DeeAnna Muraski, Operation Read, left, presents Brystal Bower, Cutest Reader grand prize winner, with gift cards, a blanket, a stuffed animal, a picture frame, books and bookmarks. Photo provided by Kati Rice.

News Release

WARSAW — Operation Read, previously known as Kosciusko Literacy Services, a nonprofit organization providing books, tutoring and resources for adults and children in poverty, completed their first annual Cutest Reader Contest Tuesday, Dec. 6.

The contest included nine age categories for people of all ages, including people reading with their pets.

“Creating the platform online made it easier for entrants to register and vote from all over the United States,” said Operation Read Executive Director DeeAnna Muraski. “We were happy with the awareness of our programs we were able to generate locally and nationally due to the contest.”

All proceeds from the contest benefit Operation Read and provide books to mothers of newborns, memory/puzzle books to senior citizens, books to children in poverty aged birth to five and incentives for children’s reading programs.

The grand prize winner who had the highest number of votes overall was Brystal Bower. Since Bower also won in her category, she received the reader’s basket including $125 in Meijer gift cards, a $25 Starbucks gift card, a $20 Barnes & Noble gift card, a reading blanket, a fuzzy stuffed animal, a picture frame engraved with “Cutest Reader: Grand Prize Winner,” seven age appropriate books, bookmarks and bragging rights.

There were also prizes for each category and the runner-up in each category.

Check out Operation Read’s Facebook and website pages to see the future dates of this fundraiser.

“We appreciate all the support and encouragement we received for this fundraiser and what we do for the community,” stated Operation Read Board President Cheryl Avery.