A BRIGHTER IDEA CAMPAIGN CONTEST
OFFICIAL RULES

CONTEST VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW

The purpose of the Great River Energy A Brighter Idea Campaign Contest is to collect practical energy conservation ideas to encourage energy conservation. The household who submits the best “bright idea” will receive a $1,000 credit to be applied to its monthly household energy bill. Restrictions apply. See paragraph 4 of these Official Rules.

  1. Eligibility. This contest is open to Minnesota and Wisconsin residents who are 18 years of age or older and residential customers of Great River Energy member cooperatives. Employees, officers and directors of Great River Energy and its member cooperatives, and those living in their same households, are not eligible to enter. For a complete list of Great River Energy member cooperatives, visit http://www.abrighterideamn.com/aboutUs.shtml.
  2. How to Enter. To participate in the contest, submit your “bright idea” to Great River Energy by completing the official entry form at http://www.abrighterideamn.com/contest.shtml, including your valid email address and household address. Any attempt to participate in this contest by any other means is void. To be considered for the prize, entries must be submitted on or before 11:59 p.m. on September 30, 2007. Only one entry permitted per household. Multiple entries from the same household will cause all of the entries from that household to be voided and none will be eligible for the contest. All entries become the property of Great River Energy. You are solely responsible for the equipment, software, and Internet or World Wide Web access necessary for you to access the mnbrighterideas.com web site and submit your entry. Great River Energy and its member cooperatives shall not be responsible for lost, misdirected or delayed entries, regardless of the reason. By entering this contest, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules, and to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. The actual award will be conditioned upon Great River Energy receiving the signed Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability and Publicity Release form noted under Section 3 below. Entries that are incomplete, inaccurate, forged, altered or irregular in any way, or not in compliance with federal, state or local laws or regulations or these Official Rules, are void.
  3. Selection of Winner. The winner will be chosen on October 8, 2007. A three-member panel of judges, chosen by Great River Energy in its sole discretion, will select one (1) winning entry from all eligible entries submitted based on the following criteria creativity; the ease and practicability of a residential energy user in implementing the “bright idea,” and how well the “bright idea” serves the goal of conserving energy. Great River Energy will notify the winner by email at the email address submitted on his or her official entry form, and will be required to sign and return to Great River Energy an Affidavit of Eligibility, Liability and Publicity Release consistent with these official rules within 60 days from the date of notification. The winner’s name shall be posted on www.mnbrighterideas.com as soon as practicable thereafter. In the event the winner fails to provide the Affidavit of Eligibility within the time set forth herein or otherwise fails to comply with these Official Rules, he or she forfeits the prize, and the panel will select an alternate winner within 30 days. All decisions of the panel are final.
  4. Prize. There will be only one (1) prize awarded in the amount of a $1,000 credit on the winning customer’s electricity bill. The verifiable retail value is $1,000, and constitutes the maximum credit to be awarded, subject to the following restrictions. The credit will be applied against the winner’s bill for residential energy provided by a Great River Energy member cooperative and used by the household address on the official entry form, beginning with the first billing cycle following 30 days from the date Great River Energy awards the prize. The credit is non-transferable, and may not be substituted or exchanged for cash. Any unused portion of the credit will expire on September 1, 2009.
  5. Odds of Winning. One (1) prize will be awarded out of notices distributed to approximately 600,000 residential customers of Great River Energy member cooperatives. Your odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received.
  6. Consent to Publication and Use. Except where prohibited by law, your entry in this contest constitutes your consent to Great River Energy publishing and/or using your name and “bright idea” to promote the A Brighter Idea Campaign, Great River Energy and/or energy conservation in general in any manner Great River Energy deems fit, in its sole discretion, without compensation to you.
  7. Taxes. Any and all taxes on the prize shall be the sole responsibility of the winner. The winner agrees to provide his or her social security number to Great River Energy upon request to be used solely for tax reporting purposes, as required by law.
  8. Representations and Warranties/Assignment. You represent and warrant to Great River Energy and its member cooperatives that you own all right, title and interest in and to any “bright idea” you enter in this contest and that you do not have any knowledge of any third party claim regarding the ownership and/or use of your “bright idea.” By entering this contest, you agree to assign, and do assign, your right, title and interest in your “bright idea” to Great River Energy.
  9. Disclaimers. YOU AGREE THAT GREAT RIVER ENERGY AND ITS MEMBER COOPERATIVES SHALL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS, DAMAGE, COSTS AND EXPENSES (INCLUDING ATTORNEY FEES) ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO YOUR PARTICIPATION OR ATTEMPT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONTEST OR YOUR USE OR MISUSE OF ANY “BRIGHT IDEA.” GREAT RIVER ENERGY AND ITS MEMBER COOPERATIVES EXPRESSLY DISCLAIM ANY AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT OF THIRD PARTY RIGHTS WITH RESPECT TO ANY “BRIGHT IDEA” ENTERED IN THIS CONTEST. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, OR THE EXCLUSION OF IMPLIED WARRANTIES. THEREFORE, THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS OR EXCLUSIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU.
  10. Indemnification. YOU AGREE TO INDEMNIFY AND HOLD GREAT RIVER ENERGY AND ITS MEMBER COOPERATIVES HARMLESS FROM ANY AND ALL THIRD PARTY CLAIMS, DAMAGES, LIABILITY, COSTS AND FEES (INCLUDING ATTORNEY FEES) ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO YOUR PARTICIPATION IN THIS CONTEST.
  11. Modification, Suspension, or Cancellation. Great River Energy reserves the right to modify these Official Rules and/or cancel or suspend this contest in the event of computer viruses, software bugs, interruptions in service, suspected abuse, errors, anomalies or other matters beyond Great River Energy’s reasonable control that, in Great River Energy’s sole discretion, impair or affect the proper administration and/or security of Great River Energy’s web site or this contest. Great River Energy shall post notice of any such modification, suspension or cancellation on its web site at www.mnbrigtherideas.com, as soon as practicable. BY PARTICIPATING OR ATTEMPTING TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS CONTEST, YOU AGREE THAT NEITHER GREAT RIVER ENERGY NOR ITS MEMBER COOPERATIVES SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGE, LOSS, COSTS AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING ATTORNEY FEES, ARISING FROM OR RELATING TO GREAT RIVER ENERGY EXERCISING ANY OF ITS RIGHTS HEREIN.
  12. Disqualification. Any person attempting to defraud Great River Energy or its member cooperatives or who tampers with Great River Energy’s web site or the operation of this contest shall be disqualified from participating in the contest and, if the winner, shall forfeit the prize. Great River Energy reserves the right to pursue any legal, equitable, statutory or other remedy available to it against any such person, which may include seeking damages and an award of costs and expenses, including attorney fees to the extent permitted by law.
  13. Governing law. This contest shall be governed by and construed in accordance with Minnesota law, excluding its conflicts of law principles.
  14. Disputes. By entering or attempting to enter this contest, you agree to submit to the exclusive jurisdiction of the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota or to Minnesota state court for any disputes arising under or related to the A Brighter Idea Campaign or this contest. You hereby waive any challenge to the jurisdiction of said courts.
  15. Void Where Prohibited. This contest is subject to all applicable laws, and void where and to the extent prohibited or restricted by law.
  16. Sponsor. This contest is sponsored by Great River Energy, 17845 East Highway 10, Elk River, Minnesota 55330. For inquiries regarding the A Brighter Idea Campaign or the contest, including the identity of the winner, please write A Brighter Idea or email projects@grenergy.com. Great River Energy shall use its best efforts to respond to all inquiries. However, Great River Energy cannot guarantee a response prior to the deadline for entering the contest, which deadline shall not be extended under any circumstances.
  17. Future mailings. You may request that Great River Energy refrain from sending you contest-related materials in the future by sending a written request to A Brighter Idea, Great River Energy, 17845 East Highway 10, Elk River, Minnesota 55330. You may revoke your request and continue to receive mailings by sending a written request to Great River Energy, 17845 East Highway 10, Elk River, Minnesota 55330. Great River Energy will not disclose, transfer, sell or rent for commercial purposes any name and address provided in conjunction with any such requests.

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