara Teng. I also got invited to be on TV shows such as Pinoy Buzz, Philippine News Canada and Community Connect from Shaw TV where they let me speak about my charity event.

On March 10, 2017, I had the privilege to visit Cayos Elementary School to give away school supplies, grocery bags, meals and treats which was located in a rural area of Iloilo City, Philippines. I was able to use my title to get donations from local businesses, friends and families and many participated in my fundraising event called Dodge For A Cause held on February 18.

I treasure the several photoshoot opportunities I had which some were acknowledged and got published in a few magazines. I think that Miss BC opened up my eyes to look at the bigger picture in this world. It taught me that I can achieve anything as long as I am determined. All the memories, lessons and my overall journey this year will not be enough to fill up a couple hundred word biography, but I am grateful for this chance, and I am aiming to reach higher, help more and never stop glowing.