If you are age 60 or older, residing in Highlands/Hardee County, and your life has been positively affected by an organization that helps you, we want to hear your story! There is no word limit. Just send your story to NU-HOPE Elder Care Services no later than May 10, 2021.
See below for the complete rules.
Purpose
Our world has 7.8 billion people, with 328 million individuals living in the United States. Florida, alone, has 22 million people. Locally, Highlands and Hardee County is home to over 130,000 residents.
Strangely, the larger the group, the easier it is to feel alone. And yet, we are not alone.
We know that our community is filled with people who touch other people’s lives.
Over the years, many seniors have told us that the services provided by NU-HOPE has given their lives new meaning and allowed them to safely remain in their own homes. There are also hundreds of other organizations in our community that are dedicated to assisting others. These organizations change lives every day.
We want to hear your stories… stories about your life and these organizations. We want to learn about the challenges you face and the partners who help you to face these challenges. We want to see real life- what it is like to live in our community- as seen through the eyes of our most important residents… seniors!
Contest Rules
Topic
“How receiving assistance from NU-HOPE Elder Care Services (or other organizations) has affected my life.”
Contestant qualifications
Each entry should be written by a senior, age 60 or greater residing in Highlands or Hardee County, Florida.
Individuals who are not able to physically write the essay may dictate the essay to another person. However, all words, organization of the essay, and sentence structure must be written exactly as instructed by the senior.
Content
The essay must be original and not borrow from any other source. The essay should answer the following questions:
- What was my life like before I received assistance?
2. How was I helped by NU-HOPE Elder Care Services (or other assistance organization)? What service or assistance did I receive? What else did they do that affected me directly or indirectly?
3. How has this affected or changed my life? How is my life different because of them and what does this means to me?
Deadline
Essays accepted from April 26- May 10, 2021.
Winners will be announced on or about May 17, 2021.
Submission Process
Entries may be submitted via traditional mail, email, or dropped off in person and will be accepted from April 26-May 10, 2021 (4:30 pm).
The address for mailing or dropping off in person is:
NU-HOPE Elder Care Services, Inc.
3530 Office Park Road
Sebring, FL 33870
(located behind Dunkin Donuts. Office hours are 8-5 pm. Monday through Friday)
Emailed submissions may be sent to Carol Stoll, Administrative Assistant at StollC@www.nuhopeeldercare.org. Please state “Essay Contest” in the subject line of the email.
Prize
One overall winner for each county will win a $100 VISA gift card. In addition, up to 5 additional finalists may be selected.
Length
There is no length requirements. However, essays should only be as long as needed to answer the above questions.
Format
Only written submissions will be considered. Essays may be handwritten, typed, or printed from a computer. Submissions should be legible. In cases of handwritten essays, every effort will be made to interpret the writing of the submission. However, judges will not contact contestants directly to seek clarification prior to judging and will not be responsible for any misinterpretation of the handwritten submission.
Identification
Each essay must include the following identifying information:
Contestant Name
Address
Phone Number
(Email: Optional)
Name of the Organization that provided assistance.
Selection Criteria
Each entry will be judged on the criteria below.
Contestants should:
• Answer each of the three sections of the essay question.
• Include a personal/emotional connection.
• Demonstrate a physical, financial, and/or emotional impact of the organization on their life.
Use of Submissions/Release of Liability
By submitting to this contest, all contestants grant permission for their essay (in whole or in part) to be published and/or displayed on a public Internet website and social media, as well as in other formats including, but not limited to: newspaper articles, media releases, organizational brochures/flyers and advertisements or to be otherwise used by NU-HOPE Elder Care Services without further compensation and hold NU-HOPE Elder Care Services harmless for such use of the submission.