Tanya Saunders is just a step closer to switching her life so she can achieve her acting dreams but she needs community support.
The Guelph native is a group finalist in Fab Over 40, a competition held for women around the world over 40-years-old to share their story, receive a two-page spread in their NewBeauty magazine, win 40,000 cash and receive a spa-cation along with a plus one.
Saunders said that if she wins this competition, she can show her kids that one can turn their life around at any age.
“You don't have to live on autopilot, you can move yourself and follow your dreams at any age. And so that is what I'm doing, and asking for help is something that I've never done in my life,” said Saunders.
“I've always been the one that people are asking for help and so this is really humbling for me to be getting the support that I'm getting just being me.”
Voting for group finalists ends at 10 p.m. EST.
Saunders, a mental health and addictions outreach worker, has been working in the social service field for years. She said she recently had a nervous breakdown and has been on leave.
“I just was like what am I going to do with the rest of my life,” said Saunders.
And then I kind of had like an epiphany of ‘Oh my gosh, this is my opportunity to go back to school and do what I've always wanted to do which is to act.’”
She said she came across this online competition one day and everything just clicked.
“I was like oh my gosh, this is exactly the amount of money I would need to go back to school. There's a two page spread in a news and magazine that would be really good for you know somebody who's starting at 40 to start a resume, and acting,” said Saunders.
The competition began early August and Saunders made it first in her group of 65 contestants
“The first in all the groups will then become the group finalist, and we'll go to the next stage,” said Saunders.
The single mother of a 10-year old, eight-year-old and four-year-old hopes to use the money to pay for Toronto Film School which she says she has already been accepted into.
“It's been really surreal, the most surreal part about it is that I'm like, a day away from really getting to the serious part of the competition.
Saunders said any donations in the competition go to the National Breast Foundation.
“It's really exciting that you know people are seeing, not just the competition part but also that the funds are going to something that you know is more important than all of this,” said Saunders.
The results will be announced at the end of September.
“So if I get past tonight and tomorrow 7p.m. PDT time. I then go on to a rigorous four week competition with the rest of the number ones from all the other groups, to find out who the other five over 40 are going to be,” said Saunders.
