THE BRIDGESTONE MARK MESSIER YOUTH LEADERSHIP AWARD GUIDELINES

The Bridgestone Mark Messier Youth Leadership Award (“Award”) will be presented by Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations (“Bridgestone”) to an individual who through his or her actions, life experiences or other activities has demonstrated leadership characteristics relating to young people mirroring those characteristics for which Mark Messier is known.

ELIGIBILITY.
Nominator:   
To be eligible to nominate an individual for the Award, you must be a legal resident of the 50 United States and District of Columbia (“United States”) or of Canada, of the legal age of majority in your state, province or territory of residence.  Employees and members of their immediate family of Bridgestone Americas Tire Operations, Bridgestone Canada Inc. and their subsidiary and affiliated companies are not eligible. 

Nominee:   
A nominee must be a legal resident of the United States or Canada involved in amateur hockey as a player, coach, volunteer, official, referee , administrator, mentor or other manner who meets the criteria specified in the NOMINATION PROCEDURE paragraph below.  Individuals currently employed in any way in professional or semi-professional hockey are not eligible.

NOMINATION PROCEDURE.
To Nominate an eligible individual for the Award, complete the Award Nominating Form, provide the required personal information for the Nominator and the Nominee and in 250 words or less enter an essay as to why your Nominee should receive the Award. The essay should state why the Nominee meets any or all of the following criteria:  (1) has overcome adversity in achieving their personal goals or dreams;  (2) has promoted community service by advocating youth sports, excellence in academics  for young athletes; or has enabled underprivileged youth to partake in sports; (3) has made a significant difference in the lives of young athletes in one or more roles as a coach, official, administrator, mentor, sponsor, booster or any other capacity.  Completed Nominations may be submitted starting 12:01 AM, ET, March 1, 2010 and must be received by 11:59 PM, ET, April 23, 2010.  Limit of one Nomination per Nominator or email address. 

DETERMINATION OF WINNER.
All entries will be reviewed and judged on by a judging panel which will select the three entries with the highest scores on the basis of the stated criteria.  The top three entries then will be reviewed and judged by Mark Messier who will select the winner of the Award, subject to verification of eligibility of the winner and the Nominator.  Judging will be completed no later than May 15, 2010.  The individual Nominee selected (and the individual who submitted the Nominee’s name) will be notified by telephone and each will be required within a specified time to complete, sign and return documents attesting to their eligibility under these guidelines, their agreement to these guidelines, a liability and publicity release and, in the case of the Nominee, an acceptance of the Award and an agreement to participate in the Award presentation ceremony during the 2010 National Hockey League (”NHL”) Stanley Cup finals.  Failure to timely execute and return the documents requested by both the Nominator and Nominee or the inability to timely contact either may cause the Award to be forfeited, at the sole discretion of Bridgestone, and presented to the Nominee with the next highest score who will be subject to the same notification and verification procedure.

AWARD
The Award consists of a suitable plaque or document evidencing the Award and the payment of US$5000 to the selected Nominee, which payment will be made as a college or other scholarship or cash, at the sole discretion of Bridgestone.   The Award will be presented to the winner by Mark Messier at a luncheon during the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Final.  The winner will receive a trip for the winner and a guest to the city hosting the third game of the Final consisting of round trip air from a major airport near winner’s residence (or other travel as determined by Bridgestone), double hotel room for two days/two nights, two tickets to the third game of the Final and US$500 for transfers, meals and other expenses.  Winner will be required to participate in any media event relating to the Award.   If the Award winner is not of the age of majority in jurisdiction of residence (a “minor”), the guest must be winner’s parent or legal guardian.  Guest or if guest is a minor, parent or legal guardian, will be required to timely sign and return a travel and publicity release.  Winner and guest must travel on same itinerary on dates and times approved by Bridgestone. Winner is responsible for all expenses not specified relating to the acceptance of the Award and the taking of the Award trip including any tax liability.     

GENERAL CONDITIONS.
By submitting a nomination or by accepting the Award (as applicable), individuals agree (a) to these guidelines and the decisions of the judges and Bridgestone; (b) to release and hold harmless and without liability Bridgestone, the NHL and their respective affiliates, directors and employees, and Mark Messier for any and all liability for any claims, damages, injuries or losses of any kind (including infringement of privacy or publicity rights) resulting in any manner from their participation in the Award process and, in the case of the Award winner, the acceptance of the Award;  (c) that the submitted essay is solely the work of each  Nominator and does not contain any material infringing upon the rights of any third party; (d) that each Nominator irrevocably assigns and transfers to Bridgestone all property and moral rights to the essay submitted, with the unlimited right to use or edit the essay in any manner and in all media without  compensation or consent.  Bridgestone, NHL and their agents are not responsible for (i) late, lost or misdirected submissions or mail, (ii) any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in transmission, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to or alterations in any submission;  (iii) technical, computer, network or other malfunctions of any kind or the failure to receive submissions for any reason whatsoever; or (iv) the failure or inability for any reason to contact a Nominator or Nominee after a reasonable effort to do so. In the event Bridgestone determines in its sole discretion that the integrity of the Award process has been corrupted or impaired for any reason, Bridgestone reserves the right either to terminate or cancel the Award program or to modify the process in selecting an Award winner; and in either such event notice thereof will be posted on www.NHL.com/Bridgestone.