NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT IS NECESSARY. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. OPEN ONLY TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE 50 U.S. STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA WHO ARE AT LEAST 18 YEARS OLD AT THE TIME OF ENTRY.
1. ELIGIBILITY: The Independent We Stand® "America's Main Streets" contest ("Contest") is open only to legal residents of the fifty (50) U.S. States and the District of Columbia who are at least eighteen (18) years old as of 09/13/2021 at 10:00 A.M. Eastern Time ("ET"). Officers, directors and employees (and members of their household or immediate family, i.e., spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, the "steps" of each and members of each of their households) of Independent We Stand or IWS ("Contest Administrator"), The Meridian Group, STIHL (“Presenting Sponsor"), PPG Architectural Finishes, Inc. (Supporting Sponsor), Do it Best Corp. (Supporting Sponsor), LM Flooring/tmbr (Supporting Sponsor), Nationwide Marketing Group (Supporting Sponsor), North American Hardware & Paint Association (Supporting Sponsor) and each of their respective parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, promotion and advertising agencies (collectively, "Contest Entities") and other individuals or entities associated with the creation, administration, implementation and execution of this Contest are ineligible to win. By participating in this Contest, an individual who meets the eligibility requirements and enters the Contest (individually "Entrant" and collectively "Entrants") agrees to be bound by these Official Rules and that the decisions of Contest Administrator shall be final and binding in all matters pertaining to the Contest. The Contest is void in jurisdictions other than those stated above and wherever prohibited.
2. TIMING: The Contest begins on 09/13/2021 at 10:00 A.M. Eastern Time ("ET") and ends 12/12/2021 at 11:59:59 A.M. ET ("Contest Period"). A calendar day shall begin at 12:00:00 A.M. ET and end at 11:59:59 P.M. of that day, except that on the start date of each phase of the Contest, a calendar day shall begin at 10:00 A.M. ET.
3. HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTEST: The Contest is comprised of three (3) phases as described below, and Entrants will be required to submit the reasons why the nominated Main Street deserves to be the "America's Main Streets" Winner. Contest judging will be by a combination of (a) public voting and (b)a panel of qualified judges, selected by Contest Administrator in its sole discretion (each, a "Qualified Judge"), as below set forth. In the event of a tie in public voting, a Qualified Judge who is a representative of Contest Administrator will evaluate and rate the tied nominations using the following criteria: (i) content: 50% and (ii) originality: 50% to break the tie.
(A) Phase I: How to Nominate & Vote for Submissions:
(i) To Nominate A Main Street: Between 09/13/2021 at 10:00 A.M. ET and 11/07/2021 at 11:59:59 P.M. ET ("Entry Period"), those wishing to nominate a Main Street should go to www.MainStreetContest.com ("Website"), and follow the instructions to submit a nomination. Any legal resident of the U.S. who is at least eighteen (18) years of age may nominate a Main Street. The individual nominating the Main Street will be asked to detail the reasons the Main Street he/she has nominated should win. He/she will also have the option to upload a logo or photograph. Logos and photographs must comply with the requirements in Section 4 below. Submitting a logo or photograph will not enhance or decrease the nominated Main Street's chances of winning the Contest and is entirely voluntary
(ii) Voting for Quarterfinalists: Between 09/13/2021 at 10:00 A.M. ET and 11/07/2021 at 11:59:59 P.M. ET ("Quarterfinalist Voting Period"), an individual may visit the Website and follow the instructions to cast votes for his/her favorite Submission (individually "Voter" and collectively "Voters"). The twenty-five (25) Submissions that receive the highest number of public votes will be deemed the quarterfinalists. In event of a tie, a the Qualified Judges will evaluate and rate the tied Submissions using the criteria stated in Section 3 above to break the tie. The quarterfinalists will be contacted on or about 11/08/2021 for notification and must provide requested information by the deadline as stated in the notification. In the event that a quarterfinalist cannot be verified, the Submission that received the next highest number of public votes will be deemed a quarterfinalist, subject to verification. Voting Limit: The voting limit, regardless of the number of entries voted for, is Twenty-five (25) within 24 hours, per IP address
(B) Phase II: Voting for Semifinalists: Between 11/15/2021 at 10:00 A.M. ET and 12/12/2021 at 11:59:59 P.M. ET ("Semifinalist Voting Period"), the Submissions from the twenty-five (25) verified quarterfinalists will be posted on the Website. During the Semifinalist Voting Period, Each Voter may visit the Website and follow the instructions to cast votes each day for his/her favorite Submission. The ten (10) Submissions that receive the highest number of public votes will be deemed the Semifinalist Submissions. In event of a tie, Qualified Judges will evaluate and rate the tied Submissions using the criteria stated in Section 3 above to break the tie. The Semifinalists will be notified on or about 12/13/2021. Voting Limit: The voting limit, regardless of the number of entries voted for, is Twenty-five (25) within 24 hours, per IP address.
(C) Phase III: Selection of Grand Prize Winner:
On 12/13/2021 ("Grand Prize Winner Selection Period"), a panel of Qualified Judges will judge and rate the Submissions from the ten (10) Semifinalists in accordance with the criteria as stated in Section
3 above. The Semifinalists whose Submission received the highest rating from the Qualified Judges will be deemed to be the potential winner of the grand prize ("Grand Prize Winner"), subject to verification and prompt submission of documents requested
by Contest Administrator. In the event of a tie, a Qualified Judge not previously involved in the judging will review and rate the tied Semifinalists' Submissions in order to break the tie. The Grand Prize Winner will be notified on or about 12/13/2021
and announced on the Website and through social media on 12/20/2021. The decisions of the Qualified Judges shall be final and binding in all matters pertaining to the selection and judging process.
4. SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:
THE SUBMISSION:
Must be the Entrant's original creation;
THE (OPTIONAL) LOGO/PHOTOGRAPH:
THE SUBMISSION AND ANY OTHER PROVIDED CONTENT:
NOTE: Entrants understand and acknowledge that the Submissions will not be returned; and that Contest Administrator has an irrevocable, exclusive, unlimited, unconditional and perpetual license in such Submissions and to use them as Contest Administrator so determines. Contest Administrator reserves the right at any time during the Contest Period and thereafter to take down or remove from the Website and/or disqualify any Submission that Contest Administrator determines, in its sole discretion, does not comply with these Official Rules or otherwise contains, or uses, prohibited or inappropriate content, and in the event of such takedown, removal and/or disqualification, the Entrant may also be disqualified from participation in the Contest.
5. PRIZES: (Grand Prize—1) The Grand Prize Winner will receive a $25,000 check; a $1,000 STIHL equipment certificate; Do it Best Corp. $500 shopping spree; a LM Flooring $500 shopping spree; $500 Nationwide Marketing Group shopping spree; a special plaque ($100 value) and recognition on Independent We Stand social media channels and public relations outreach. Estimated Total Retail Value of the Grand Prize: $27,500. Grand Prize Winner is solely responsible for all federal, state and local sales, luxury, use or other taxes, Grand Prize Winner must take delivery of all prizes, at his/her own expense, within 90 days or the entire Grand Prize may be forfeited and awarded to an alternate Grand Prize Winner.
Grand Prize Winner will be required to provide his/her Social Security Number or Tax ID Number and sign and return a notarized Affidavit of Eligibility/Compliance and Publicity/Liability Release, where allowed by law, and such other documents as may be reasonably requested by Contest Administrator. Failure to sign and return the required documents by the return date specified in the prize notification may result in the Grand Prize Winner's forfeiture of the entire Grand Prize and the selection of an alternate Grand Prize Winner. Grand Prize Winner will receive an IRS Form 1099 in the actual retail value of the Grand Prize.
Prizes Other Than Grand Prize: (A) the twenty-four (24) quarterfinalists who were not selected as for the Grand Prize will each receive an Independent We Stand Premium Membership.
The Grand Prize Winner and Semifinalist winners may alternately be referred to below individually as "Winner" and collectively as "Winners." Winners may be featured on Independent We Stand's blog site at http://www.independentwestand.org/blog and other related web and social media sites as well as sponsor-related web and social media sites. All costs and expenses associated with any prize that are not stated as included herein are solely the responsibility of each Winner, including but not limited to all federal, state and local taxes. Prizes may not be redeemed for cash, nor may they be transferred or offered for sale or auction, and can only be substituted, in Contest Administrator's sole discretion, with a prize of equal or greater value.
Prize limit: Prizes will be mailed within four (4) to six (6) weeks to the Winner's email address as stated on the respective Winner's registration form. At the sole discretion of the Contest Administrator, disqualification and forfeiture may result from (a) a potential Winner's failure to respond to notification within the time specified by Contest Administrator after its transmission; (b) the return of an email notification as undeliverable or Contest Administrator's inability to otherwise contact a potential Winner; (c) a potential Winner's failure to provide Contest Administrator with satisfactory proof of eligibility, age, identity and residency; (d) a potential Winner's failure to accept or utilize the respective prize as provided herein; (e) any other noncompliance, as determined by Contest Administrator in its sole discretion, with the Official Rules..
6. RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE ENTRANT:
(A) REPRESENTATIONS/WARRANTIES AS CONDITIONS OF ENTRY: By participating in this Contest, an Entrant represents and warrants that: (i) s/he is of the legal capacity to participate in this Contest; (ii) s/he owns all rights and title to his/her Submission and the Submission is solely his/her own original work; and (iii) the Submission complies with all of the Submission Requirements in Section 4 hereof.
(B) GRANTS/WAIVERS: By submitting a Submission, an Entrant assigns to Contest Administrator all right, title, interest and intellectual property rights, including without limitation copyright, in the Submission and irrevocably grants Contest Administrator and its sponsors, affiliates, legal representatives, assigns, agents and licensees, the unconditional, unlimited and perpetual right and permission to copy, transmit, publish, post, broadcast, display, adapt, exhibit, reproduce, encode, store and/or otherwise use, reuse or not use the Submission or any portion of thereof, as submitted or as edited/modified in any way by Contest Administrator, in its sole discretion in this Contest in any and all media without limitation, worldwide and throughout perpetuity, without additional compensation, notice to or approval from the Entrant to the fullest extent permitted by law. The Entrant understands and agrees that although s/he has granted Contest Administrator the right to use or reuse his/her Submission or any portion thereof as stated hereinabove, Contest Administrator, in its sole discretion, may elect not to so use any said Submission. The ENTRANT REPRESENTS, UNDERSTANDS AND ACKNOWLEDGES THAT S/HE WILL NOT BE PAID FOR OR RECEIVE ANY FORM OF COMPENSATION OR ROYALTY IN EXCHANGE FOR GRANTING CONTEST ADMINISTRATOR THESE RIGHTS OR FOR ANY SUBSEQUENT USE OF SUCH STATEMENT OF ATTRIBUTES BY CONTEST ADMINISTRATOR OTHER THAN ANY PRIZE S/HE MAY RECEIVE HEREIN. The Entrant waives all intellectual property rights, privacy/publicity rights or other legal or moral rights that might limit or preclude Contest Administrator's use of the Submission or any portion thereof and agrees not to sue or assert any claim against Contest Entities arising out of or connected to the use of the Submission or any portion thereof.
(C) INDEMNIFICATION/RELEASE: By submitting a Submission, each Entrant agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Contest Entities from any and all claims, damages, expenses, costs (including reasonable attorneys' fees) and liabilities (including settlements) brought or asserted by any third party against any of them due to or arising out of the Submission or his/her conduct in creating the Submission or other actions in connection with this Contest, including, but not limited to, claims for trademark infringement, copyright infringement, work product, violation of an individual's right of publicity or right of privacy, or defamation. By participating in this Contest, each Entrant further agrees to release and hold harmless the Contest Entities from (i) any and all claims that any advertising subsequently produced, presented and/or prepared by or on behalf of Contest Administrator infringes his/her rights with regard to the Submission and/or any portion thereof; and (ii) any and all costs, claims, damages or any other injury, whether due to negligence or otherwise, to person(s) or property (including, without limitation, death or violation of any personal rights, such as violation of right of publicity/privacy, libel or slander), due in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, to participation in the Contest or acceptance of a prize.
NOTE: All of the terms and conditions as stated in Sections (A) through (C) above shall also apply to any photograph and any other content submitted to Contest Administrator or Contest Entities.
7. INTERNET/LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: No liability or responsibility is assumed by Contest Entities resulting from an Entrant's participation in or attempt to participate in the Contest. The Contest Entities are not responsible for interrupted or unavailable network server or other connections; for miscommunications; for failed computer transmissions; for jumbled, scrambled, or misdirected Submissions or transmissions; for phone, electrical, network, computer hardware or software or program malfunctions, failures or difficulties; for other errors, omissions, interruptions or deletions of any kind, whether human, mechanical or electronic; or for any damage to any person's computer related to participating in the Contest. The Contest Entities are not responsible for, late, lost or undelivered Submissions or mail; for incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by Internet users or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Contest; or for any technical or human errors that may occur in the processing of any Submissions or other information in the Contest. Persons found tampering with or abusing any aspect of the Contest, as solely determined by Contest Administrator, may be disqualified and may be subject to prosecution. Any person attempting to enter using multiple email addresses, multiple identities or any other device or artifice to enter multiple times or to interfere with the proper play of the Contest may be disqualified from participation in the Contest in Contest Administrator's sole discretion. Additionally, any use of robotic, automatic, macro, programmed third-party or like methods to participate in the Contest may void any attempted participation effected by such methods and cause the disqualification of the individual utilizing the same. Contest Administrator reserves the right to disqualify any individual found, in its sole opinion, to be tampering with the operation of the Contest, to be acting in violation of these Official Rules, or to be acting with the intent to disrupt the intended operation of the Contest. If Contest Administrator, in its sole discretion, determines that the Contest is not or may not be capable of running as intended because of viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention or any other causes that corrupt or may corrupt the administration, security, fairness or proper play of the Contest, Contest Administrator reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify, suspend, cancel or terminate the Contest and proceed in a manner deemed fair and appropriate by Sponsor.
CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR ANY RELATED WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS. SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, CONTEST ADMINISTRATOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES OR OTHER REMEDIES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON(S) RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ATTEMPT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.
NOTE REGARDING WARRANTIES: THE CONTEST ENTITIES MAKE NO WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT AS REGARDS THE PRIZES. AS SOME JURISDICTIONS MAY NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES, ENTRANTS SHOULD CHECK THEIR LOCAL LAWS TO LEARN IF ANY OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS APPLY TO THEM.
8. PRIVACY POLICY: Any personally identifiable information collected during an individual's participation in this Contest will be collected by Contest Administrator or its representative and used by Contest Administrator for purposes of the proper administration and fulfillment of the Contest as described in these Official Rules and in accordance with Contest Administrator's Privacy Policy as such is stated at http://www.independentwestand.org/learn-more/privacy-policy/
9. PUBLICITY RIGHTS: By participating in this Contest, Entrants agree to allow Contest Administrator and/or Contest Administrator's designees the perpetual right to use their name, business name, biographical information, photos and/or likenesses, videos and statements for promotion, trade, commercial, advertising and publicity purposes, at any time or times, in all media now known or hereafter discovered, worldwide, including but not limited to on the World Wide Web and Internet, without notice, review or approval and without additional compensation except where prohibited by law.
10. DISPUTE RESOLUTION: Except where prohibited, by participating in the Contest, Entrants agree that: (a) except as otherwise specifically set forth in these Official Rules, any action arising out of or relating to these Official Rules or the rights and obligations of any Entrant and/or Contest Administrator shall be filed exclusively in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia or the appropriate Virginia District Court located in Virginia Beach, VA; and Entrant hereby consents and submits to the personal jurisdiction of such court for the purposes of litigating any such action, and any right to a trial by jury is hereby waived; (b) any and all disputes, claims and causes of action arising out of or connected with these Official Rules, and/or the rights and obligations of any Entrant and/or Contest Administrator shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action; (c) any and all claims, judgments and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred and in no event will Entrant be entitled to receive attorneys' fees or other legal costs; (d) under no circumstances will Entrant be permitted to obtain injunctive or other equitable relief, and Entrant's sole remedy will be an action at law for damages to the extent allowed by sub-paragraphs (c) and (e) of this Section 11; and (e) under no circumstances will Entrant be permitted, and Entrants hereby waive all rights, to: (i) claim punitive, exemplary, special, incidental, indirect and consequential damages and any other damages (whether due to negligence or otherwise), other than for actual out-of-pocket costs described in (c) above; and (ii) have damages multiplied or otherwise increased. All issues and questions concerning the construction, validity, interpretation and enforceability of these Official Rules, or the rights and obligations of any Entrant and/or Contest Administrator, shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia without giving effect or regard to any principles or doctrines of conflicts of law of the Commonwealth of Virginia or any other jurisdiction. If any provision or provisions of these Official Rules shall be held to be invalid, illegal, unenforceable or in conflict with the law of any jurisdiction, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.
11. GENERAL: By entering the Contest, Entrants agree to waive any right to claim ambiguity in these Official Rules. In the event of a dispute as to the identity of any Winner based on an email address, the winning Submission will be deemed made by the authorized account holder of the email address submitted at the time of entry. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address. All applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.
12. WINNERS LIST: To obtain the names of the Winners, send a properly stamped self-addressed envelope, postmarked by 12/31/2021, to Winners List, Independent We Stand "America's Main Streets" Contest, 575 Lynnhaven Pkwy, 3rd Floor, Virginia Beach, VA 23452.
