Walton has called Brunswick home for the last six years and is also a licensed manicurist. She no longer works in a salon, but still takes time to work for her friends. Five years ago, a client decided to run for Mrs. Maine and tried to encourage Walton to do the same. Without giving it much thought, she continued on with her family life and career.
But competing in pageants was a childhood dream she never carried out. “My father didn’t think it was a good influence on us,” Walton explains. “He always thought we were good enough the way we were and didn’t need a pageant title to prove that.”
But a mother of her son’s friend was a pageant coach and, with the support of others, finally convinced her to run. “She encouraged me and educated me on what pageantry was all about,” Walton says. That included how to walk, enunciate, speak in front of large crowds and interview.
Every pageant is different; they all have individual goals, platforms, charities and standards. In fact, there are three Mrs. Maine titles — Mrs. Maine United States, Mrs. Maine America and Mrs. Maine International. All three title holders go to nationals and compete. When they’re home, Walton says, “We all work together and are very friendly with each other, do appearances and work on some of the same charities and with the same organizations.”
A large part of pageantry is having a “platform,” and some soul searching is necessary. Walton’s platform is helping women with depression. Having dealt with depression for most of her adult life, she thought this would be a great opportunity to get her story out and let people know what she’s been through. Walton strongly believes that if she can overcome the hold of depression, other women can too. “I see this as a great opportunity to get my story out and break the stigma of how society views depression,” she says. “I want people to get the help that they need.”
The pageant helped motivate Walton to make many changes. Battling high blood pressure, being on the cusp of diabetes and having a hormonal imbalance forced her to visit several doctors. One doctor helped her by detoxing her body using vitamins and another helped with a healthy diet. Both changes helped Walton feel better, leading to more restful nights, working out, higher self-esteem and a change in mood.
Now that she has the title of Mrs. Maine, she has many plans and efforts in the works. She hopes to speak at conventions and conduct group meetings about depression. Walton also has organized a community garden in Brunswick for the Pink Tulip Project and all proceeds will go directly to the Maine Cancer Foundation. She plans to continue this project into Topsham and Lisbon as well, long after the reign of Mrs. Maine is over.
Currently prepping herself for the Mrs. Maine United States pageant held in Las Vegas, Walton also would like to help other women run for pageants in the future. Walton speaks of the relationships built, friendships made and worthy causes. She describes pageants and the pageant process as educational, and she credits the experience to teaching her how to take care of herself, emotionally, psychically and mentally.
“In the future, my dream would be to work with women with depression,” she says. “After this year of networking to get the door open for myself, I would really like someday to have my own organization — an office, with licensed people ... where people can come in, look for different support groups, have a place to talk to someone 24 hours a day and we can help them through.”
— Amber Olesen