GAIA Mercedes Raffle - Official Rules
Volunteers, Trustees and employees of GAIA are eligible to enter the contest and win the Raffle. GAIA officers are ineligible for the raffle. Only official opportunity drawing tickets will be drawn. No facsimiles permitted. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply. Winner must be 18 years of age by day of raffle drawing, currently licensed to operate an automobile and must present evidence of adequate insurance before vehicle delivery. Winner may be required to complete an affidavit of eligibility/publicity release which must be returned within 14 days of notification or an alternative winner will be selected. All reasonable efforts shall be made to deliver the Donated Vehicle within sixty (60) days after receipt of the aforementioned items/information. Prizes are non-transferable, and no substitutions on the prize (except that GAIA and/or Mercedes reserve the right to substitute prizes of equal or greater value). No conversion to cash privilege. Winner is responsible for taxes, license, title, registration and/or similar fees associated with receiving the prize. Restrictions may apply. For more information and details, please visit GAIA's website at www.thegaia.org.

Description of Raffle
1) GAIA, the sponsor of this raffle, is offering the opportunity to become eligible for a drawing to win five prizes. First prize is a new 2009 Mercedes C300, second prize is a Gift Certificate worth $500 at Paradise Foods, third prize is a Gift Certificate worth $250 at Paradise Foods, fourth prize is a Gift Certificate worth $100 at Paradise Foods and fifth prize is a Gift Certificate worth $50 at Paradise Foods. There will be 500 raffle tickets sold for $100 each. The proceeds benefit GAIA, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. The purchase of the ticket is not tax-deductible as a charitable contribution. GAIA is a nonprofit registered with the California Attorney General's office and is authorized to conduct raffles in California, pursuant to the provisions of Penal Code section 320.5.

2) Raffle tickets may be purchased until the earlier of the sale of 500 tickets or December 31, 2009 at 1:00 p.m. The winners will be chosen by random drawing from the pool of all entrants. Only one ticket will be drawn per prize. Winners will be announced on site. Entrants need not be present to win. Winning ticket numbers will be displayed at GAIA's Larkspur office.

3) Tickets will be sold at locations determined to be appropriate by GAIA. Tickets may be purchased with cash, personal check, or money order. Please make checks payable to GAIA. In addition, GAIA and its employees, Board members and others will sell tickets at other locations as appropriate.

4) You will be asked to complete IRS Form W-9, prior to the release of the prize.

5) GAIA will promote raffle on GAIA's Web site, local events, and all other applicable areas-subject to change.


Eligibility and Limitations

This raffle is only open to U.S. Residents at least 18 years of age by day of raffle drawing, and is void where prohibited or restricted by law and is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. This raffle shall be governed by the law of the State of California, and the Official Rules are subject to change at any time without notice. GAIA shall make all decisions related to the raffle in its sole discretion. By participating, you agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of GAIA and waive any right to claim ambiguity in the raffle operation or Official Rules.

1) By participating in the raffle, you agree to release and hold GAIA and its trustees, officers, employees and agents, harmless from any and all losses, damages, rights, claims, and actions of any kind in connection with the raffle, including from your winning or use of any prize. GAIA makes no representations or warranties, expressed or implied, about the raffle or any prizes awarded.

2) Any or all of your entries will be disqualified at the sole discretion of GAIA if you attempt: (a) to enter the raffle through any means other than as described in these Official Rules; or (b) to disrupt the raffle, circumvent the terms and conditions of these Official Rules, or in any way tamper with the raffle. If either of the above occurs, GAIA has the right to remedy any such action, disruption, or circumvention, and to seek damages from you to the fullest extent permitted by law.

3) GAIA is not responsible for error, omission, interruptions, deletion, defect, delay in operations, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations of entry materials, or for malfunctions of any kind, or inaccurate or failure to receive entry information or any combination thereof. GAIA is not responsible for any entries that are late, misdirected, incomplete, or altered. GAIA reserves the right to cancel the raffle if the registration process and/or raffle become corrupted.

4) GAIA cannot give advice with regard to income tax consequences or deductibility with respect to the raffle ticket purchases or the raffle winner.

5) GAIA employees, volunteers and Board members are eligible to enter contest and win the Raffle with the exception of GAIA corporate officers, who are ineligible to enter the contest.

6) Mercedes shall not have any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any property loss, damage, personal injury, or death, in connection with the prize provided pursuant to the Contest; provided, however, that Mercedes shall be solely responsible for any express written limited warranties specifically set forth in the applicable Owner's Guide for the Vehicle.

7) The depiction of the prize vehicle in any advertising or promotional materials may not reflect the actual vehicle delivered to the winner (and GAIA shall use its best efforts to place said disclaimer on all applicable vehicle displays and other advertising or promotional materials depicting the Donated Vehicle to be awarded).

8) The IRS has taken the position that amounts paid for chances in raffles, lotteries or similar drawings for valuable prizes are not gifts, and consequently do not qualify as deductible charitable contributions.

Awarding of Prizes

1) Winners will be announced 5 days after the 500th ticket is sold or not later than December 31, 2009. In the event that a winner is not in attendance, the winner will be notified via the electronic mail address, phone number or address provided to GAIA on the raffle ticket. Mercedes winner is responsible for all associated fees which include but may not be limited to Federal, State & Local taxes and license fees.

2) Mercedes may elect, at its sole discretion, to substitute a 2010 or later model vehicle of equal or greater value for the C300.

3) To claim the prize, winners may be obligated to submit an affidavit of eligibility and compliance with the Official rules of the raffle. The winner will be required to arrange to pick up their prize from Mercedes. The winner will be required to provide proof of identity and will be responsible for all taxes, license fees, and dealer documentation fees.

4) If a winner does not respond within ten (10) days, GAIA will make one additional attempt to notify the winner. Failure to respond within 10 days of the second attempt will constitute a forfeiture of the prize, and a new winner will be selected at random.

5) GAIA is not responsible for any delays or obstacles in notification due to (a) erroneous contact information; (b) any outage or delay in Internet service or access; or (c) any other circumstances which may delay or prevent a winner from receiving the first or second notification.

6) Mercedes and/or GAIA shall not be responsible for delays in delivery of the vehicle, and delivery is subject to availability. However, all reasonable efforts shall be made, subject to availability to deliver the Vehicle within sixty (60) days after receipt of the aforementioned items/information. The winner shall bear all risk of loss or damage to the Vehicle after it has been delivered to the specified delivery site. The winner must personally retrieve the Vehicle within 14 days of written notification of delivery and must present adequate personal identification and evidence of legally required insurance (or an alternative winner shall be selected and the original winner's rights to the Vehicle shall be automatically forfeited).

7) Acceptance of a prize constitutes permission for GAIA and Mercedes and/or their designees to use the winner's name, address, photograph, testimonial or other likeness and/or prize information or personal exposition (and/or any edited portion thereof) for promotional, advertising and/or publicity purposes in any media, now or hereafter known throughout the world in perpetuity, without compensation or notice to, or further consent of, the winner to the extent permitted by law.