STEEMIT CULINARY CHALLENGE - Issues With Prize Money - Please Read

I'm aware there have been a few issues recently with winners waiting a long time for their prize moneys, and some of you are still waiting from last week and the week before that.  Apparently this has been the subject of some discussion amongst participants, and according to one participant some of you are now questioning the integrity of the challenge.    

Please accept my sincere apologies for this, as if it were up to me you would receive your prizes instantly.  But unfortunately it's not up to me.  The prizes are kindly paid by our sponsors and I have absolutely no control... It's not like there's a big SCC pot of petty cash I can whip money from.  I understand you all put in time and effort to present wonderful recipes, and upon winning of course everyone wants their prizes.  This is not in debate... winners have always received their prizes, and you always will as long as the challenge continues.  In the history of the SCC not one person has won and not received their money.  

It's just that sometimes there can a delay, for a week or for several weeks.  I know this seems like a really long time to wait, and then you might start thinking we've forgotten about you.  But this is not the case.  When the guest judge chooses the winners, I immediately send a message to @smooth and @sirwinchester to notify them of who the winners are.  As soon as @smooth and @sirwinchester get their messages, they pay the winners and they send me a message back to confirm payments have been made.  So if I don't hear from them, I know they haven't yet checked their messages.  Perhaps they are really busy at work.  Perhaps they're enjoying a holiday with their families.   Perhaps they are dealing with some personal issues.  I have no idea!  I've never met them, we're not friends, and it's not like I can ring them up and demand money!

Please remember not everyone's life revolves around Steemit, or even the internet, or even technology.  Just because the sponsors haven't paid yet doesn't mean they've left you in the lurch... nor does it mean I'm hosting some kind of scam challenge.  I'm an ordinary person just trying my best to keep the challenge interesting, enjoyable and beneficial for the wider Steemit community, but I am just one person... sitting here in my bed after a long day, with former intention of relaxing and yet now feeling really under pressure to pay up... or what?  Deal with a boycott?  I've assured each of you who have queried payments that you'll get your prizes, and explained all I can do is notify the sponsors of winners, and yet every couple of days now I'm getting messages with the same questions.  It's quite upsetting, as it begins to feel a little unfriendly and what am I expected to do?  I'd gladly resolve this in a heartbeat if I could.

So here is my resolve: if by the weekend I still have not heard back from the sponsors then I will personally pay as many of the IOUs as I can from the 85 SBD in my wallet.  The challenge will continue as normal but including a disclaimer... that if the sponsors go AWOL then winners should be prepared to wait indefinitely.  Prizes will be received, I have no doubt about that, as BOTH sponsors have always been true to their commitment, regardless of how long it's taken them.  I understand some of you feel that I, as host of the challenge, have some responsibility regarding payments.  And while that is correct to a certain extent, I can only do so much and do rely on the sponsors.  If it wasn't for them I couldn't run the challenge.

Again, I'm truly sorry that there are any issues at all, but I just ask you please continue to be patient... and continue participating in the challenge too!  After all, the idea behind the SCC was creativity and fun, and it'd be great if the emphasis could return to that rather than disgruntled feelings about delayed payments.  I do understand, but please also be understanding about this, and me.

Peace 

x