More than $8,300 raised in annual photo contest for Whitley County Families
[COLUMBIA CITY, IN] – BABE of Whitley County, a non-profit organization that provides resources and a community for Whitley County families, raised more than $8,300 in its annual Cutest Kid Contest. The contest included six age categories for children, newborns through age six and one grand prize winner. This online contest and fundraiser allowed families to upload a photo of their child, and then ask friends and families to vote for one dollar per vote. All proceeds benefit families of Whitley County through services provided by BABE of Whitley County.
According to Executive Director Laura Tucker, the online contest has become one of BABE’s most successful fundraising events in the past few years. “This is the fifth year that we’ve had online voting instead of in-person voting during the fair. The online voting makes it so easy for families to participate. Once you’ve entered your child, you can easily share the voting link to social media,” said Tucker. “It also helps us get more exposure to families in Whitley County so they’ll become familiar with the services we provide,” Tucker added.
For the first time ever, twins took home the grand prize. The grand prize winners of the 2024 BABE’s Cutest Kid Contest is Haivyn & Harmon, entered by Courtney Shoda. They will receive 100 diapers, a $100 Target gift card, five BABE coupons, a $20 Dairy Queen gift card, and a special trophy.
The winners and runners-up by age category of the 2024 Cutest Kid Contest by BABE of Whitley County are as follows:
Grand Prize (most money raised overall)
Haivyn & Harmon, entered by Courtney Shoda
The 0 – 1 year old category winner is Charlotte entered by Kaitlyn Morgan. The runner-up is Wyatt, entered by Hannah Barrett
The 1 – 2 years old category winner is Haivyn & Harmon, entered by Courtney Shoda. The runner-up is Jayton, entered by Heather Steele.
The 2 – 3 years old category winner is Bradley, entered by Kaitlyn Sproles. The runner-up is Layla, entered by Kaitlyn Wolfe.
The 3 – 4 years old category winner is Cora, entered by Amy Johnston. The runner-up is Macy, entered by Kailey Herber.
The 4-5 years old category winner is Michael, entered by Sam Wolfe. The runner-up is Jaxson, entered by Kailyn Wolfe.
The 5 – 6 years old category winner is Ava, entered by Chelsea Stevens. The runner-up is Jesse, entered by Amy Johnston.
To learn more about the services provided by BABE of Whitley County, please visit babewc.org. You can also visit BABE on Wednesdays and Thursdays from Noon – 5:30pm at 605 Forest Parkway in Columbia City.
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ABOUT WHITLEY COUNTY BABE
BABE of Whitley County is a non-profit organization in Whitley County that serves over 1200 people. BABE provides quality incentives to parents who participate in preventive and prenatal care, including parenting, educational and nutritional classes to promote a healthy pregnancy, healthy birth outcomes, and early childhood development. In exchange for participating in preventive and prenatal care, participants are given a BABE Coupon that can be used to “purchase” diapers, wipes, clothes, strollers, and more at BABE’s store located on Line Street in Columbia City. BABE also hosts various mom groups and activities, and programs to support the families who need it most. Learn more at www.babewc.org.