Cunningham also inaugural winner of People’s Choice Award

Monday, July 17, 2017
Miss Putnam County Fair 2017 Hannah Cunningham, the daughter of Jay and Sandra Cunningham of Greencastle, was also chosen as the People's Choice Award winner, a new award this year in which each candidate chooses a local non-profit to support. The votes are actually cast by the money that is donated to each young woman's non-profit. Cunningham raised more than $500 for Friends of the Greencastle Fire Department, while more than $2,100 was raised for non-profits across the county.
Banner Graphic/JARED JERNAGAN

In addition to taking the top prize Saturday night, 2017 Miss Putnam County Fair Queen Hannah Cunningham was also selected as the inaugural winner of the People’s Choice Award, a program in which each candidate chooses a local non-profit to support.

The “votes” are actually cast by the money that is donated to each young woman’s non-profit.

The new program award is the idea of 2015 Queen Kristen Stevens, who now serves on the Queen Contest Committee.

“Every year, we complete a community service during the process of preparing for the contest, to give back to the community that has given so much to us,” Stevens said. “This year, I had the idea to try a People’s Choice Award, to spread the community service project across our entire county.”

Cunningham raised more than $500 for Friends of the Greencastle Fire Department, an organization with which she got involved through a friendship with retired GFD Chief Bill Newgent.

“I’ve volunteered at the fire department before. I’ve passed out Halloween candy there and done their open house,” Cunningham said. “I love the fire department and love that they give their lives for people.”

Stevens said such a choice was common among the candidates, several of whom chose non-profits in which they have been heavily involved or that have a sincere meaning to their family.

The non-profits chosen by the 10 candidates were Kaelynn Abner, Putnam County Special Olympics; Katlyn Rector, Putnam County SAWS; Kelsey Nees, Mary Allison Children’s Fund; Michayla Sanders, Putnam County Fair; Kendra Sutherlin, Putnam County Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom; Hannah Cunningham, Friends of the Greencastle Fire Department; Rachel Sutherlin, Junior Leaders; Clare Plamondon, Crisis Pregnancy Center; Bailey York, Hope Haven Horse Farm; and Bronwyn Spencer, Putnam County Youth Development Commission.

Among the 10 candidates, more than $2,100 was raised for non-profits across the county.

“We were nervous that with this being the first year we have implemented this aspect of the contest (that) people would not come prepared to donate money,” Stevens said “We were completely blown away with the support for these contestants and these non-profit organizations.”

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