Author: babewc

More than $12,400 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 $12,400 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.

According to Executive Director Laura Tucker, since switching to an online contest, this has become one of BABE’s most successful fundraising events in the past few years. Before 2020, this contest included in-person voting only at the Whitley County 4-H 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.

The winners of the 2023 Cutest Kid Contest by BABE of Whitley County are as follows:

The grand prize winner of the 2023 BABE’s Cutest Kid Contest is Lainey, entered by Cole Hinen! Lainey will receive 100 diapers, a $100 Target gift card, a photo session, five BABE coupons, a $20 Dairy Queen gift card, and a special trophy. The 0 – 1 year old category winner is also Lainey entered by Cole Hinen. The runner-up is Swayzee, entered by Katy Kuckuk.

The 1 – 2 years old category winner is Claire, entered by Laura Leffler. The runner-up is Bradley, entered by Kaitlyn Sproles.

The 2 – 3 years old category winner is Harlan, entered by Michaela McIntosh. The runner-up is Cora, entered by Amy Johnston.

The 3 – 4 years old category winner is Maeva, entered by Alex Martin. The runner-up is Laylah, entered by Shala Richardson.

The 4-5  years old category winner is Jesse, entered by Amy Johnston. The runner-up is Hudson, entered by Danielle Smethers

The 5 – 6 years old category winner is Rebecca, entered by Emily Day. The runner-up is Annabelle, entered by Ramona Goldwood.

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 533 N. Line Street 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.

BABE of Whitley County, a non-profit organization that provides resources and a community for Whitley County families, kicked off their 10th annual Cutest Kid Contest today, July 15. This contest includes six age categories for children newborn through age six. Families can upload a photo of their child for the contest and cast votes for one dollar each.

Since switching to an online contest, this competition has become one of BABE’s most successful fundraising events in the past two years. Before 2020, this contest included in-person voting only at the Whitley County 4-H Fair.

“Finding an online platform to make this easier for parents, grandparents and everyone who votes has really contributed to the success of the fundraiser,” said Laura Tucker, Executive Director of BABE of Whitley County. “It’s easy for people to share on Facebook, which helps us with exposure to BABE and the resources we provide to families,” Tucker added.

Last year, the contest raised more than $12,000. All proceeds from this contest will benefit BABE of Whitley County and the resources they provide for more than 1200 families in Whitley County.

The Cutest Kid Contest runs now through Friday, July 22 at 11:59 PM and can be found at babewc.org/cutest2022

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 533 N. Line Street 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.

[COLUMBIA CITY, IN] – Close to 120 people came together on Saturday for Whitley County’s first Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Walk at Morsches Park. This free event was hosted by BABE of Whitley County, a non-profit organization that provides resources and a community for Whitley County families.

The path of the one-mile walk was lined with signs for each family with their baby’s names written on them, along with “We walk for the steps they will never take” at the bottom. DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home released a dove to open the event. Once the walk was concluded, each baby’s name was read aloud, and Amanda Daniels shared her story of loss and hope before a balloon release concluded the event.

“Our goal was to bring awareness to something so many women go through but don’t talk about,” said Laura Tucker, Executive Director of BABE. She continued, “One participant emailed me afterward to thank us for having the children’s names spoken with love and dignity. It moved me to tears to know this meant so much for families.”

The walk also included a resource area where families could learn more about BABE and local partners who can come alongside families when experiencing loss.

Tucker added that she wanted to thank the four leading sponsors of the event; 80/20, All Pro Towing, Columbia City Iron & Metal, and Jarhead Hauling & Junk Removal. This event was free for the public for anyone who wanted to attend. BABE is planning on having this event again next April.

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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 encourages preventative care and childhood development by providing incentives and a community to nurture the mental and physical well-being of our local families. BABE also hosts various mom groups and activities and programs to provide support to the families who need it most. Learn more at www.babewc.org.

[COLUMBIA CITY, IN] – BABE of Whitley County, a non-profit organization that provides resources and a community for Whitley County families, will be hosting Whitley County’s first Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Walk on Saturday, April 16 at Morsches Park. 

This one-mile family walk is being provided for free for anyone in Whitley County and surrounding areas who would like to attend. Families will be able to see their baby’s name written on a sign, hear their name spoken, and participate in a balloon release at the conclusion of the walk.

“Unfortunately, every pregnancy carries the risk of not taking a baby home nine months later, and it’s something not a lot of people feel like they can talk about,” says Laura Tucker, Executive Director of BABE. She continued, “We’ve created this walk to help bring awareness to pregnancy and infant loss and to hopefully provide some space for grieving and healing for families.”

The walk will also include a resource area where families can learn more about BABE and local partners who can come alongside families when experiencing loss. The walk will begin with a dove release by DeMoney-Grimes Funeral Home and will conclude with a balloon release. The event begins at 11:00 a.m. Registration is free, and an event t-shirt is available for $15 when you register online by April 1. 

Tucker added that BABE is still looking for local sponsors to help cover the cost of the event since it will be free for families. Tucker can be reached at laura@babewc.org. You can learn more about this event including how to register at www.babewc.org/walk

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 – 5:30 at 533 N. Line Street 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 encourages preventative care and childhood development by providing incentives and a community to nurture the mental and physical well-being of our local families. BABE also hosts various mom groups and activities and programs to provide support to the families who need it most. Learn more at www.babewc.org.

More than $12,000 raised in annual photo contest for Whitley County Families

[COLUMBIA CITY, IN] BABE of Whitley County, a non-profit organization that specializes in providing resources and a community for moms and families, raised more than $12,000 in its annual Cutest Kid Contest last week, making this contest the most successful photo contest BABE has held.

“This is the 9th year of the Cutest Kids Contest and the second time we’ve done an online-only contest,” said Laura Tucker, Executive Director of BABE.

Tucker added that this contest was always held at the Whitley County 4H fair for years. They decided to switch last year to an online contest when faced with new challenges due to COVID-19.

“Finding an online platform to use to make this contest easier for parents and those who vote has been key in our success. It’s made it so easy for parents to share their kid’s entry on Facebook, which helped exposure and helped us get more donations,” said Tucker.

The contest included six age categories and one grand prize winner. One dollar equaled one vote, which means more than 12,000 votes were cast during the week-long contest. All proceeds from this event will help the growing families in Whitley County. BABE provides an incentive program for those who consistently participate in partner programs like doctor’s appointments, parenting classes, and anything that promotes the overall well-being of moms, babies, and children through age 5. This photo contest is one of the ways BABE is community-supported.

The winners of the 2021 BABE Cutest Kids contest are as follows:

Grand Prize Winner:
Levi Zion
Son of April King and David Zion

Ages 0 – 1:
1^st place: Levi Zion
Son of April King and David Zion

Ages 1 – 2:
1^st place: Berkleigh Beard. Daughter of Lyndsey and Jacob Beard

Ages 2 – 3:
1^st place: Teagan Wight. Son of Carolynn and Zach Wight

Ages 3 – 4:
1^st place: Harper Western. Daughter of Kelsie Pasquale and David Western

Ages 4 – 5:
1^st place: Finn Knepple. Son of Alyssa and Mike Knepple

Ages 5 – 6:
1^st place: Lucy Knepple. Daughter of Alyssa and Mike Knepple

To learn more about the services provided by BABE of Whitley County, please visit babewc.org.

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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.