By Sarah Schwager
PAKENHAM’S cutest bubs and toddlers turned out for a baby quest at Pakenham Place last week to help raise money for the Epilepsy Foundation.
Pakenham sevenmonthold Amarlee Donellan cleaned up on the girls’ awards on Friday, taking out the Pakenham Place Queen, first in her age group, Child of the Year, and Brightest Eyes.
Amarlee’s mother, Rebecca Williams, 22, said she was a natural.
“She loves it. She’s not camera shy. We’ve got lots of photos at home,” Rebecca said.
Rebecca’s mother, Joy Williams, said it had been tough competition.
“There are so many gorgeous babies around,” Joy said.
“She’s very placid. She loves singing and dancing and music.”
“I knew she’d win,” Rebecca’s sister, Kara said.
Volunteer on the day Georgina Dawes said the baby quest was a good way of raising money for sick children.
“They’re all beautiful.
“You just don’t realise how lucky you are having healthy children. There’s so much sickness out there,” Mrs Dawes said.
She said her granddaughter had a massive stroke when she was 10 months old which heft her with two blood clots.
“They thought she’d never walk or talk,” Mrs Dawes said.
Organiser of the baby quest Rosalea Roberts said they looked for a clean, healthy baby and it did not matter if the child had a disability or ears that stuck out.
She said they had 100 sashes and 100 trophies to give out well over $1000 worth in prizes, and since May this year they had managed to raise $30,000 for charity.
“I had a niece born with spina bifida,” she said.
“Anyone is lucky to have healthy children these days.”
Second prize in the Babyland open competition went to Drouin 9monthold HailieJade Perkins.
Her mother, Lydia Taylor, 20, said her fiancee’s mother had seen the competition in the paper. She decided to enter her knowing she would be a natural and because she was ‘gorgeous’.
“She loves cameras. She’s great. I take photos of her all the time,” she said.
Major Prize Winners
Queen: Amarlee Donellan, Pakenham
Second: Chloe Gallasch, Pakenham
Third: Ella Sarah Johnson, Pakenham
King: Matthew Watson, Nar Nar Goon
Second: Seth O’Hehir, Kooweerup
Third: Ethan Hardy, Pakenham
