Q&A: Mrs. Nevada International

Kirk Baird

Sunday, Aug. 13, 2000 | 9 a.m.

It's almost time for the Mrs. International Pageant, and Poppy Helgren, Mrs. Nevada International, is just starting to feel the butterflies.

A native of California and a Nevada resident of eight years, Helgren, 43, is not what you'd call a "professional" pageant participant. With eight children, ranging in age from 2 to 24, a husband, Peter, and a full-time job as a staff nurse, as well as being a prepared childbirth instructor and a clinical nursing instructor, it's not like she has the time to worry even if she wanted to.

Still when Helgren first learned about the pageant in October, she said she couldn't resist. So she filled out an application, sent it in and in April learned that she'd been selected to represent Nevada in the pageant, which is scheduled for Friday and Saturday in Sevierville, Tenn.

Helgren recently talked about what was on her mind as the competition neared:

Las Vegas Sun: What was the first pageant you entered?

Poppy Helgren: I was in a pageant when I was 17 in California, but it was nothing like this -- Miss Conejo Valley in Thousand Oaks, Calif. But I didn't win. I can remember going home and crying because I didn't win.

I never intended to do something like this (enter Mrs. International), I just read about it and thought, "Oh, why not? Why shouldn't I do it? I do a lot, I've got a lot of kids, I do volunteer work."

Sun: What was it that the pageant officials were looking for?

PH: (The contestants) must be married for at least one year and have to be between the ages of 23 and 56. It's a pageant that really promotes family unity and family-type stuff. It's not the bathing suit-type of stuff. They've got an aerobic-wear competition and evening-gown interview, but they're looking for someone who's really well-rounded and puts their family first.

Sun: Did the fact that you have eight children help?

PH: I'm sure it did. Because usually that really catches peoples' attention -- somebody who has eight kids, plus they've got a career, too. I'm sure that's interesting.

Sun: Were you on pins and needles while you waited to hear if you'd been selected?

PH: Not really, no. It just kind of faded off into the background. There's been a lot to do in the last few months. You're supposed to get sponsors and that was a real headache to me. I can talk to people, but that was a little nerve-racking.

Sun: What was your initial reaction when you learned you'd won the title of Mrs. Nevada International?

PH: I was really shocked. I worked the night before and (the pageant official) woke me up early in the morning. She called me from Virginia, that's where their headquarters (are) for Mrs. International, and I was really just shocked -- pleasantly shocked. She said, "We want to know if you'll accept, but you'll probably want to talk to your husband about it." Of course, he was at work, so I was excited for him to get home, but there was never really a question of me accepting it. It was just something that was a once-in-a-lifetime type of thing.

Sun: What did your family think?

PH: When I applied they probably didn't really think much about it, but when I won they were really excited. Especially my 8-year-old daughter; she was just tickled about that. That's really been exciting for her. You know, the crown, the princess kind of thing. Girls like that kind of stuff. Even my married daughter said, "... I ought to do that next year."

Sun: What about the judges' questions? How are you preparing for those?

PH: I've been thinking about a lot of different types of answers, what type of questions they'll ask you. I think they are going to ask you what type of volunteer work you do and they might ask the world-peace type of thing. I'm usually pretty good on my feet.

Sun: Every contestant has a platform. What's yours?

PH: I like Alzheimer's (disease). I'm definitely interested in promoting that because it's getting more and more common. That would probably be my favorite charity. (Also) family issues -- really being supportive to your children, being a haven for your kids to come home to, to be able to talk to your children. Both of those would be issues I would support.

Sun: What happens if you do win?

PH: There are some prizes -- it's like wardrobe-type stuff -- but no car, nothing that big.

It's actually an international pageant -- people from all 50 states, plus there's going to be several countries represented. I was looking through the program for last year and they had somebody from South Africa, Japan, the Philippines, several from eastern European countries.

There are a lot of appearances to make over the next year.

Sun: Can you do that with your family and career?

PH: You know what, I've been able to squeeze just about anything extra in, so I don't see why not. I'm a driven person and I like to do a lot of different things. Sure, I think so.

Sun: And if you don't win?

PH: It's OK, it's not going to break my heart like it did at 17 when I didn't win.

I'm doing it for fun; I think it's exciting just to represent the state of Nevada.