COVINGTON — Kenton County's bad check fees will soon be put to patriotic use, funding the Kenton County “Why I Love America” calendar contest.

        Winners of the contest, started by Kenton County Attorney Garry Edmondson, were chosen from 195 semifinalists Tuesday.

Kenton County Sheriff Chuck Korzenborn (front) and Circuit Judge Gregory Bartlett judge student artwork submitted for a calendar. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        The contest invited all Kenton County students grades K-12 to create 8 1/2-by-11-inch pictures around the theme.

        The 13 winning entries will be printed in the 2002 calendar, to be released in December. Proceeds will be sent to families of the firefighters and police officers who died Sept. 11.

        The seven judges, including Crittenden Survivor celebrity Rodger Bingham and Kenton County Sheriff Chuck Korzenborn, chose 13 winners and 13 honorable mentions.

        Mr. Edmondson said that he got the idea for the contest after talking to his daughter, Kelly Middendorf, a kindergarten teacher at St. Agnes School in Fort Wright. She told him that some children were having trouble coping with the attacks.

        “I had heard that children do well when they can express themselves with art work,” Mr. Edmondson said.

        Fifty Kenton County schools, including two home schools, were invited to participate, and 2,047 children responded.

        Entries included:

        • A homemade American flag with Band-aids glued to it that said “Bandage up the nation.”

        • A picture of a guitar player in front of the flag that said “America Rocks.”

        • A portrait of President Bush.

        The calendars will be paid for through the Pre-Arraignment Check Enforcement Session, which collects $25 per bad check given to a merchant in Kenton County. The calendars will sell for $5.

        Each of the 2,047 entrants and 176 participating teachers will get a calendar before Christmas. The public can order them from the Kenton County Attorney's office, or through its Web site at www.kentoncoatty.com/ starting in December.
       
       

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