So the good news is that main winner Ronald Prokes has finally received his Prize Package - after a somewhat fraught and complicated journey. I was almost at the point of re-drawing the Grand Prize as I had not managed to get through to Ronald for the best part of a month. I persevered though, and contact was finally made just in time. Several readers / followers had gotten their hopes up that there would be another draw for the Grand Prize - but fortunately for me, and Ronald of course - that did not need to happen.
Once I had the address details and had shipped the packages - I thought that the complicated part was over, but then it really was touch and go that Ronald would actually receive his package. In fact at one stage I received a tracking note from USPS which said that the packages was about to be returned to sender!
This really highlights the difficulty of delivering packages into secure apartment complexes / blocks / buildings - as there’s a lot that the couriers need to navigate. To add to the complexity - Ronald was rarely at home during that period, and the regional USPS Sorting Office seemed to be initially unwilling to deliver the package into a local post-office for pickup. While Ronald patiently persevered too - and as evidenced by the above picture - finally got his hands on his Prize!
A further sting in the tail though was that another apartment complex delivery for one of the runner-up prizes somehow failed - probably for similar reasons that almost scuppered the Grand Prize. So the package sent to Christopher Bennet ended up back on my doorstep - around a month after it was shipped out!
The Give-Away was generally well received - with entrants from Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, The Netherlands, Puerto Rico, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and The United States.
The largest numbers of entrants came from the USA (36%), followed by the UK (27%), France (7%), Australia (5.5%), Germany (5.5%) and Canada (3.7%). Winners were randomly drawn by Random.Org - and per statistical deviation and laws of averages those winners seem rather skewed towards one county in particular - but that’s how Random often works! It would have been more convenient for me had the winners been drawn slightly closer to home - but I’m delighted that I could reach into people’s lives so far and wide! I have loyal followings in most countries now - so some of the countries missing from the list of entrants also seems a little odd!
These are the Winners therefor in the order they were drawn :
None of that quartet was known to me before the winners were announced, and I don't believe any of them have commented on GPX previously - in fact only Zac has a registered user account on the the site!
I've still to decide what to do about Chris Bennet's returned package - I'm kind of waiting on him to contact me for further follow-up.
I do believe we have a worthy winner here - and that special edition of ThorpyFX Heavy Water has found its way to a deserving home!
As Ronald wrote to me :
"Hey Stefan,
Just wanted to let you know that I finally picked up the package from the post office two days ago.
And never has a pedal gone on my board as quickly as the Heavy Water! I'm at a loss for words honestly!
It perfectly fits my playing style and the sonic gap I had on my board for a while. It sounds great through my tube amp as well as my small solid state Fender Bronco. It adds so much and is so intuitive to use. Not to mention the special edition Pedal X etching looks so good!
All just to say: thanks so much again for the prize and the sweet Pedal X trucker cap and pick! I feel very fortunate! Here's to many more years of Pedal X!!!
Hope you have a great day!
Ronald"
So a hearty congratulations to all the Winners, and thanks to everyone who participated!