Cass County Right To Life sponsored its annual Precious Baby Contest at the Cass County Fair. The contest ran from July 29 through Aug. 4. A total of 27 baby pictures were submitted. Visitors to the fair voted for the most precious baby by making a cash donation to the Cass County Right to Life, an affiliate of Michigan Right to Life. Each penny donated counted as a vote.

A total of $1,505 was raised. Much appreciation to the area businesses that contributed the following prizes. The top ten winners were: first place, Paisley Ostyn of St. Joseph, parents Daniel and Whitney Ostyn, $100; second place, Wyatt Hershberger of Vandalia, parents Dan and Wren Hershberger, $75; third place, Mayson Preston of Dowagiac, parents Joel and Tristan Preston, $50; fourth place, Gabriel Cook of LaPorte, Ind., parents Bryce and Ronny Cook, $50 gift card from Harding’s Friendly Market of Cassopolis; fifth place, Gavin Schmidt of Cassopolis, parents Matthew and Whitney Schmidt, Whopper Value Meals, $30 value from Burger King; sixth place, Emmalyn Taylor of Dowagiac, parent Andrea Taylor, two large, one-topping pizzas from Pizza Hut of Michigan; seventh place, Landon Leach of Cassopolis, parents Jimmy Leach and Kacie Bruens, $20 gift certificate from Dussel’s Farm Market and Greenhouse of Cassopolis; eighth place, Eli Hartman of Dowagiac, parents Kyle and Michelle Harman, $20 in gift certificates from Harding’s Friendly Market of Dowagiac; ninth place, Kaelee Schveneman of Niles, parents Chris and Kristen, five, six-inch subs from Subway of Cassopolis; 10th place, Mason Pike of Dowagiac, parents of Steve and Amy Pike, $15 gift certificate from George’s Cafe of Cassopolis; 11th place,  Isaac Wold of Cassopolis, parents Landon and Liz Wold, pizza certificate from Saylor’s Pizzeria of Dowagiac; 12th place, Ellie Reynolds of Jones, parents Andrew Reynolds and Brittany Polmateer, $5 gift certificate from Shirley’s Flowers of Dowagiac.

All baby entries received free dessert cards from McDonald’s of Cassopolis.

Cass County Right to Life will use proceeds from the contest to further its educational outreach to the community. It also provides support to the Michigan Right to life Educational Fund for their media goals, which raises funds for television ads and their 1-800-57-WOMAN number.

Support is also given to the Pregnancy Care Center of Niles and its state organization, Right to Life of Michigan.

Cass County Right to Life is a nonpartisan, nonsectarian, nonprofit organization of diverse and caring people united to protect the precious gift of human life from fertilization to natural death.