History of MacDonald's Ranch

Don’t Miss 7^th Annual Summer Fun Contests

Write a Story or Take a Photograph by July 31st

What’s worth preserving in our community? Write about it or photograph it, and don’t miss this opportunity to have your writing or photograph published in The Peak and online. Plus, you’ll win a terrific prize. This year’s prizes include gift cards, tours, t-shirts, and other merchandise donated by the Desert Foothills Land Trust, the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, Southwest Wildlife, Wild At Heart, and the Greater Pinnacle Peak Association. .

The Greater Pinnacle Peak Association (GPPA) and A Peek at the Peak (The Peak) invite you to enter our 7th Annual Summer Fun contests. This summer’s fun features a photography contest and a writing contest, both with adult and youth (under 18) divisions, and separate prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in each division. It’s easy to enter, simply complete the entry form (see advertisements in this issue) and submit it with your entry to The Peak by July 31, 2010.

Recognition and prizes!

All winners will:

Have their entry published in The Peak magazine, and on The Peak’s Web site.
Be recognized in GPPA’s e-Peak Newsletter.
Receive two tickets to Cookout at the Ranch XV, which will be held on Saturday, October 2nd, at MacDonald’s Ranch, north Scottsdale.
Enjoy a tour of Southwest Wildlife and see bobcats, mountain lions, bears, and more!
Receive a 2010 Southwest Wildlife calendar, with each month featuring a beautiful wildlife photograph
Receive a Southwest Wildlife t-shirt

Plus, More Prizes!

Winners will choose from a selection of prizes that include:

Wild At Heart t-shirts.
McDowell Sonoran Conservancy book Focus on Conservation Photography, Preserving Our Desert and Mountains, Enviro Tote Bag, and Bajada Nature Trail T-shirt.
Best Buy Gift Cards. “The Perfect Gift,” redeemable for merchandise and services at any Best Buy retail location or online.
Gift cards and certificates from local restaurants.
AMC Entertainment gift cards, the “recipient's ticket to comedy, action, drama, or even MovieNachos® with a drink. It's Film, Food, and Fun all in one.”

Visit www.ThePeakAZ.org (Contests) to review the updated list.

About Photography Contest

This year, we’ve changed the name of the contest to honor the late Tony Nelssen. Nelssen was a professional photographer, educator, and community activist, who fought to preserve our Sonoran Desert ambiance and western lifestyle. What do you think is worth preserving in our community? Photograph it, complete the entry form (see advertisement for Summer Fun Tony Nelssen Photography Contest in this issue), and send us the form with your photograph. It’s that easy.

Entries must be original photographs taken by the entrant in Scottsdale, Carefree, Cave Creek, Rio/Tonto Verde, or north Phoenix. The minimum photograph size is 4” x 6”. Entries must be submitted by July 31, 2010. The winners will be contacted by August 21, 2010, and their photographs will appear in the September/October issue of The Peak. The winning photographs will also be recognized in e-Peak Newsletter and published on GPPA’s Web site. Selected photos are featured on the cover of The Peak.

ALL valid ENTRIES, including the winning entrants, will be published on GPPA's Images from The Peak Web site, enabling entrants to order prints, t-shirts, cups, and other merchandise bearing the image they submitted. For more information about the Images from The Peak, visit www.gppaaz.org (Book Travel/Shop).

About “Write Stuff Challenge”

Contestants are required to write an original 500- to 1200-word fiction or nonfiction story, essay, or poem about what's worth preserving in our Sonoran Desert community. Is it a critter's habitat? Desert flora, fauna, and vistas? Urban sprawl? Local history? The entry can be humorous, serious, or both. Be creative! Winning entries will be published in The Peak, recognized in e-Peak Newsletter, and published on GPPA's Web site. The winners will be contacted by August 21, 2010, and the first place entry will appear in the September/October issue of The Peak. The second and third place winners will be published in subsequent issues of The Peak, in e-Peak Newsletter, and posted on The Peak’s Web site. Entries will be judged by The Peak’s editorial staff and industry professionals.

Entry Forms

Please see the advertisements for the two contests in this issue of The Peak and submit the appropriate form (s). The entry forms are also available online at www.ThePeakAZ.org (Contests). Entry forms can be sent via mail, fax, or E-mail. They need not be sent with the submission but must be received by the contest submission deadline.

Summer Fun Contest Rules and Submission

Photo Contest Rules

Before you start clicking, carefully review the contest rules below.

A Tony Nelssen Photography Contest Entry Form must be submitted with your photograph (s). The entry form and photograph (s) can be sent separately, e.g. fax the entry form and E-mail the photograph (s).
The photograph and the entry form must be received by the Greater Pinnacle Peak Association (GPPA) by midnight, July 31, 2010.
The photograph must relate to the theme, “What’s Worth Preserving in Our Community.”
The picture must be taken in The Peak’s distribution area (north Scottsdale, Cave Creek, Carefree, north Phoenix, or Rio/Tonto Verde).
The photograph must be an original taken by the person submitting the photo.
Photographs will be judged on quality, composition, aesthetic content, and capturing the theme.
Up to three photographs can be submitted by an entrant. The minimum photo size is 4 x 6 inches.
The style and tone of the photograph (s) should be consistent with photographs that are published in The Peak magazine.
Contestants cannot be members of the GPPA Board of Directors, members of their families, or regular photographic contributors to The Peak. The decision of the judges is final.
GPPA and The Peak magazine reserve the right to edit and publish submissions in the magazine and GPPA’s Web site, www.ThePeakAZ.org.
Winners will select their prizes from the list of available Summer Fun prizes based upon their order of finish, i.e., 1^st place winners select prizes first, 2nd place winners next, etc.

Photo Submission Guidelines

The completed and signed entry form must accompany each photo or group of photos. This entry form should be neatly printed by hand or computer. It can be sent via E-mail, fax, or postal mail and need not be sent with the photograph (s).

Photographs can be sent via E-mail or mail.
E-mailed photographs should be attached to a message identifying the photograph. We prefer that photographs be sent as TIFF, EPS, or Jpg files. Files larger than three megabytes should be submitted on CDs formatted for IBM. If you are submitting a photo (s) taken by a digital camera, higher resolution images are preferred.
Photographs, CDs and other submission materials WILL NOT BE RETURNED UNLESS A PRE-ADDRESSED, STAMPED RETURN ENVELOPE IS INCLUDED is included as part of the submission.
Materials can be submitted by E-mail to thepeak@gppaaz.org or via mail addressed to GPPA Photo Contest, GPPA, 8711 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, #123, Scottsdale, AZ 85255.

Write Stuff Contest Rules

The article, essay, or poem must be original material written by the person submitting the article.
The entry must be from 500 to 1200 words in length.
The entry can be fiction or nonfiction.
The entry should have a title.
The entry can be about anything that relates to our Sonoran Desert community that the author believes should be preserved. Is it a critter's habitat? Desert flora, fauna, and vistas? Urban sprawl? Local history?
Entries will be judged based on creativity, originality, and writing skill. The style and tone of the entry should be consistent with material that is published in A Peek at the Peak magazine. Winners of previous contests are posted on our Web site.
The author must be age 13 or older.
Contestants cannot be members of the GPPA Board of Directors, members of their respective families, or regular contributors to The Peak. The decision of the judges is final.
GPPA and A Peek at the Peak magazine reserve the right to edit and publish the submitted entry in the magazine and GPPA's Web site, www.ThePeakAZ.org.
Winners will select from the list of available Summer Fun Prizes. First place winners select prizes first, second place winners next, etc.

Write Stuff Submission Guidelines

A completed and signed entry form must accompany each submission. This entry form should be neatly printed by hand or computer. It can be sent via E-mail, fax, or postal mail and need not be sent with the photograph (s).
The name and phone number of the contestant should be written on the first page of the entry, i.e. article.
Entries can be sent via E-mail, mail, or fax.
E-mailed entries can be sent as attachments and be MS Word or WordPerfect files. The text of an entry can be pasted into the E-mail message.
Mailed and faxed entries should be neatly printed by hand or computer.
The inclusion of up to two photographs, illustrations, or graphics in the article is optional. If these items are included, the author may include a brief caption for each item. We prefer that these items be sent in TIF and EPS, or Jpg file formats. Jpg files, with very high resolution, can be submitted on CDs or a 3.5-inch computer disc formatted for IBM.
You can submit material by E-mail to thepeak@gppaaz.org or fax to (480) 585-1720. Materials can also be mailed to The Peak, 8711 E. Pinnacle Peak Road, #123, Scottsdale, AZ 85255.

For Additional Information

Web: www.ThePeakAZ.org (contest rules, entry forms, results of previous contests, Images from The Peak Web site)

E-mail: thepeak@ThePeakAZ.org (inquiries)

Fax: (480) 585-1720