Theresa Haase, Creator/Producer – Silver Pageant
What do you do?
I am the community relations director for Mountain Terrace Senior Living in Wausau. Part of my job is getting to know our future and current residence in our assisted living community. Over the years I’ve met some amazing people and I was especially blown away by the lives of the ladies as they told me about their trips to America, their struggles, and overcoming obstacles. Even women with seemingly simple lives had amazing stories to tell. Sadly, when these women were gone from this world, so were their stories.
I tried to come up with some way to tell these tales and was unsuccessful until someone told me about a senior pageant for 55 plus women in NYC. That’s when a light bulb went off and I realized that I could use that same structure to acknowledge the amazing ladies in our own community but with very different guidelines and expectations. We don’t do a swimsuit competition! We don’t focus on their outward appearance at all, physical limitations are no limit for this pageant. Our minimum age is 75 and so far we’ve had 75-102 year-olds being nominated.
The goal of the Silver Pageant is to tell their stories in pageant form so they each get their time in the spotlight, days of pampering, and very special moments with family and friends as they prepare for their time on stage.
Last year was our very first year doing this pageant. We really didn’t know what to expect and if it would all really work. But it did! We were blown away by their stories and each amazing participant truly changed our lives as well as their own.
What education, classes or training were helpful to you?
With my bachelors of science in Art Education, it’s my experience as a mother of four that really shapes who I am and where I chose to be. Being a mom taught me compassion and really gave me the drive to create something that I want to impact my children and other generations to come. What we can learn from the ladies in the pageant can not be measured.
Why did you choose this sort of work?
My position at Mountain Terrace found me. I had worked with the little ones for many years and thought, ‘well sure, I’ll try something new and see what happens.’
I love my job so much! It’s quiet first of all! I get to meet the most amazing people and I work with a group that (even though it so cliche) really is a family.
What do you like best about your work?
I love to meet new people. I learn something from each and every person.
What advice would you give girls who want to get into your field?
It’s really simple!
Do good and be kind. Just care about other people and you can do anything!
What is an example of something you’ve had to overcome to get to where you are now?
I learned so much from our first year of the pageant. Obstacles beyond our control, illness, weather, and the human dynamic will always be factors when putting together live events. There will always be something trying to get in the way of success, but we plan. We back up our plans and sometimes it’s absolutely okay to not have something perfect. We are human and we just keep pressing on.
Anything else we should know?
The Silver Pageant has joined forces with the Central Wisconsin Children’s Theater, so this year the pageant is known as “CWCT presents, The Silver Pageant”. The pageant is this Saturday, February 22 at 2pm at Wausau East High School. We hope you will join us! Click here for more information about the event.
Thank you Theresa Haase!
To read more interviews with local wonder women, check out the Wunderfrauen Archive.