And the winners are ...

You could say the West Orange Times achieved worldwide reach in 2014. When we announced the new contest last summer, we had no idea how popular it would become. West Orange County residents submitted 69 photos of themselves holding the newspaper in various locations around the United States and overseas.

The Times went to 19 states and 17 countries. We went on cruises; we posed with dogs and children. A congressman traveled to Washington, D.C., with us, and four members of our staff took us on vacation. Readers took us to castles, a university, a seafood festival, a heritage society convention and another newspaper office. We were taken to snow-covered areas and the beach. We celebrated the Fourth of July.

We saw the Grand Canyon, the Santa Monica Pier, Las Vegas, Hollywood, Big Ben, the Brandenburg Gate and the Sydney Opera House. We visited China, Iceland, Costa Rica, Vietnam, Greece, Sweden, Scotland and Italy. Readers took us everywhere.

The envelope, please

In the 2014 contest, the West Orange Times is awarding prizes in two categories: Farthest Traveled and Best Photo. Two winners will receive $250 apiece.

George Houston II and his wife, Lisa McIntyre, are the winners of the Farthest Traveled Award for taking their local newspaper on their overseas adventure in October. The trip, Houston said, “was to celebrate me turning 50 this year and also commemorate my dad, who died in Vietnam in 1964 at the Battle of Nam Dong. … I never met him, so this was a way to try to get to know him by walking in his footsteps.”

The couple visited the Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia, as well as HaLong Bay, Vietnam.

Coming in a close second place were Al and Sharyn Davidoff, who packed their newspaper when they traveled to Australia last fall.

The winner of the Best Photo contest is Marcia Praysner, of Ocoee, who attended Art Prize 2014 in Grand Rapids, Michigan in September. She and her sister photographed themselves with the paper at one of the exhibits, “Breathe — living artwork.”

We still are accepting submissions for our Travelin’ Times photo contest. Entering is easy! Just snap a photo of you with the paper at your destination of choice and email it to Community Editor Amy Quesinberry Rhode, [email protected]. Include the names of everyone in the photo, where it was taken and a phone number at which we can reach you. You also can mail or drop off the photo to: West Orange Times, 720 S. Dillard St., Winter Garden 34787. Call the newspaper office at (407) 656-2121 with questions.