A little hometown support for Stetson
Fort St. John has one little guy still making his way through the 2026 Baby of the Year competition, and his family is hoping some support from home can help keep him there.
Fifteen-month-old Stetson Loewen was entered by his parents, Ashlyn and Tyrell Loewen, who have both called Fort St. John home their entire lives.
“Me and my husband Tyrell Loewen have lived here in FSJ our whole lives!” Ashlyn wrote in an email to the Alaska Highway News.
The competition started with babies divided into groups before public voting began narrowing the field through several rounds. The remaining competitors will continue through group finals, quarterfinals and semifinals before the final round wraps up Nov. 5.
For Stetson, that has meant making it through one cutoff after another while the competition gets a little tougher each time.
“As the rounds go, the harder competition becomes,” Ashlyn wrote.
There is a pretty substantial prize waiting at the other end. The eventual Baby of the Year will receive $25,000, appear in a national advertising campaign with The Honest Company and be featured in a Variety Magazine advertorial.
“These winnings would make a huge difference for our family in this changing economy,” Ashlyn wrote.
Judging by his competition profile, Stetson has plenty of personality working in his favour. His family describes him as silly, adventurous, curious and determined, with a love for being outside, picking raspberries, cuddling kittens and spending time at the water table.
He is also apparently a pretty enthusiastic golf fan, giving his dad a round of applause after every swing.
Supporters can cast one free vote every 24 hours, while additional votes can also be made through donations. Those donation votes are processed through DTCare as part of the competition’s fundraising effort benefiting Baby2Baby.
That part of the competition matters to the Loewens too.
“We strongly believe this a great cause and hope that even if we don’t take 1st place, that more money and awareness can be raised for ‘Baby2Baby’,” Ashlyn wrote.
There is still some road ahead before somebody is eventually named Baby of the Year.
For now, though, Stetson is still in it, and his family is hoping Fort St. John might have a few votes to spare.
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