I promised a response to the list following notification from Reader's Digest regarding the "We Hear You America!" contest. Evidently, the publisher is hearing from America in a big way right now because it's issued the following press release in an attempt to address the confusion, frustration, and anger of many communities like ours over the way this contest was administered.
(OFFICAL PRESS RELEASE)
WE STILL HEAR YOU AMERICA !
OVERWHELMING RESPONSE TO READER'S DIGEST "WE HEAR YOU AMERICA " CAMPAIGN -13 MILLION CHEERS, NEARLY HALF OF AMERICAN TOWNS PARTICIPATING - SPURS NEW ROUND OF PROMOTIONAL & ECONOMIC STIMULUS
Added Support Offered to Towns Across U.S. Increases
by $2.5 Million for a Total of $7.5 Million
NEW YORK (March 8, 2011) - Reader's Digest, the world's largest global editorial brand with a reputation for "getting to the heart of the matter" and capturing the best of America, is expanding its "We Hear You America" campaign in response to the overwhelming participation of towns and cities across America. A new round of cheering (voting) at rd.com begins today, so towns that worked so hard to rally their communities the first time around but missed out on prizes - and towns that are new to the campaign - will have another chance to win promotional and economic stimulus.
"With nearly half of every municipality in the U.S. participating, clearly America is responding to our campaign. In the spirit of the Reader's Digest mission to simplify and enhance the lives of Americans, we've now increased our financial and promotional support from $5 million to $7.5 million to help even more towns during these difficult economic times. We still hear you America !" commented Dan Lagani, President, Reader's Digest Media.
The next top 10 winning towns in this second phase of the contest, which runs from March 8, 2011 through May 16, 2011, will receive funds ranging from $10,000 to the Grand Prize of $40,000, plus promotional support through coverage in Reader's Digest outlets that include the 30 million-readership strong, flagship magazine, rd.com (with more than two million unique visitors each month), Reader's Digest Special Interest Publications and our new iPad app.
Beginning today, people are encouraged to log on to rd.com and "cheer" for their towns in order to win economic and promotional stimulus for their towns. The complete rules and instructions are available via www.rd.com/wehearyouamerica.
In addition to the prize-winning towns listed, 90 others have been selected as part of the "We Hear You America" RV tour covering 100 towns in 100 days, hosted by Supermodel and 2011 Celebrity Apprentice star Niki Taylor. The tour commenced on January 18 and continues through mid-May. Those towns were chosen on the following basis: 1) impassioned stories that were collected on our "We Hear You America" website via rd.com or 2) inclusion in a past or upcoming "Best of America" issue; or 3) inclusion in the Reader's Digest book Off the Beaten Path or 4) were among the top 10 winners in the first phase of the contest.
As previously announced on Facebook, following is the complete list of 100 stops on the "We Hear You America" tour, including the 10 winners and their prizes, from the first round of the contest:
1. Tuesday, January 18, 2011 New York , NY
2. Friday, January 21, 2011 Cary , NC
3. Saturday, January 22, 2011 Conway , SC
4. Monday, January 24, 2011 Greensboro, NC (pop. 250k-499,999) $10,000
5. Monday, January 24, 2011 Asheboro , NC
6. Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Charlotte , NC
7. Tuesday, January 25, 2011 Hickory , NC
8. Wednesday, January 26, 2011 North Charleston , SC
9. Thursday, January 27, 2011 Clemson , SC
10. Friday, January 28, 2011 Atlanta , GA
11. Friday, January 28, 2011 Duluth , GA
12. Friday, January 28, 2011 Porterdale , GA
13. Saturday, January 29, 2011 Hinesville , GA
14. Tuesday, February 01, 2011 Lexington , KY
15. Wednesday, February 02, 2011 Louisville, KY (pop. of 500k or more) $10,000
16. Thursday, February 03, 2011 Cincinnati , OH
17. Friday, February 04, 2011 Dayton , OH
18. Friday, February 04, 2011 Rabbit Hash, KY
19. Monday, February 07, 2011 St. Louis , MO
20. Tuesday, February 08, 2011 Jacksonville, IL (pop. 99,999 or less) $10,000
21. Wednesday, February 09, 2011 Ava , MO
22. Thursday, April 07, 2011 Greensburg , KS
23. Thursday, February 10, 2011 Branson , MO
24. Friday, February 11, 2011 Little Rock , AR
25. Friday, February 11, 2011 Wrightsville , AR
26. Friday, February 11, 2011 East End , AR
27. Saturday, February 12, 2011 Murfreesboro , AR
28. Monday, February 14, 2011 Memphis , TN
29. Wednesday, February 16, 2011 Hunstville , AL
30. Thursday, February 17, 2011 Helena , AL
31. Sunday, February 20, 2011 Daytona Beach , FL
32. Monday, February 21, 2011 Deland , FL
33. Tuesday, February 22, 2011 Orlando , FL
34. Tuesday, February 22, 2011 Kissimmee , FL
35. Wednesday, February 23, 2011 Tampa , FL
36. Wednesday, February 23, 2011 Plant City , FL
37. Monday, February 28, 2011 Jackson , MS
38. Tuesday, March 01, 2011 Brandon , MS
39. Wednesday, March 02, 2011 Collins, MS
40. Thursday, March 03, 2011 Flora , MS
41. Friday, March 04, 2011 Belzoni , MS
42. Monday, March 07, 2011 New Orleans , LA
43. Monday, March 07, 2011 Gretna , LA
44. Wednesday, March 09, 2011 Avery Island, LA
45. Friday, March 11, 2011 Kenner , LA
46. Sunday, March 13, 2011 Smithville , TX
47. Monday, March 14, 2011 Austin , TX
48. Tuesday, March 15, 2011 Houston , TX
49. Tuesday, March 15, 2011 Galveston , TX
50. Friday, March 18, 2011 Phoenix , AZ
51. Friday, March 18, 2011 Scottsdale , AZ
52. Saturday, March 19, 2011 Tucson , AZ
53. Saturday, March 19, 2011 Globe, AZ
54. Monday, March 21, 2011 Fredonia , AZ
55. Tuesday, March 22, 2011 Las Vegas , NV
56. Wednesday, March 23, 2011 North Las Vegas , NV
57. Thursday, March 24, 2011 Henderson , NV
58. Friday, March 25, 2011 Barstow , CA
59. Monday, March 28, 2011 San Jose , CA
60. Monday, March 28, 2011 Menlo Park , CA
61. Tuesday, March 29, 2011 San Francisco , CA
62. Wednesday, March 30, 2011 Oakland , CA
63. Thursday, March 31, 2011 Modesto , CA
64. Thursday, March 31, 2011 Stockton , CA
65. Friday, April 01, 2011 Sacramento , CA
66. Saturday, April 02, 2011 Reno , NV
67. Tuesday, April 05, 2011 Salt Lake City , UT
68. Tuesday, April 05, 2011 Sandy , UT
69. Friday, April 08, 2011 Genoa, NE Runner-Up ($10,000)
70. Friday, April 08, 2011 Ainsworth, NE Runner-Up ($10,000)
71. Sunday, April 10, 2011 Bloomington , MN
72. Monday, April 11, 2011 St. Paul , MN
73. Tuesday, April 12, 2011 Minneapolis , MN
74. Wednesday, April 13, 2011 Eden Prairie , MN
75. Thursday, April 14, 2011 Minnetonka , MN
76. Friday, April 15, 2011 Duluth , MN
77. Saturday, April 16, 2011 Grand Marais , MI Grand Prize ($40,000)
78. Sunday, April 17, 2011 Muskego , WI
79. Sunday, April 17, 2011 Kohler , WI
80. Sunday, April 17, 2011 Kewaskum , WI
81. Sunday, April 17, 2011 West Bend , WI
82. Monday, April 18, 2011 Milwaukee , WI
83. Tuesday, April 19, 2011 Chicago , IL
84. Wednesday, April 20, 2011 Aurora , IL
85. Thursday, April 21, 2011 Fairbury, IL Second Place ($25,000)
86. Monday, April 25, 2011 Albion, MI Runner-Up ($10,000)
87. Monday, April 25, 2011 St. Johns, MI Runner-Up ($10,000)
88. Tuesday, April 26, 2011 Flint , MI
89. Wednesday, April 27, 2011 Detroit , MI
90. Thursday, April 28, 2011 Allen Park , MI
91. Sunday, May 01, 2011 Berea , OH
92. Tuesday, May 03, 2011 Cleveland , OH
93. Tuesday, May 03, 2011 Euclid , OH
94. Tuesday, May 03, 2011 Mentor, OH
95. Wednesday, May 04, 2011 Ashtabula , OH
96. Saturday, May 07, 2011 Washington , PA
97. Sunday, May 08, 2011 Bethlehem , PA
98. Tuesday, May 10, 2011 Philadelphia , PA
99. Wednesday, May 11, 2011 Boston , MA
100. Thursday, May 12, 2011 Manchester, NH (pop. 100k-249,999) $10,000
About RDA
RDA is a global media and direct marketing company that educates, entertains and connects more than 130 million consumers around the world with products and services from trusted brands. With offices in 44 countries, the company reaches customers in 78 countries, publishes 90 magazines, including 50 editions of Reader's Digest, the world's largest-circulation magazine, operates 83 branded websites and sells nearly 40 million books, music and video products across the world each year. Further information about the company can be found at www.rda.com.
Consequently, I wouldn't recommend further participation.