Plains resident proof good things come in small packages

By CHUCK BANDEL

Valley Press

Some people accept defeat. Others make lemonade out of lemons.

Such is the case with Plains resident Jennay Ovitt, who has turned life’s lemons into something very palatable. As a result, she and many others may soon be able to do the same.

Ovitt, who is currently studying to become a forensic anthropologist, in recent years has turned a failed marriage into a good one and along the way competed for and won the title of Mrs. Petite Montana.

That title, she said, is providing her with a platform from which to help others, including the thousands of people adversely impacted by this year’s wildfires which have devasted large portions of the Western United States.

She’s also benefiting dogs in her “spare” time.

A resident of Plains for the past 10 years, the 28-year-old Ovitt said a failed marriage was among the reasons she was looking to move out of California several years ago. She is originally from Georgia.

“I met my first husband and he told me about Plains,” she said. “Before we got married he asked me if I’d mind living in Plains and I said 'take me away cowboy.' I thought this would be just a stop, I didn’t think I’d be here 10 years.”

Since being in Plains, along with her three children, ages 11, 7 and 4, she has been seeking to find the career and life path that is right for her. She was a volunteer firefighter for the Plains-Paradise Rural Fire Department for a while and currently works as a dog groomer for Missy’s Pet Palace, a mobile pet grooming service.

Along the way she battled ovarian cancer and recovered. A serious car accident that resulted in complicated injuries also failed to stop her. She studied to be an EMT and a certified nursing assistant but found she was still looking for something better.

Out of all that, she chose to pursue a forensic anthropology career, which was something she had researched for a long time. Some in her inner world were skeptical, but she was determined to proceed.

“If you love something it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks,” she said. “You go after it.”

While doing all of the above, she became aware of the Mrs. Petite Montana contest, a branch of the Miss America program. To qualify, contestants had to meet two basic requirements: be married or have been married, and have children.

Petite in stature but big in determination with an adventurous spirit, she entered by sending in some photos and providing written answers to contest officials.

“I was actually given the choice of where I would compete, being that I’m from Georgia and live in Montana,” she said. “I chose Montana because I wanted to represent this state. I also wanted to show my kids, and my skeptics, that if you want something, you can do it.”

On Aug. 3 she received a call notifying her she had been chosen to be this year’s Mrs. Petite Montana.

“When I heard I won the Montana title I have to admit I was in shock,” she said with a laugh. “Now I will be competing in round two this coming March in Chicago for the national title.”

A long road for a person considered petite? Not to Ovitt.

“In the Mrs. Division of this contest there is no swimsuit competition,” she said. “That was good. A lot of us title holders like to be sassy and say we are not size two and we’re okay with that.”

As winner of the Montana crown, she will reign for one year. During that time she and other winners are required to support a worthy cause.

Again, no problem.

With her firefighting background, she and several other title winners decided on fundraising to help victims injured or displaced by the massive wildfires that have blackened thousands of acres across the West and left many people homeless.

“Several of us were on a conference call and the idea came up about wildfire aid,” she said. “I immediately said Montana was on board for that.”

Ovitt also is involved with supporting ways to help combat and overcome autism.

“My child has moderate autism and my stepson is severely autistic,” she said. “One of the good things about holding a title like I do is that it gives you a platform to do good.”

She is part of the Autism Speaks organization that can be found on Facebook.

In her role with the wildfire relief group, she is tasked with contacting every fire station in the state to get them involved and help spread the word about the fundraising effort. She can be contacted on-line at Montanapetitejennay for those interested in helping.

“We don’t have a monetary goal,” she said. “We do of course accept donations, but a lot of what we do is get items like water, Gatorade, clothing and other items wildfire victims need. A lot of these people have literally lost everything but the clothes on their back.”

Meanwhile, she will continue to complete her educational requirements in forensic anthropology, now in her fourth year.

Of course, that will not be the end of that. She has plans to pursue a doctorate in the science in the years ahead.

Good things come in small packages is more than just a saying.