Happy holidays SURGE fans and welcome to the 78th edition of SaveSURGE News! We’re working hard to become the Santa Claus (or Annual Gift Man if you live in Japan) of green soda.

Sightings Report
There were no new SURGE Sightings reported since the last edition of SaveSURGE News.

On a positive note, there were also no deletions!

Currently, there are 145 SURGE Sightings listed. Thank you SURGE fans for scouring every corner of the universe for your favorite soda!

Visit SURGE Sightings at: http://www.savesurge.org/surge/sightings.shtml

SaveSURGE.org Birthday Greetings Contest – Sneak Peek
February 1, 2004 will be SaveSURGE.org’s second birthday. Two whole years of fighting to save the soda you love. And, as a way to say “thank you” we are announcing the one and only SaveSURGE.org Birthday Greetings Contest! Here’s how it works:

• We’re looking for the SURGE fan who comes up with the most creative birthday greeting for SaveSURGE.org’s second birthday.
• Get creative! The birthday greetings can be a computer graphic, a poem, a painting, a song, a video, a photo, a story…just about anything! Simply find the best medium to display your birthday wish. However, please note that every entry we receive MUST be in an electronic format (able to be sent via e-mail) and be viewable in Microsoft Windows XP.
• We will be accepting entries from 1/01/04 until 1/24/04. One entry per person or group. Group entries are allowed, but remember prizes must be shared among each group member.
• SaveSURGE.org will then select the 5 best entries as finalists.
• SURGE fans will determine the winner by voting on SaveSURGE.org from 2/1/04 – 2/7/04.

Now, to the good part…the prizes!!!! The first place entry as voted on by SURGE fans will receive:
-1 SaveSURGE.org Hooded Pledge Sweatshirt ($24.50 value)
-1 SaveSURGE.org White T-Shirt ($13.99 value)
-1 SaveSURGE.org Tile Coaster ($4.50 value)
-1 SaveSURGE.org Bumper Sticker ($2.99 value)
That’s $45.98 worth of stuff!

The second place entry as voted on by SURGE fans will receive:
-1 SaveSURGE.org White T-Shirt ($13.99 value)
-1 SaveSURGE.org Tile Coaster ($4.50 value)
-1 SaveSURGE.org Bumper Sticker ($2.99 value)
A slightly less exciting value of $21.48!

The third place entry as voted on by SURGE fans will receive:
-1 SaveSURGE.org Tile Coaster ($4.50 value)
-1 SaveSURGE.org Bumper Sticker ($2.99 value)
This one is even less exciting, but hey it’s something…a value of $7.49.

This is the biggest contest we’ve ever held! We will have full details along with the official rules posted on SaveSURGE.org starting 1/1/04. Please do not submit any entries to us before 1/01/04.

Even before the rules are posted, we want to remind SURGE fans to please keep your entries legal! Be creative, but also use common sense. Don’t do anything that will get you or someone else in trouble. Don’t do anything that could potentially harm you or someone else. SaveSURGE.org is not responsible or liable for your action. The rules and prizes of this contest are subject to change at SaveSURGE.org’s discretion.

HAVE FUN!!!!

Hall of Fame Entries Due by 12/31/03
The next round of inductions for the SaveSURGE.org Hall of Fame are right around the corner! The deadline for entries is 12/31/03 and the inductions will take place on 2/1/03 (our 2nd birthday!). If you have already entered, don’t worry, we have your application on file and you are already in consideration for this great honor.

Visit the SaveSURGE.org Hall of Fame: http://www.savesurge.org/surge/halloffame/index.html

2003 Showed Progress – Will 2004 be Even Better?
This being the final edition of SaveSURGE News of 2003, it seems like a good time to reminisce about the year that has past and look forward to the year ahead.

2003 was a good one for SURGE fans. We didn’t exactly get our favorite drink back into stores, but we did see several of signs of progress:

• We spoke with Coke: This year, SaveSURGE.org had its first official contact with The Coca-Cola Company regarding the state of SURGE. We had originally hoped to bring you an interview with a representative of the company but unfortunately that seems to have fallen through. However…
  
• The Big Idea: …Even though we didn’t get the interview we were hoping for, something even better has happened with our friends in Atlanta. Coca-Cola has agreed to listen to an idea that yours truly and a friend have come up with that would bring SURGE back to the people! We can’t tell you what the idea is just yet but we very recently submitted an official application to Coca-Cola regarding our plan and have been told we will hear from them within a few weeks time. Stay tuned!
  
• Avery Speaks with Midwest Coca-Cola: SaveSURGE.org Co-Webmaster Avery Lund had a chance to interview a representative of the Midwest Coca-Cola Bottling Company in November and he found out that SURGE is indeed on the minds of Coca-Cola bottlers.
  
• The Spec Work: In September, SaveSURGE.org discovered a newly designed SURGE logo that was created by i3 productions (visit them at: http://www.i3productions.com/) for Coca-Cola as spec work. While it doesn’t appear that Coca-Cola will end up using the logo, this does show that they were willing to spend some money on SURGE and that they are at least considering a re-launch.
  
• National SaveSURGE Month: Also in September, SURGE fans showed their strength by contacting Coca-Cola and its bottlers every Friday throughout the month. They got an earful and an eyeful from all of us and there’s no doubt in my mind that the results of National SaveSURGE Month will have an impact on the future of SURGE.
  
• SURGE Fans Continue the Fight: Every single day of 2003 saw SURGE fans continuing to campaign for their favorite soda. Writing, calling, spending their hard-earned money on SURGE memorabilia and doing whatever it took to spread the word. SURGE fans answered their call of duty and continue to do so. You make us proud!
  
• The Press Took Notice: Because SURGE fans are so incredibly dedicated to their cause, SaveSURGE.org was featured in the following media outlets during 2003; Associated Press (4/15/03); Beverage World Magazine (June 03); Beverage Spectrum Magazine (July 03); Canada.com (7/24/03); KLAS TV in Las Vegas (7/31/03); USAToday.com (7/31/03); Atlanta Journal-Constitution (8/27/03, 10/14/03); 100X FM in Madison, WI (10/14/03) and ClickOfTheDay.com (12/15/03).

2003 was a pretty darn good year! So, how will 2004 be?

Coca-Cola and its bottlers have heard us and they are listening. They know we’re not going to just forget our cause and walk away. They understand that we want our SURGE and that we will continue to call, write and bug them until we get it :) They are now willing to listen to an idea from the likes of me. The ball is in their court, but that doesn’t mean that we should just sit back and wait for something to happen.

To make 2004 the year of a SURGE comeback, we must continue let it be known to anyone who will listen that we want our favorite soda back! We have come so far during the past year, now it is time to climb to the top of that proverbial mountain and convince the nice folks at Coca-Cola that SURGE deserves another chance. To use a baseball analogy, the bases are loaded and we’re down by a run. We just need to come up with a big hit that will win the game…

Let’s make 2004 “The Year of SURGE”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tell Subway to Feed the Rush
SaveSURGE.org is continuing to request that Subway Restaurants begin serving SURGE as part of their new agreement to serve Coca-Cola products in its more than 20,000 stores worldwide. We are asking each and every SURGE fan to contact Subway and let them know how much we would like to purchase our favorite soda from them.

There are several ways SURGE fans can spread the word:

You can write to Subway via their website at:
http://www.subway.com/subwayroot/Applications/CustServ/frmCustomerService.aspx

Find your local Subway and let them know how much you want SURGE:
http://subway.com/Applications/locator/index.aspx

You can even call them, toll-free at: 1-800-888-4848

We can make a difference, but we need your help!

Mike’s SURGE AIM Theme
Those of you who are AOL Instant Messenger users will definitely want to check out a great-looking theme created by SURGE fan Mike. Check it out in For the Love of SURGE!

View Mike’s AIM Theme: http://www.savesurge.org/surge/mike_aim.shtml

Poll Results – Frozen SURGE is great, but bottles and cans are better!
The latest SURGE Poll asked you: Would you be happy if Burger King started serving Frozen SURGE?

49.5% - Yes, but I'd still rather cans or bottles
39.8% - Yes, any SURGE is good SURGE
10.6% - No, I want regular SURGE or nothing at all

Total Votes: 113

The overwhelming majority of you would be quite happy if frozen SURGE were only a trip to BK away. Of course, cans and bottles are everyone’s first choice.

That’s all the time we have for this week. Thanks once again SURGE fans and please have a happy and safe New Year!

Sincerely,

Eric Karkovack
Co-Webmaster
www.savesurge.org