It's Read Everywhere contest winners named

Every year, we ask our readers to take The Observer newspapers with them on their travels.
And, every year, we are amazed by the photos we receive.

The Observer Group received 93 submissions for this year’s online “It’s Read Everywhere” photo contest. Our readers traveled from Italy to India and Ghana to Guatemala — and snapped their photos with copies of the Longboat, East County and Sarasota Observers.

After nearly 7,000 votes, the grand-prize winners from The Longboat, Sarasota and East County Observers are Tim and Lisa McElhiney, who caught up on all their East County news while in front of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. The McElhineys’ photo garnered 2,814 votes. As grand-prize winners, they will receive two $500 travel vouchers.

The Longboat Observer first-place winner is Sophia Nibi, who took her favorite newspaper to Yerevan, in historic Armenia. Nibi snapped her photo in front of the Cascade in the center of the town. Her photo received 2,387 votes.

Taking first prize for The East County Observer is Jill Cushing, whose photo featured her sons, Eamon and Ethan, on a visit to their native hometown, Plymouth, Mass. Her photo received 275 votes.

The Sarasota Observer first-prize winner is Dorothy Mullen, who brought her newspaper to Park City, Utah, while she attended her niece’s wedding. Her submission received 187 votes.

All first-place winners will receive a $350 travel voucher.

Congratulations to all, and don’t forget to start planning the next unique place you and your Observer will visit.