Former Port Jeff resident competes in NewBeauty Magazine contest
Dani Adler, originally of Port Jefferson, is always up for a challenge.
Earlier this summer, NewBeauty Magazine sent out a notice looking for women to compete in its Fab Over 40 competition. The winner will receive a two-page spread in the magazine, $40,000 cash and a spa trip.
Spending most of her life as a model and actress, Adler, currently of Miller Place, got involved with the competition on a whim and now she’s asking for your help to win.
“I’m trying to get every vote I can,” she said. “I think it’s going to be a close call, and I don’t want to take any chances.”
The former Miss Belle Terre has had quite the career; she competed in beauty pageants across the state, was an extra on “Baywatch” and modeled most of her adult life. After leaving Port Jeff to pursue a life in Manhattan, she eventually landed in California for seven years where she began working in event planning. While hanging among the stars, she had a stint working on the Queen Mary and alongside celebrities like Danny Aiello, John Travolta and Sonny Bono.
When she came back to New York for a what was meant to be a quick visit, she ended up staying because she fell in love and decided to start up her own company, Red Carpet Parties, 10 years ago.
But because of COVID-19, that industry was rocked. She was unable to plan for events when things were constantly being cancelled.
“When I saw the competition on Facebook, I was just looking for something new to do,” she said. “I’ve never done anything like this online — I’ve done competitions before, and I’ve done well — but I’ve never done an internet competition … so I said, ‘What the heck,’ and went for it.”
As of Wednesday, Sept. 1, she was number two in her group. On Thursday, Sept. 2 voting closes, and if she makes it to the number one spot, she will be brought to the next round of competitions.
She said that the contest includes dozens of women of all different ages. They were separated into several different groups, and as of this week, the winners of each group will go head-to-head for the final prize to be announced at the end of the month.
“I’m just moving along, trying to get those votes up,” she said. “It’s like pulling teeth, and I’m glad I’m not running for mayor because I don’t know what I do!” she joked.
But she likes the challenge and has always stepped out of her comfort zone for new things.
“I’ve always jumped onto every opportunity,” she said. “You never know what doors are going to open up at any age. I tell people it doesn’t matter what age you are. Just go for it — you don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Every day, people can vote for Adler to help her get closer to the prize. She said with the $40,000 prize, she’d donate a chunk of it to animal rescue.
“My mother always taught me charity — the moment you get something you give it to somebody else first,” she said. “That’s what I want to do right now.”
A lover of butterflies, she’d also put the funds towards her Monarch Way Station to help keep the monarch population going.
While voting for her group’s finalists ends Thursday, those who would like to support Adler’s competition can vote online at votefab40.com/2021/dani-adler.
