Bracebridge High School student Ruth Baker will represent Muskoka at the Miss North Ontario Pageant. When she got the news January 22nd that she would be representing the district at the 9th annual Miss North Ontario Regional Canada Pageant in Sudbury the first weekend in May, she was thrilled. The pageant is an opportunity for young women to develop skills as community role models while raising money for charity. The 17 year old Grade 12 student is the head tart baker at Marty’s Eatery and aspires to attend college in September to study as a chef. She’s looking forward to May’s pageant where she’ll meet other participants from across the north and will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of workshops. Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer (NOFCC) is the charity that will benefit from the fundraising done by each of the pageant participants. Established in 1998, NOFCC offers support and hope for families in the north who have a child with cancer. Ruth is developing some creative ideas, including a community dinner where she can show off some of her culinary skills, to raise money for this worthy cause. Using her Facebook page and other social networking tools Baker is working to gather support for her efforts. “I am really excited to have this opportunity to make a difference in my community while developing leadership skills” says Baker. “The support that I have received from Muskoka residents so far has been overwhelming.”