Best of the Valley Reader’s Choice Awards Official Rules 1. NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR TO WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR ODDS OF WINNING. ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Eligibility. Subject to the additional restrictions below, the "Best of the Valley Readers' Choice Awards” sweepstakes is open to Wisconsin residents, who are 21 years or older at the time of entry. Employees of The Post-Crescent, (“Sponsor”), Gannett Co., Inc., participating local businesses and each of their respective affiliated companies, and their advertising and promotional agencies, and the immediate family members of, and any persons domiciled with, any such employees, are not eligible to enter or to win. How To Enter. Watch for the "Best of the Valley Readers' Choice Awards” ballots beginning September 13, 2009 through September 18, 2009 inside The Post-Crescent and on postcrescent.com/bestof. A complete ballot listing all of the business categories will be published in the Best of the Valley Voting Guide on Sunday, September 13, 2009. The online ballots will be available at various times, September 13, 2009 – September 18, 2009. The voting period will begin at 12:01 a.m. on September 13, 2009 and end at 11 p.m. on Sunday, September 20, 2009. A minimum number of categories must be filled out on each ballot submission in order to be eligible for the prize drawings and for your vote to count, as outlined below. a. A minimum of 45 categories on the complete ballot, available September 13, 2009. b. A minimum of five categories on the Health & Professional Services ballot available on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 c. A minimum of 11 categories on the Retail & Personal Services ballot available on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 d. A minimum of 12 categories on the Food & Spirits ballot available on Thursday, September 17, 2009 e. A minimum of 7 categories on the Entertainment & Leisure Activities ballot available on Friday, September 18, 2009. In person: Complete a ballot, and deposit your entry in the designated entry box available in the front lobby of The Post-Crescent at 306 W. Washington Street, Appleton during regular business hours. Only one (1) ballot per person, per day. Ballots may also be dropped of at any participating retailer. By mail: Entries may be mailed to Best of the Valley Readers’ Choice Awards, c/o The Post-Crescent P.O. Box 59, Appleton, WI 54912. All mailed entries must be postmarked by Saturday, September 19, 2009 and received no later than September 23, 2009. Only one (1) ballot per envelope. You may enter once per day via the print ballot. Multiple entries by means of software generated or other automated processes will be disregarded. postcrescent.com: Visit postcrescent.com/bestof to enter online. Five ballots will be available online as outlined above and a minimum number of categories on each ballot must be filled out in order for your vote to count and for you to be eligible for prizes. You may vote once per day, per ballot online, but are only eligible for one prize.
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Sponsors will not be responsible for incomplete, lost, late, misdirected or illegible entries. Sponsors reserve the right to disqualify any entries by persons determined to be tampering with or abusing any aspect of the Sweepstakes. 4. Winner Selection. “One (1) Grand Prize Winner” will be selected at random from all eligible entries received in print and online, on or about October 14, 2009. A minimum of 45 additional winners will be selected at random from all eligible entries to receive smaller prizes from participating retailers. Prizes and Odds. Grand Prize: One (1) Grand Prize Winner will be drawn at random on October 14, 2009 to receive a gift certificate to the best overall restaurant, best salon and best hotel. Additional winners will receive prizes provided by participating businesses and each prize will have a minimum value of $25. Prizes may be subject to blackout periods, and other restrictions may apply. Odds of winning are based on the number of prizes received and number of eligible entries received. 6. Winner Notification and Acceptance. Winners will be notified by telephone within 5 days after their selection. Sponsor will call during its regular business hours at the phone number provided on the entry form and is not required to leave any message. Failure to reach winner by phone may result in disqualification of winner, forfeiture of his or her interest in all prizes, and selection of a substitute winner from among all remaining eligible entries. Winners may waive their right to receive prizes. Prizes are non-assignable and nontransferable. No substitutions allowed by winner. Prizes and individual components of prize packages are subject to availability and Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value. Winners are solely responsible for reporting and payment of any taxes, title, license and services fees. Winners may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility/liability and publicity release (except where prohibited by law) which must be returned within ten (10) days of date of personal delivery or date of postmark. Failure to sign and return the affidavit as required, or to comply with any term or condition of these Official Rules, may result in a winner’s disqualification, the forfeiture of his or her interest in the prize, and the award of the prize to a substitute winner. Except where prohibited, acceptance of any prize constitutes winner’s consent to the publication of his or her name, biographical information and likeness in any media for any commercial or promotional purpose, without limitation the Internet, or further compensation. Prizes not won and claimed by eligible winners in accordance with these Official Rules will not be awarded and will remain the property of Sponsor. 7. Participation. By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of Sponsor. Sponsor reserves the right to disqualify persons found tampering with or otherwise abusing any aspect of this sweepstakes as solely determined by Sponsor. In the event the sweepstakes is compromised by tampering or other causes beyond the reasonable control of Sponsor, which corrupts or impairs the administration, security, fairness or proper operation of the sweepstakes, Sponsor reserve the right in its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the sweepstakes. Should the sweepstakes be terminated prior to the stated expiration date, Sponsor reserves the right to award prizes based on the entries received before the termination date. Construction. The invalidity or unenforceability of any provision of these rules shall not affect the validity or enforceability of any other provision. In the event that any such
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provision is determined to be invalid or otherwise unenforceable, these rules shall be construed in accordance with their terms as if the invalid or unenforceable provision was not contained therein. 9. Sponsor. The "Best of the Valley Readers' Choice Awards” sweepstakes is sponsored by The Post-Crescent. The decisions of Sponsor regarding the selection of winners and all other aspects of the sweepstakes shall be final and binding in all respects. Sponsor is not responsible for typographical, printing or other inadvertent errors in these Official Rules or in other materials relating to the sweepstakes. For a list of winners send a selfaddressed, stamped envelope to “Winners List”, "Best of the Valley Readers' Choice Awards" c/o The Post-Crescent, P.O. Box 59, Appleton, WI 54912. The list of winners will be available after October 21, 2009. If you have any questions regarding this sweepstakes, please contact Jaime Witt at jjwitt@gannett.com.