Maxwell-Galanakis, Ganoe capture Iowa pageant titles

Since becoming friends several years ago, 17-year-old Britney Ganoe and former Mrs. Iowa Lindsy Maxwell-Galanakis have shared several dreams. Both Newton residents have an interest in cosmetology, done some modeling and enjoy spending time with children. And now they share something more: a 2008 Iowa pageant title. Lindsy has been chosen to represent Iowa in the 2008 Ms. United States of America pageant, and Britney was selected to represent Iowa in the 2008 Miss Teen United States of America competition. Although some consider pageants nothing more than beauty contests, Lindsy and Britney are thrilled for the opportunities representing Iowa in a pageant offers, such as making an appearance during the Special Olympics Iowa Gold Medal Gala on Oct. 11, spending time with terminally ill children at Blank Children’s Hospital in Des Moines next week and possibly visiting an orphanage in Guatemala a few months from now if they can raise funds for travel expenses. “I’ve always wanted to go over to an orphanage,” Lindsy said. Britney also expressed much enthusiasm for any opportunity to have an impact on the lives of children. “That’s the one thing I really want to do,” Britney said. “We went to an Iowa Cubs game, and it just made me so happy to see all these little girls coming up and giving us hugs.”

Britney and Lindsy, who live in the same neighborhood, met through a mutual friend who baby-sat for Lindsy’s two sons. “She just became like my little sister,” Lindsy said. As they began spending more time together, Lindsy — who also is a published swimwear model — encouraged Britney to pursue her interests in modeling and hairstyling. Britney attended Barbizon Modeling School of Des Moines last year and hopes to continue modeling studies through Peak Model Management of Des Moines. She also spent time with Lindsy at Shear Designs, a salon the 25-year-old formerly owned and operated. “She knows almost everything because I’ve taught her almost everything I do,” said Lindsy, who now works part-time at Crazed Salon in Newton. Britney plans to use her modeling and pageant experiences as stepping stones for a future in cosmetology, acting and/or singing, admitting she would love to attend Juilliard in New York City some day. “I don’t know about Juilliard, but I want to go to cosmetology school for like two or three years, and then I want to go to school for modeling, acting and singing,” Britney said. Lindsy won the Mrs. Iowa title during the 2006 Mrs. United State pageant and is one of few women, if not the only woman, in Iowa to earn two pageant titles. “After she won her pageant (in 2006), she’d been wanting me to do one for a long time,” Britney said. The two applied online in their respective categories through the Miss United States of America pageant system and learned of their victories this past spring. Britney credits Lindsy and her mentoring for much of her recent success and bright future. “Since I have met her, her self-esteem has really sky-rocketed,” Lindsy said. “I’m pretty happy about that.”

Lindsy and Britney will learn more about the details for the national competition in upcoming months. For now, they are content seeking out community service projects and planning public appearances. “I feel blessed to have the state title,” Lindsy said. Lindsy has been involved with the Big Brothers Big Sisters program for the past three years, and Britney is involved in the Newton YMCA’s Teen Leadership Program. Britney, the daughter of Dennis and Lori Ganoe of Newton, also is captain of her cheer squad at Newton Senior High School and works part-time at Maid Rite. “If I get the national title, I’d be the happiest person in the world,” Britney said. “But if I don’t, I can always go and try again.” As an Iowa pageant title holder, Lindsy noted she plans to work with the American Heart Association as her platform, partially due to her father’s sudden death of a massive heart attack at the age of 46. Lindsy and Britney also plan to make an appearance at the Special Olympics Winters Games and become involved in Race for the Cure, a series of 5K fitness runs/walks that raise money and awareness for the fight against breast cancer. “We’re really hoping to get that national title so we can do more,” Lindsy said.

Mandi Lamb can be contacted at 792-3121 ext. 424 or via e-mail at mlamb@newtondailynews.com. Also, anyone interested in donating funds to support Lindsy and Britney's trip to the orphanage in Guatemala may contact Lindsy at by e-mail at lindsy_brooks@hotmail.com.