When my husband and I launched the Rock Spring Farm Essay Contest March 2015, we honestly had no idea where the path would lead; we still don’t. We knew of several “successful” real estate essay contests, but we also knew of many more that had not been successful. Even the storied Center Lovell Inn had experienced an unsuccessful essay contest a decade ago. Yet, it was the Center Lovell Inn that encouraged my husband’s acceptance of what he had considered another of my hare-brained ideas.
I remember when Bil Mosca and his wife, the original owners of the Center Lovell Inn Bed and Breakfast and Restaurant, held their essay contest in 1993. The novelty of the contest drew lots of local, regional, and national media attention. Janice Sage, who then was Janice Cox and married to Richard Cox, paid the $100 entry fee and submitted the winning 200-word essay. Nine years later, before Facebook and online social media, in fact, before the Internet had a strong hold on the American public, the couple sponsored a second Center Lovell Inn Essay Contest albeit an unsuccessful one. Fast forward to March 2015 and the Center Lovell Inn Essay Contest once again was making news. It was that round of media attention that persuaded my husband my plan had merit.
For almost a year I had tried talking with my husband about selling our farm. He would become quite agitated and angry when I broached the subject. He denied what was quite apparent to me – an aging body no longer could maintain the farm in the pristine condition it had been for 20 years. The grass is a bit taller now when he cuts it than he ever allowed it to grow a few years ago. The flower beds aren’t quite as colorful as they were when he and I first met. The broken fence boards hang another week or so before he fixes them. We don’t drive the horses as often as we used to, and mucking the stalls has become a chore. It is painful to watch him watch his baby, his pride and joy, and his labor of love languish.
He and his late wife, Margie, bought the property in 1995 and built their home in 1996. Randy used some of the lumber from the old farm house to fashion beams and mantles for the new house. He used more of the lumber to build out the barn. Where once had stood a shell of a barn now stands a barn with five stalls, a tack room, and a feed room. The staircase from the old house now leads to a loft, and an old hand-shaved door now is the door for the closet that stores our horses’ grooming supplies. The fields that once produced wheat and barley now are pastures for the horses. Randy pounded every fence post into the ground and nailed every fence board to those posts. He created four pastures and a paddock and ran water to all but one field. He built an equipment barn, a carriage barn, a workshop, and a run-in for the horses. He built a two-bedroom cottage with the idea of operating a bed and barn – overnight accommodations for horse people – and their horses – traveling from one event to the next. Plans change.
I searched online for a local real estate agent who specializes in selling properties like ours. I found one I thought was suitable. He never toured the property because Randy was adamant, “We aren’t selling the farm!” The thought of strangers traipsing through the house, wandering about the farm, and nitpicking every flaw was too much for him to consider. Beloved horses and dogs that have crossed the Rainbow Bridge are buried on the farm; his wife’s ashes are buried here, and Randy had expected that he, too, would die and be buried here.
The essay contest had piqued his interest. Maybe it was a better alternative to the traditional real estate sign posted alongside the road. Perhaps the essay contest would appeal to people who would love the farm as much as we do – as much as Margie did. I saw it almost immediately – a sparkle in his eye, a brisker pace – an acceptance that life would go on without Rock Spring Farm. He and I would start a new journey, and we launched the Rock Spring Farm Essay Contest.
Although some real estate essay contests have been successful, we felt as if we were cruising uncharted waters. Fortunately, we had access to the Center Lovell Inn Essay Contest documents. I wrote asking for permission to use them, but I didn’t hear back. I contacted Mike Menefee, program manager, Charitable and Regulatory Programs, Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. He suggested contacting the county’s commonwealth attorney. No problem – a former commonwealth attorney plans to enter the contest, so full speed ahead!
We debated details. How much should we charge as an entry fee? We settled upon $200 because it would require fewer entries and generate enough money for us to pay the remaining mortgage, buy a retirement home, pay Uncle Sam a huge chunk of money, and establish college funds for our four grandsons. Plus, the odds of submitting a winning essay would be greater than if we charged a lesser fee, but required more entries. We also settled on a longer essay. The writer in me could not imagine saying all I know I would want to say in a mere 200 words, so we set 1,000 as the limit. We figured our parameters were a win-win.
The 2015 Center Lovell Inn Essay Contest once again has spawned many copycat contests. In addition to our contest, I know of six running concurrently throughout the United States. Each is alike, but each has its own special twist. I monitor the traffic and posts on Facebook. More than 99 percent of the comments are supportive; a few are unkind, even fewer are downright cruel. The June 6 private announcement of the Center Lovell Inn contest winner has unleashed a fury of comments hinting that Janice Sage was negligent in not telling participants that the winner would be assessed federal and state taxes. Others have called the contest a scam because posts have been deleted and she has not yet revealed the names of the winner and the first and second runner ups. There even have been complaints that she ignored the essays of those who submitted them early. Personally, I believe the writers of those posts are sore losers. The contest rules were posted and are matter of fact. Our rules are very similar.
Randy and I have tried to be as transparent as possible with our contest. We have responded to each of the posts, (I apologize if we missed any), and we have consistently said we are not accountants, tax attorneys, or real estate attorneys, so PLEASE contact YOUR tax professionals to discern the impact of state and federal income taxes, transfer fees, and other expenses. We honestly do not know what that impact will be for the winner or for us. We have not been able to meet with our accountant; we hope to do so within the next month. I posted information in Google Docs that I found on the Web regarding the tax hit. We also have amended the contest rules as people have commented and made requests that were thoughtful and sensible. As I said, this contest is uncharted waters for us, and we are learning as we go along. We TRULY appreciate your input and your feedback, and we so enjoy reading your Facebook comments and your essays.
I want to avoid the chaos the Center Lovell Inn Essay Contest is experiencing now that the contest has ended. I want to reiterate in this post how the contest is being run and what you can expect.
1. We intend to respond to every post that needs a response.
2. We will not respond to bitterness, nastiness, unkindness, and cruelty.
3. We will read every essay more than once. We most likely will read every essay several times – as we have done already with the ones we have received. It is a very, very difficult task. We had no idea when we launched this endeavor just how difficult it would be to narrow the selections. Every essay is heartfelt and deserving. We comment to each other that we only can imagine the angst we will feel when the time comes to select 25 finalists. We are glad we will not be the ones making the final selection. This conundrum is the reason we hope most of you will submit your essays well ahead of the deadline. Randy and I want to read and reflect on each of the essays without feeling hurried or pressured to meet the deadline. We want to be respectful of the energy and money you have invested. We also want to be respectful of the judges. We want them to have plenty of time to read and reflect. The decisions we face are monumental and forever will change the life of the winner. Please understand we feel a great sense of duty, honor, and responsibility to each of you.
4. Because of legal matters, the essay contest must be based on skill. For that reason, I posted a rubric on Google Docs. We will weigh content, grammar, usage, punctuation, etc. We also will factor in the “heart” of an essay. Which ones grab and tug our heart strings. I couldn’t list the “heart” criteria on the rubric, because I don’t know what they will be, but Randy and I will know it – we will feel it; the essays will speak to us. The winning essay just might have spelling errors or punctuation errors, but it will have captured five hearts and spoken to us in a manner that sets it apart from the others. I pray every day for wisdom, guidance, and discernment.
5. As noted, Randy and I will select 25 finalists and pass those essays along to our judges. At that point, the trustee will notify the 25 finalists. We will ask those who make the top 25 to keep their selections confidential, and we will invite them to contact us via e-mail with questions about the property. Once the judges have selected a winner and two runners-up, we will contact the top three and post the 25 entry numbers in no particular order.
6. After the winner has acknowledged in writing his or her intent to accept the property, we will announce the names of the finalists, including the winner. However, if for any reason the winner decides not to accept the property, we will repeat the process with the first runner-up.
7. The three judges are our friends. One is a horse enthusiast; one is an educator; and one is a hobby farmer. We had difficulty finding judges because people we asked either intended to enter the contest themselves, or they have family members who intended to enter. It would not be ethical for them to be judging their own essays, or those of their family members, if those essays happen to make the top 25.
8. Integrity and honesty are important to Randy and me. If one no longer has those traits, then the person threw them away; no one stole them. Therefore, Randy and I pledge to you that your essays will remain anonymous, hence the trustee and entry numbers. We do not want to know who wrote the essays. We do not want this contest tainted with the hint of impropriety. Please refrain from including identifying information in your essays. Yes, you may include pictures – as long as we cannot identify the people in the photos! First names are fine (although pseudonyms would be better). If we know you, use pseudonyms! Please remain anonymous.
I know this post is lengthy, but I feel it is necessary commentary. If you are the praying type, please keep Randy, the judges, and me in your prayers; pray that we are enlightened and have open minds and hearts. Pray for the winner of the contest that he or she will be good stewards, and pray the other contestants will feel blessed and thankful they were able to march in the direction of their dreams.
