Time To Thaw

Official Rules – 2008 Time To Thaw Photo Contest

1. Eligibility.

No purchase necessary to enter or win. The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, ("Sponsor") is the sponsor of the 2008 Time to Thaw promotion. The promotion is open only to residents of the United States (excluding the states of Florida and Rhode Island) who are 21 years of age or older as of March 11, 2008. (“Entrants”). If you are not a resident of these areas and/or you are not 21 years of age or older, you are not eligible to win a prize. To be eligible to win a prize, entries must be completed and received by Sponsor in the format designated below. Directors, officers and employees of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT), and any of their respective affiliate companies, advertising and promotional agencies, and immediate families of each are not eligible to win any prizes. All applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Offer void where prohibited. In the event of any dispute, entries will be deemed to have been submitted by the owner of the e-mail address submitted. Your entry to the contest constitutes your agreement to allow your entered photographs—and your name, occupation, city, state and country of residence—to be published on the SCPRT TimeToThaw.com website, and used for promotions by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism. Entrants retain ownership and all other rights to future use of their photographs. SCPRT reserves the right to verify, in its sole judgment, winner eligibility.

HOW TO ENTER: Qualified individuals are invited to submit their digital photo taken at the Windsurfin’ Wall in the Grant Park North Parking Garage in Chicago, as part of the SCPRT Time to Thaw Promotion sponsored by the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Selected images will be posted to the TimeToThaw.com website, and a weekly winner and one grand prize winner will be selected during the four-week promotion for a total of four weekly winners and one Grand Prize winner. SCPRT reserves the right to select which images are posted to the site. Only images that are appropriate for all audiences will be considered for posting.

Each qualified participant may submit up to three photographs. All images must be digitally uploaded. We will not accept mailed or shipped entries. Entries will not be returned.

Camera-made digital images should be uploaded as medium-resolution jpegs with a maximum file size of 2 MBs. An online form is provided for required information.

2. Disclaimer.

Sponsor, all participating sponsors and any of their respective affiliates, directors, officers, professional advisors, employees and agencies will not be responsible for: (a) any late, lost, misrouted, garbled or distorted or damaged transmissions or entries; (b) telephone, electronic, hardware, software, network, Internet, or other computer- or communications-related malfunctions or failures; (c) any Contest disruptions, injuries, losses or damages caused by events beyond the control of Sponsor; or (d) any printing or typographical errors in any materials associated with the Contest.

3. Contest Period.

The Contest shall commence on February 18, 2008 at 12:01 AM Eastern Standard Time ("EST"), and end on March 16, 2008 at 11:59 PM EST ("Contest Period").

4. Prizes.

One prize consisting of South Carolina promotional items valued at $100 will be awarded each week during the promotion.

One grand prize will be awarded at the conclusion of the promotion. The grand prize is a two-night, three-day stay for two (double occupancy) at the Inn at Harbour Town at Sea Pines, Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, and a round of golf for two on Heron Point. (Some restrictions apply.)

ALL FEDERAL, STATE AND LOCAL TAXES ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEIPT OR USE OF ANY PRIZES ARE THE SOLE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE WINNER. All prizes will be awarded. Prizes returned as undeliverable or otherwise not claimed within fifteen (15) days after delivery of notification will be forfeited and awarded to an alternate winner. Prizes are not transferable. No substitutions or exchanges (including for cash) of any prizes will be permitted, except that Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value for any prize. Limit one prize per household or address. All prizes are awarded "AS IS" and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express or implied, (including, without limitation, any implied warranty of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose).

5. Determination of Winners.

Selection of winners will take place on the Thursday following the previous week’s deadline. Prize winners will be notified by e-mail within seven (7) days thereafter. To claim a prize, winners should follow the instructions contained in their notification. Entrants can only win one weekly submission during the Contest Period. Winners will be selected by a panel of judges comprised of representatives of SCPRT.

6. Collection of Information.

The information collected to enter the Contest will be used to contact you in the event that you are chosen to receive a prize. SCPRT will not share or sell your information. The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism wholly reserves the right to publicize the Contest and its winners. As stated above, the Contest is not open to Minors under the age of twenty-one (21).

7. General Release.

By entering the Contest, you release the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, affiliates, directors, officers, employees and agencies (collectively, the "Released Parties") from any liability whatsoever, and waive any and all causes of action, related to any claims, costs, injuries, losses, or damages of any kind arising out of or in connection with the Contest or delivery, misdelivery, acceptance, possession, use of or inability to use any prize (including, without limitation, claims, costs, injuries, losses and damages related to personal injuries, death, damage to or destruction of property, rights of publicity or privacy, defamation or portrayal in a false light, whether intentional or unintentional), whether under a theory of contract, tort (including negligence), warranty or other theory.

8. Affidavit & Release.

As a condition of being awarded any prize, winners may be required to execute and deliver to Sponsor a signed Affidavit of Eligibility, which includes an acceptance of these Official Rules and a release of liability.

9. Winners List: Rules Request.

For a copy of the winners list, send a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope after March 21, 2008 and before July 30, 2008 to Sponsor at the following address:

2008 Time to Thaw - Winners List
c/o South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 113
Columbia, SC 29201

10. Copyright Notice.

11. Miscellaneous.

The Contest and these Official Rules will be governed, construed and interpreted under the laws of the State of South Carolina and any challenges or claims against the Contest shall be brought under the jurisdiction of the courts of the State of South Carolina. Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding in all respects. Sponsor reserves the right to change these Official Rules at any time, in its sole discretion, and to suspend or cancel the Contest or any entrant's participation in the Contest should viruses, bugs, unauthorized human intervention or other causes beyond Sponsor's control affect the administration, security or proper play of the Contest or Sponsor otherwise becomes (as determined in its sole discretion) incapable of running the Contest as planned. Entrants who violate these Official Rules, tamper with the operation of the Contest or engage in any conduct that is detrimental or unfair to Sponsor, the Contest or any other entrant (in each case as determined in Sponsor's sole discretion) are subject to disqualification from entry into the Contest. Sponsor reserves the right to lock out persons whose eligibility is in question or who have been disqualified or are otherwise ineligible to enter the Contest. If you have any questions about these Official Rules or the Contest, send written questions to 2008 Time to Thaw - Information Request, c/o SCPRT, 1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 113, Columbia, South Carolina, 29201.

12. Contest Sponsor.

The sponsor of the Contest is the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.