Official Contest Rules & Terms

These rules apply to all contests, sweepstakes, ballots, and promotional campaigns conducted by Grand Rapids Kids LC unless otherwise specified in contest-specific terms.

General Eligibility

Age and Residency Requirements:

  • Participants must be 18 years of age or older
  • Participants must be legal residents of Michigan (unless otherwise specified)
  • Proof of age and residency may be required

Prohibited Participants:

  • Employees of Grand Rapids Kids LC, its parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries, advertising sponsors, promotional agencies, and their immediate family members are not eligible
  • “Immediate family members” include spouses, domestic partners, parents, siblings, children, and any individual living in the same household as an employee or contractor

Entry and Participation

Entry Requirements:

  • No purchase necessary to enter or vote
  • Limit one (1) entry or vote per person and per mailing address (unless otherwise specified)
  • Participants must provide accurate, complete, and truthful information
  • Votes from outside Michigan are not eligible (unless otherwise specified)

Prohibited Activities: Any of the following activities will result in immediate disqualification:

  • Use of bots, scripts, macros, automation tools, or artificial intelligence
  • Creation of fake, duplicate, or multiple accounts
  • Vote trading, vote-for-vote arrangements, or coordinated voting schemes
  • Use of VPNs, proxy servers, or other methods to bypass voting limitations
  • Voting on behalf of others or soliciting others to vote inappropriately
  • Mass voting from the same IP address or device
  • Providing false, misleading, or fraudulent information
  • Any attempt to manipulate, exploit, or undermine contest integrity

Contest Administration

Our Authority:

  • Grand Rapids Kids LC reserves the sole right to determine eligibility for all contests
  • We may accept, decline, or remove any participant at any time, with or without notice, for any reason
  • All decisions regarding rule compliance are made at our sole discretion and are final
  • We do not investigate complaints between contestants or adjudicate disputes

Monitoring and Enforcement:

  • We actively monitor for vote manipulation and abuse using proprietary detection systems
  • Our detection methods and thresholds are confidential and will not be disclosed
  • We may take action based on reasonable suspicion or patterns of irregularities
  • Proof beyond a reasonable doubt is not required for enforcement actions

Identity Verification:

  • Grand Rapids Kids LC reserves the right to verify the identity, residency, or eligibility of any participant at any time
  • Verification may include confirmation of address, email ownership, or other reasonable documentation
  • Failure to provide requested verification may result in disqualification

Prizes and Awards

Prize Terms:

  • Prizes have no cash value, are non-transferable, and are awarded “as-is” with no warranty, express or implied
  • Prizes may not be substituted or exchanged for cash unless otherwise explicitly stated
  • Winners must claim prizes within 48 hours of notification (unless otherwise specified)
  • If a winner cannot be contacted or fails to claim their prize, an alternate winner may be selected

Tax Obligations:

  • If a prize exceeds $600 in retail value, the recipient must complete an IRS Form W-9
  • All local, state, and federal taxes are the responsibility of the winner

Brand and Promotional Rights

Use of Participant Information:

  • By entering, each participant grants Grand Rapids Kids LC the irrevocable, royalty-free right to use their name, city, photograph, likeness, biographical information, and any quotes provided for promotional purposes
  • This includes use in any media now known or hereafter developed, without further compensation or approval
  • Grand Rapids Kids LC may use collected information for marketing or promotional purposes

Award Representation (For Contest Winners):

  • Winners may receive digital badges and promotional materials to advertise their award
  • All promotional materials must include the award year (e.g., “Top Doctor 2025”)
  • Past winners must include the year of their award to avoid confusion
  • Only the current year’s winner may use titles without year designation
  • Once the calendar year changes, all winners must include the year in their claims
  • No unauthorized use of Grand Rapids Kids LC’s logo is permitted in print ads, digital graphics, websites, flyers, or other promotional materials

Award Revocation:

  • If an award is revoked for any reason, the participant must immediately remove all mentions of Grand Rapids Kids LC, the contest, and any related awards from their place of business, website, social media accounts, and all other locations
  • Grand Rapids Kids LC reserves the right to require corrections at any time

Contest Modifications and Cancellations

Right to Modify or Cancel:

  • Grand Rapids Kids LC reserves the right to cancel, suspend, or modify any contest if fraud, technical failures, or any other factor beyond its control impairs the integrity of the contest
  • We may update these rules at any time, with or without notice
  • Material changes will be communicated by email or notice on our website
  • Rules may be enforced retroactively when manipulation or abuse is discovered

Participation Agreement

By participating in any Grand Rapids Kids LC contest, participants agree to:

  • Abide by these terms and all contest-specific rules
  • Accept that all decisions are final and made at our sole discretion
  • Waive any right to prior approval of corrections or clarifications we may publish
  • Not interfere with or attempt to suppress any corrections or explanatory notices

Withdrawal:

  • Participants may withdraw from contests by emailing win@grkids.com
  • Withdrawal does not void any obligations or protections outlined in these rules
  • All terms remain enforceable regardless of withdrawal status

Liability and Legal Terms

Limitation of Liability:

  • Participants waive any claim to damages related to entry, exclusion, outcomes, or use of awards
  • Participants release Grand Rapids Kids LC from any liability related to participation or prizes
  • Grand Rapids Kids LC’s total liability shall not exceed the value of the prize awarded

Indemnification:

  • Participants agree to indemnify and hold harmless Grand Rapids Kids LC from any claims arising from their participation or rule violations

Governing Law:

  • These rules are governed by Michigan law
  • Any disputes shall be resolved in Kent County, Michigan courts

Contact Information

For questions about these rules or to withdraw from contests: Email: win@grkids.com

For reporting suspected rule violations: Use the same email address. Note: We do not investigate complaints between contestants.

Important: Contest-specific rules may contain additional terms or exceptions to these general rules. Always review the specific rules for each contest you enter.

Last updated: August 2025