Donald Teuma-Castelletti
SHAWVILLE Jan. 13, 2018
The Canada 150 celebrations continued into the new year in Shawville, with a baby-judging contest taking place at the Seniors’ Centre on Main Street.
While there were supposed to be five babies in the running, only three seemed to make the slow crawl out of their cribs that chilly Saturday morning. Nonetheless, the competition was fierce as babies smiled and stared wide-eyed at the judges, in an attempt to win them over.

There were five categories to compete in: brightest eyes; best smile; youngest baby; chubbiest cheeks; and most hair. The overall winner was determined on which baby appeared as the happiest.
“I thought it was very important to have a 150th Canada Baby contest,” said Sylvia Poisson Hodgins, one of the event organizers from the Canada 150 council. “This won’t happen again for many, many years.”
The babies were brought to the judges wearing onesies and held by people who weren’t their parents, so that the judges weren’t swayed by any family connections. Each baby holder would plop the baby down in front of the judges, then have the tremendous task of attempting to get the little one to smile for the panel.
Baby number one turned out to be Ozzie Carmichael, and was presented by Jane Hayes. Carmichael went on to win best smile and take home the grand prize of happiest baby.
Baby number two, and winner of the chubbiest cheeks award, was Isla Harris, as presented by Elaine Lang. The third baby was Brooklyn York, the most senior of the bunch and winner of the brightest eyes award, as presented by Myrna Palmer.
The event was emceed by Jennifer Davies, who was the winner of Shawville’s centennial baby contest in 1973, and judged by three ladies from the community, Erin St-Aubin, Carole Valin and France Lamarche. The competition was open to babies from both Shawville and Clarendon.