Father's Day Contest

[cinda]

I would like to run a contest for fathers day. My contest is simple. There will be two winners. The two winners are the people who pick the number closest to the number drawn in the Connecticut State Lottery's night time daily number for June 20 2009 . One winner is the person who picks the closest number without going over and the second winner is the person who picks closest to the number drawn going over. For example if the number drawn was 350 and someone pick 349 and another person pick 351 then they both would be winners.

Anyone that is a member of the cigar smokers board as of May 31 2009 can play. There is one guess per member. The contest will close June 19, 2009 at 12 midnight eastern time. If you are banned before the contest closes your guess will be deleted. The twist of this this contest is with your one guess you need to document a story honoring and or commemorating a person that was a father figure to you or someone you know. It could be a funny story or heartfelt or even a story about your own fatherhood. It could even be a poem or a song that helps tell your story. If writing really isn't your thing and you just want to do a shout out to a dad wishing him a Happy Fathers Day or thanking him for teaching you something thats fine too.

The prize for each winner is a subscription to Cigar Aficionado magazine. I may sneak a few other things with this prize but I will only promise the subscription to the magazine.

If anyone guesses the exact number drawn that will be considered to be winner 3 and the prize will be left up to me.

You need to be 18 years old or older to play.

I ran it by the boss and I am going to to change the eligibility of membership rule from 5-31-09 to 6-5-09. Anyone winning must get me their snail mail with in two weeks of winning.

Good Luck!

[slcraiders]

Very cool contest, Cinda!!! I am sure you will get some great stories etc.

[badwhale]

Ok. I'll kick this off. My guess: 289 (good Ford engine)

My Story ~ My Dad

My dad told me once "A good friend is not the one you just have a good time with, a good friend is also the guy that comes over at 3am to help you fix your sump pump that died during a flood."

Well, if that's true (which I think it is), my dad is probably my best friend.

I bought this house in 2004, and he's been here helping me at the drop of a hat for the entire time. We've ripped out 20+ double hung windows for restoration that he scraped the majority of the paint off, built custom doors, ran electric to the garage, built a porch etc. Beyond that, he's an eternal source of tools, knowledge, and a major player in what we call the junk trade.

There's so many little odd jobs that I couldn't have thought processed without his suggestions (albiet at times aggravating).

So, Thanks Dad for being there when my proverbial sump pump breaks.

Oh, and he's turning 79 this year to boot!

Will

[badwhale]

Shoot! Forgot to say "Thanks for the very cool contest, Cinda!"

Will

[mrtr33]

Nice job clarifying the rules.

Thanks for the contest - what, no front, split, or back pair?

My guess is going to be 512.

My favorite "Dad" story:

I was a freshman in college when we learned that my Dad's mom, my grandmother, had fallen very ill and was going to die soon. Grandma lived in northeast Ohio, I was in school in Missouri, and my parents were in Louisiana. Now, we'd made the trip up to see grandma plenty of times, and everyone in the family knew it was going to be a 2 day trip. But this trip was different. Since most all of us were grown, and considering the circumstances, no one was in much of a cheery mood.

When we arrived, we drove straight to the hospital. I had brought all of my books with me on the road, as I had tons of homework to do, and work I needed to catch up on. My Dad asked me if I would stay up with him that first night. Just be with him, talk with him, watch and see how grandma does, waiting to see how long she was going to hold on.

It wasn't that my Dad and I didn't have a relationship before this moment, it was just that it wasn't very deep. Since that time, I felt that Dad is more of a friend, colleague, and role model more than a father to me. He's taught me a lot about power tools, academia, being a good husband, and I imagine he'll have a lot to say about being a father. I keep trying to push him into retirement, as he has a 1927 Chevy in a gazillion pieces in his garage, that he wants help putting together, as a hotrod. We'll see. In the meantime, I'll just enjoy being his son.

Thanks again, Cinda!

[cinda]

Great stories so far!

[gifters]

Well I'll get in at 124

I don't have any kids yet but I'll need cigars for when they'll eventually be born.

As for a story with my father... well I learned every work I needed to know when I was on a family road trip and we got a flat tire. I got out of the car and helped my father "changed the tire" well he was getting frustrated and I guess I was being annoying as usual so I got my 5 year old butt in the car and showed my mother the new words I learned... it was a long time before I heard my dad say any of those words again... now that story always puts a smile on my face.

Thanks cinda, its always fun to play and try to win, especially as a newbie

[cinda]

bump....

[bigwhiteash]

519



No story or poem, just a shout out to my Dad! If you're looking down at me, I hope you are proud of what I've become, I wouldn't be anything without you.

Miss you Dad!

[DeeDubya]

437


I had a great Dad who was there for me when I needed him and I have two great, successful sons. What more can I say, I love you all.

[cinda]

[Eville]

I am going to have to go with 777

Everything I have learned about manly things I have learned from my dad. He taught me how to cut down trees with a chainsaw and good old fashioned ax, how to maintain cars, how to ride motorcycles, how to shoot guns, how to grill, how to build a quality fire, how to wire a garage, fix plumbing, etc. Thanks Dad!

[cinda]

[ashauler]

I'll go with 410.

Well, like many, I learned everything I know about how to be a man from my father. When I was in the 4th grade my father was working 3 jobs and, unknown to us kids, was very unhappy raising his children in the city. He and my Mother both grew up in rural Arkansas, but were forced to come to Kansas for work when my father was discharged from the Navy.

My Dad was so dedicated to his family that he purchased a plot of land out in the country, when he had enough money saved to pay it off. Then he had a basement dug and poured.....again, when he had the money saved to pay it off. Once the basement was completed, all the lumber for the framing, rafters, shingles, etc....was delivered on semi-trucks and unloaded on the property. With the "help" of us kids and Mom, the floor deck was put on that basement and the walls were framed and sheethed. Then we moved in.

From that point on, my father would come home from his day job, shovel some grub in, grab me to be the nail/saw/hammer/level runner and we'd work on something until it was time for him to leave for his 2nd job. When he got home from that he would take a nap, wake up and go to the third job, and the whole process would start again. He made certain that his weekends were free from Saturday afternoon on.....and we'd work right through.

My father almost killed himself providing for us all. He instilled in me an all consuming love for my family, and the desire and determination to do whatever it takes to provide the best life possible for them.....no matter the personal sacrifice involved. The memories I have of all of us living in an unfinished basement, heating the bath water on the stove cause the hot-water heater wasn't hooked up yet.....no TV.....blankets hung from the ceiling for walls, are the best memories of all.

Dad has had it rough the last few years with serious health concerns and touch and go hospital stays. Through it all though he has remained the rock, and is always more concerned for everyone else than himself.

[sammis]

Hi Cinda

Nice Contest!

I'll have to go with 327 (engine size of my favorite car: 69 Chevrolet BelAir)

My Story:

My dad was from the typical small town North Carolina. The whole "I used to walk to school, both ways, in eight feet of snow..." A bit of a rough upbringing, his Dad owned a gas station where my Dad worked after school and his Mom worked in the local fabric Mill. 8 kids all told.

From the time I can remember, my Dad was always the strict disciplinarian. No beatings except for the occasional spanking that us kids generally deserved, even though we might deny it now

He always had me being his gofer, as in "gofer that tool". I grew up doing all sorts of stuff.

The result of all this is that now as an adult, I have the confidence to do anything I want to do. It's not what I don't know, it what I haven't figured out yet.

I find myself in the role now of taking care of him and my mom now. It's the least I can do for everything he and my mom have done for us kids over the past 50 years.

Love you Dad!

[cinda]

[hondahondaf4]

Cinda, great contest.

I'm gonna go with 520

I don't really have a good story to tell you about my father since he left us at an early age and mom never remarried.

So to all the Fathers on the forum,
Happy Fathers Day!!!!!!!

[Galvanicfish]

Nice contest Cinda


I'm gonna go with 703, 'cause it just popped into my head.



My Dad is a great guy, and one of my first memories is riding on the front of his motorcycle in the alley behind the house we lived in. He's always been there for my family, and taught me everything I know about honor and responsibility.

[Roger]

My guess on the number 653

This year will be the first year that I get to experience father's day without my dad. He died of Lung cancer on April 27th. (non smoker non drinker) I miss him very much and he was a great father as fathers go. So I raise a glass and think fond memories of years past. My dad was 88 years old. I know that he lives in heaven with the Lord in whom he believed. Thank You Dad!

[Diesel Grinch]

My Guess is 454.

So many it's had to just pick one. He taught me so much. I told him if I could be half the Man, Father, Friend he was to me to my children I've be a success.

DG