The Mrs. Maine America, Miss Maine for America Strong & the Mrs. Maine American Pageant was held April 3 at the Double Tree by Hilton in South Portland.

Fourteen married women competed in the Mrs. division, and five single women competed in the Miss division, according to a news release from Debra Pronovost, executive director of the event.

Deirdre Berube, Miss Monmouth, was crowned Miss Maine for America Strong 2022. She also won the Interview Preliminary, Evening Gown Preliminary and Miss Congeniality awards.

Elena Mikuzis, Mrs. York County, was crowned Mrs. Maine America 2022.

Christina Erde, Mrs. Windham, was first runner-up in the Mrs. Maine America pageant/winner of the Mrs. Maine American title.

Each of the three winners will go to Nationals in Las Vegas to compete in their respective pageants: the Mrs. America pageant, the Mrs. American pageant (for all of the 1st runners-up), and the Miss for America Strong pageant.

In August, Berube will head to the Westgate Resort & Casino in Las Vegas along with her sister queens for “America Week 2022” to compete for the national title of Miss for America Strong.

Berube’s platform is infertility and infant loss awareness, something extremely close to home for her, according to the news release. She started Zoey’s Love, a project named after her daughter’s twin who passed away at birth. Her mission with the project is to bring comfort and healing by painting memory boxes to donate to The Colby Fund and hospitals, where they would be given out to women and families going through such a loss.

Anyone who would like to help with the project can visit the Zoey’s Love Project Facebook page.