I am very pleased to announce that there were eighteen entries into the recent contest to celebrate my dolphinhood! That was a good showing!

"Thank You!" to entrants:

@seadbeady • @bradleyarrow • @ambiguity @bashadow • @maryorser • @oneray @librepensadora • @soyunasantacruz • @belkisa758 @antoniarhuiz • @mafalda2018 • @slwzl @elprofe62 • @lisfabian • @emeser @issymarie • @ph1102 • @oizaguirres

Everyone did a great job!

Big Thanks to @enginewitty for providing an extra 20 STEEM to boost the prizes for this contest! 🙌 THANK YOU! so much for all the thoughtful things you do to raise others on the platform! 😃

Big Thanks to @shadowspub for providing SHADE tokens for all participants! Each of you will soon see 5 SHADE tokens in your wallets on the Steem-Engine DEX! 😃

Big Thanks also to @doana (my sister-in-law) for helping me judge the entries! She read every post, as did I, and we collaborated on our notes, afterwards. It was a big help to have her assistance and input!

I had originally announced 3 prizes: one first place (20 STEEM) and two runners-up (10 STEEM, each). However, with the extra STEEM from @enginewitty and because there were so many good entries, the prizes have been expanded! Instead of the original 40 STEEM that was designated as prize-money, I am awarding a grand total of 185 STEEM in prizes (USD $40.70 at the current value of $0.22/Steem) to the participants!

🏅 The Winners! 🏅

🥉 THIRD PLACE awards (5 STEEM): @seadbeady • @bradleyarrow • @belkisa758 @slwzl • @elprofe62 • @oizaguirres

🥈 SECOND PLACE awards (10 STEEM): @ambiguity • @bashadow • @soyunasantacruz @antoniarhuiz • @mafalda2018 • @emeser

🥇 FIRST PLACE awards (15 STEEM): @oneray • @librepensadora @lisfabian • @issymarie • @ph1102

🏆 GRAND PRIZE award (20 STEEM): @maryorser

Prizes will be sent in a day or two, as my time permits.

There was so much good prose, good poetry, good artwork, and everyone did a great job! There were a few surprises, too, such as the image @mafalda2018 provided, with my avatar-face pasted onto a dolphin body... 😂

To be honest, a few people forgot one of the rules or another, but it was no big deal that three forgot the #likeadolphin tag, and one forgot to place a link to their entry in the contest post (but I found it through the tag!). Those slips are being ignored and had no bearing on your standing in the judging. 🙂

I do hope the winners will consider Powering-Up their Steem into SteemPower (SP) to help them grow on the platform! I know times are difficult for some of you, though, and you may certainly use the winnings as you see fit. Increased SteemPower on the platform, however, will help each of you grow to being a Minnow or a Dolphin, too, as every little bit adds up, over time! Holding SteemPower in your wallet will earn you dividends of extra SP at a rate of 2.25% APR (the last rate I heard, which can fluctuate up/down over time). That is free money, for doing nothing but staking your Steem! 💰

Thank you to all who participated or helped furnish prizes!