The winning cover photo for The Tidewater News’ and Mike Duman Auto calendar contest shows a young boy named Ayden sitting in a field of flowers.

The picture, taken by Melissa Worrell Young, was one of about 250 photos that were entered into the contest, some on the Web through tidewaterviews.com, some through e-mails, others in person at the newspaper’s Armory Drive office.

“There were so many good entries, it was hard to narrow them down,” said Jena Passut, TN managing editor. “I think we came up with the best of the best, though. I’m really proud of the work our staff has done on this calendar.”

Many of the photos chosen for the inside pages automatically fit with the month they were paired up with.

The October winner taken by Kimberly Belcher shows two young cousins getting ready to trick-or-treat in downtown Newsoms. The photo that goes with September was shot by Barbara Ellis and depicts a first-day-of-school scene of two youngsters waiting for a bus in Unity.

“Here’s a hint for next year,” Passut said. “Send in pictures that represent each month. We like to try and match up the holiday or the seasons with the photo for that month.”

There was no limit to how many photos could be entered in the contest.

Young won a $500 gas card for the picture she snapped of her son, Ayden, sitting in the field of yellow flowers right off Highway 58 in Courtland.

The winners chosen for the inside pages each won a year subscription to The Tidewater News.

Another one of Young’s photos was chosen as the November page. It shows Allen Worrell walking through fallen leaves with his young grandsons gripping each of his hands.

Young, who grew up in Courtland and now lives in Roanoke, gave the gas card to her parents.

“I can use this gas to go visit my grandchildren,” Melinda Worrell said Friday after accepting the gas card from Mike Duman and Rick Roseburg at Mike Duman Auto.

The photo calendars, a gift to TN readers, will be inserted into the Oct. 31 newspaper.

Extra copies will be available at the newspaper office for $2 each.