[CQ-Contest] CQ Contest Plaques - Many years old

[Robert Shohet]

I recently received two contest plaques for:

1) 2003 WPXSSB donated by Oms, PY5EG

and,

2) 2004 WPXCW donated by Dennis, K7BV.

First of all, many thanks to both of you
for sponsoring these plaques which I am
pleased to have in my shack.

Second, I would have thanked you before now,
except that I received these plaques in 
February 2007.  Almost FOUR YEARS
after the 2003 WPXSSB contest.  I had
long ago forgotten about the contests and
lost any hope that I would receive any plaques.

Third, many thanks to the unknown volunteer(s)
who was/were kind enough to unearth them, 
package them up and mail them to me.  I
don't know who you are, but I appreciate your effort
on behalf of myself and the generous sponsors.

Four, I wonder how the plaque sponsors feel
about such extreme delays?  Do they wonder
if the plaques were received?  Do they know if
they were NOT received?  Do they wonder
if people get the plaques and don't have the
courtesy to thank them?

I wonder if such extreme delays in delivering
the plaques would turn off other potential
sponsors?  That would be a loss to all of us.

Five, part of the fun of getting a plaque, certificate,
whatever, is receiving it in a TIMELY fashion
while you can still remember the contest.  This is 
almost completely lost when you are dealing with
two and three year delays!

I am curious to see what other contesters and award sponsors
think.  It seems to me that if you are going to sponsor
a contest, then you have a responsibility to "deliver the goods"
in a reasonable time frame.

73
Bob KQ2M