1. No purchase required
To enter, visit an Olive Garden restaurant and pick up an official entry form or enter online at the Olive Garden Web site: www.OliveGarden.com/company/community/pasta_tales.asp. Complete the entry form and write an essay answering the question. Essay must be handwritten neatly, typed or computer printed and cannot be less than 50 words or more than 250 words. Entries must include entrant’s name, complete address and zip code, phone number with area code, date of birth, age, grade and signed statement (that work is original and the entrant’s own) on top of the essay, or attach essay to this completed entry form and mail by first class mail, postage affixed, to: Pasta Tales PMB 2000, 6278 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308-1916. Mailed entries must be postmarked no earlier than October 19, 2009 and no later than December 11, 2009 and received by December 18, 2009. Online entries must be received by December 11, 2009. Limit one entry per person. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, damaged, misdirected, illegible, incomplete, stolen or postage due mail or entries. All entries become the property of the sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.

2. Judging
Essays must be original and cannot have been previously published or submitted in any other competition. Essays will be accepted in 12 categories by grade, specifically grades 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 through December 11, 2009. Judging will be based on content, essay development/organization, relevance to theme, creativity/originality and grammar. In case of a tie, tied essays will be judged on the essay development (50%) and relevance to the theme (50%). Judging will be conducted by college professors and English teachers in conjunction with, and under the supervision of, Olive Garden. The decision of the judges is final and binding in all matters relating to the contest. By entering, participants and their parents/legal guardian agree to these official rules. No response will be made to any inquiries regarding any aspect of this contest.

3. Prizes
One grand prize will be awarded for the best essay. The grand prize is a trip to New York City for winner and three other persons for dinner at the Olive Garden restaurant in Times Square, consisting of round trip coach air travel from a major airport nearest winner’s residence, three days and two nights standard hotel accommodations and a savings bond of $2,500 at maturity. Approximate retail value $5,000. All other meals, ground transportation and expenses not specifically stated are the sole responsibility of the winner. Trip must be taken within one year of date of prize award and booked at least 30 days prior to departure date. Blackout periods and travel/accommodation restrictions may apply. Minors must travel with parent/legal guardian. Twelve first-place prizes, one awarded in each grade category, will consist of a savings bond of $500 at maturity and dinner for four at an Olive Garden restaurant nearest winner’s residence. Approximate retail value $350 per prize.

4. Eligibility
Contest open to legal residents in grades 1-12 through December 11, 2009. Employees (and their immediate families and those living in their same households) of GMRI, Inc. d/b/a Olive Garden and any of its parents, subsidiaries, advertising and promotion agencies are not eligible.

5. General Conditions
Prizes will be awarded to winner in the name of the winner’s parent/legal guardian except savings bond, which will be in the name of the child. Winners (and winner’s parent/legal guardian) will be required to sign and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability Release, where lawful, a publicity release and an assignment of all rights, title and interest in and to the winning essay, including copyright and moral rights, worldwide. These documents must be properly executed within (14) days of notification or prize will be forfeited and an alternate winner will be selected. Grand prize winner’s traveling companions must sign and return a liability release and a publicity release (and if traveling companion is a minor, the releases must be signed by that minor’s parent/legal guardian) prior to issuance of travel documents. By accepting the prize, winners (and winner’s parent/legal guardian) release and discharge, and agree to hold harmless, the GMRI, Inc. d/b/a Olive Garden, its parent, subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising and promotion agencies and all of their respective employees, officers, directors, representatives and agents from any and all liability or damage due in whole or part from the acceptance, possession, use or misuse of a prize, or participation in this contest. Contest void where prohibited. Prize may not be transferred or substituted for a prize of equal or lesser value. All taxes are solely the responsibility of the winner. By accepting prize, winner (and winner’s parent/legal guardian) agree, where lawful, that Olive Garden may use winner’s name, likeness, biographical information, voice and statements attributed to winner (if truthful) for advertising and promotional purposes without additional consideration.

6. For names of winners, send a self-addressed stamped envelope for receipt by December 18, 2009 to: Pasta Tales, Pierson Grant Public Relations, 6301 NW 5th Way, Suite 2600, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309, or visit www.OliveGarden.com in May 2010.