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Miss Canada cheers on Generals during recent visit to Bentley Arena

By June Norvila

Some people didn't believe it. Miss Canada? At the Bentley Arena?!

Well, it was true! Shannon Smadella, also known as Miss Canada Galaxy was in attendance at the Bentley Generals hockey game at the Bentley Arena on Saturday, February 21.

Smadella dropped the puck at centre ice to signal the start of the game and was presented with a dozen pink roses by the Generals hockey team.

When asked at the end of the first period while the score was tied 2-2- what her prediction for the outcome of the game would be, after some careful thought she said, "Bentley 8, Fort Saskatchewan 3."

Maybe she should become a fortuneteller because as it turned out, the score at the end of the game was Bentley 8, Fort Saskatchewan 3.

When asked if she was a hockey fan her reply was "A BIG fan!" And who is her favorite team? "The Calgary Flames, - and tonight the Bentley Generals,” she said.

If you could play, what position would you play? "Goalie. It is one of the most important. Who would shoot a puck at Miss Canada? We would win," she added jokingly.

Why did you decide to come to Bentley? "We were up to Sylvan Lake and were in the area so came up for the game. It is Hockey Day in Canada today!"

The fellow that brought her, Rich Clark, had been to the Bentley Arena before and had attended a couple of Generals games.

What is Smadella's favorite part of her career so far? "Speaking to little girls in schools. Telling them they are beautiful on the inside, and to be okay with who they are,” she said. “You can be whatever you want to be and making them realize they can follow their dream, even if they come from a small town."

The 27 year-old Smadella, was born in Cranberry Portage, a very small town of 200 in northern Manitoba. She moved to Saskatoon after high school to attend the University of Saskatchewan and studied microbiology and commerce and managed her own business.

She has been an actress for 10 years and more recently turned to modeling.

At just over five feet, five inches tall (166 cm), she admits she is one of the shortest models in Canada so has to work extra hard. She attributes part of her dedication, focus, discipline and work ethic to being a wrestler in high school and university.

After being selected Miss Saskatchewan Galaxy, she went on to win the Miss Canada Galaxy Pageant in Ottawa last August. She is looking forward to attending this year's Miss World Galaxy Pageant in Tampa Bay, Florida in July.

In August she will relinquish her crown to the new Miss Canada Galaxy Pageant representative in Ottawa.

Her passion though is acting. She has been in about 31 short movies, has studied at the New York Film Academy in Los Angeles, and now is working on her own reality TV show called Miss Perception that is going to show the behind the scenes hard work and bustling schedule of being a beauty pageant competitor.

Along with many charities, she supports The Princess Shop in Saskatoon. It is a charitable non-profit organization that collects formal gowns for loan to girls from families that cannot afford them so every young woman can have her dream graduation.

Bentley Mayor Joan Dickau greeted Miss Canada and acted as hostess for her throughout her evening visit to Bentley. Many people of all ages posed for pictures with her - including babies, young girls, teenagers of both genders, and even elder men.

It was a novelty and an honor to have a Miss Canada visit Bentley and mingle in the small town arena.

She even had a chance to get to eat a hot dog from the concession later, when admirers gave her a break.

Smadella currently resides in Calgary.