FAQs

What are The Tally Awards?
The Tally Awards are the people's choice awards for Tallahassee's best businesses. It's a competition that is decided strictly by the votes of the populace of Tallahassee and the surrounding area. The proceeds from this prestigious competition directly benefit Sportsability (also known as the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association).

Which businesses can enter?
A predefined category list is constructed each year to cover the wide variety of businesses in Tallahassee. Any business that can justifiably fit within a category can participate. Visit EverythingTallahassee.com to view a list of past participants. Nomination forms are available, if you do not see your business listed.

How much is the entry fee for a business to participate?
There is absolutely no cost for a business to participate in the voting! However, various sponsorship packages are available with the proceeds benefiting Sportsability (also known as the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association).

When and how do people vote?
The voting for The Tally Awards will take place on EverythingTallahassee.com from September 15, 2008 - December 15, 2008. To vote, one must be a registered user of EverythingTallahassee.com. This ensures only one vote per category per user. Registration is 100% free.

When and where are the winners announced?
All of the winners from the various categories will be announced on January 31, 2009 at The Tally Awards Gala. The gala will be held at Club Rayn and will feature a charity casino provided by Vegas Nights, music from GT Entertainment, live entertainment, and lots of prizes! Best of all, the proceeds from the gala benefit Sportsability (also known as the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association).

What do the winners receive?
The winner of each category will receive the coveted Tally Awards trophy, nick-named "The Tally". This award is a great center-piece for the winners to showcase as it lets their customers know that they are "the people's choice for Tallahassee's best"; and let's not forget about the notoriety and prestige. The Tally is an award that can be mentioned in all forms of advertising to let the public know that your company was voted the best in Tallahassee by the only votes that really matter - the votes from people in the community!

Can my business purchase any promotional items that let our customers know to vote for us in The Tally Awards?
We'll do one better! Free PDF downloads of table-toppers, flyers, and more can be found on EverythingTallahassee.com. We have also worked out special rates with local vendors for vinyl banners, printed materials, t-shirts, and other promotional items. Check out EverythingTallahassee.com's Promotional Items section for more details and downloads.

How much does it cost to attend The Tally Awards Gala and what is included?
The tickets to The Tally Awards Gala are $50 each or $75 per couple. Guests of the event will be treated to food, entertainment, prizes, and "event dollars" that can be used towards a charity casino. In other words, you can have a great evening without spending anything more than your ticket price! However, if you have a tough night at the casino tables, don't despair; you can always purchase more event dollars. Remember, proceeds from the event benefit Sportsability (also known as the Florida Disabled Outdoors Association).

Please note that because of specific regulations and insurance concerns, a third party vendor will be handling alcohol sales. Thus, alcohol will be sold on a cash basis.

Where do I purchase tickets for The Tally Awards Gala?
The tickets to The Tally Awards Gala can be purchased on-line and at various businesses that will participate as pick-up locations. The tickets will go on sale to the public on November 1, 2008, at which time the pick-up locations will also be announced.

If the voting has already started for the category that my business falls under, can I still enter The Tally Awards competition?
Yes, you can request not only your own business, but your favorite business as well. Our goal with this competition is to be fair and determine which businesses in town really are the best.

Why are the results from the voting not being displayed? Can I request the results from the final vote tally in some way?
In fairness to all businesses listed in The Tally Awards, we will not release the final vote tallies to anyone or any organization, other than the main event partners. Our goal in this competition is to find the people's choice for the best businesses in Tallahassee. We will announce these winners for all categories on January 31, 2009 at The Tally Awards Gala.

In our eyes, all of the other companies that compete, but don't win their category, are equal runner-ups and deserve to be recognized and applauded for the hard work that they put in each day to make their business successful.

Even though it is an honor for my business to be listed in The Tally Awards, I want to remove my business from the competition. Can I do that and how?
A Participant may request removal from The Tally Awards at any point in time. The request must be sent electronically, mailed or hand-delivered on company letterhead. The contact information can be found here:
EverythingTallahassee.com Contact Information

Further information concerning the rules of The Tally Awards can be found here.