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a. It's Here! :O
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At last, there's no more need for the Special Projects Division to cryptically scream, "It's coming! :O", and then run away without sharing any details about what's to come. Now that October is finally upon us, they can boldly scream, "It's here! :O"

The SPD is proud to bring you GRYFFTOBERFEST. This month long celebration is one of Gryffindor's greatest traditions, and one of the SPD's proudest accomplishments (because who else can steal an entire month each year besides the SPD?). Come join us in our massive 30-day butterbeer-chugging, entire-cheesecake-scarfing, total-muffin-shunning, creative-contest-competeting, staying-up-late-at-night-playing, spending-all-day-long-laughing, totally insane, totally wild, totally Gryfftastic celebration! You can see what's planned for this month by heading over to the newly opened Gryfftoberfest forum!

The forum has already been stockpiled with lots of cool contests that you can join, as well as a mountain of butterbeer bottles and a table full of cheesecake. Feel free to join as many contests as you'd like (or all if you're feeling insane, which we hope you are *g*), and please eat and drink as much cheesecake and butterbeer as you can. Trust us, there's plenty more where that came from.

Also, get out your calendars and mark down the date of the Gryfftoberfest Opening Ceremonies... which is TOMORROW! Lily Padfoot, the head of the Special Projects Division, will be running the ceremony on Sunday, October 1st, in #gryfftoberfest at 9:30 pm HOL (4:30 pm EST). And once we kick off Gryfftoberfest in style, stick around because the first round of Weekend Games starts after the ceremonies end!

For more details about Gryfftoberfest, check out the Gryfftoberfest forum! And Happy Gryfftoberfest, everyone!

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b. Gryfftoberfest Motto Contest
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The Gryfftoberfest Motto has been chosen!!! After much deliberation, involving butter and a removeable hairpiece, we have decided. The winner is "What Happens at Gryfftobfest Stays at Gryfftoberfest," by Brenna Westfeld. In second place is "Gryfftoberfest: More fun than a gang of Cornish Pixies," also by Brenna Westfield. Third place goes to "No Sane, No Pain!" by Willow Granger.

Thank you to all who entered!!

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c. Signature/Avatar Contest Winners
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The winners of the Gryfftoberfest Signature and Avatar Contests have been chosen. Congratulations to the winners, and thank you to everyone who turned in an entry for the contests! The SPD had a hard time deciding which signature and avatar was the best, but here are the results after their long hours of debate!

For the signature contest, in third place we have Moxie Mungo!

In second place we have Guinevere Moon!

And the first place winner of the signature contest is Ilona Littrell!

For the avatar contest, in third place we have Ilona Littrell!

In second place we have Isabelle Smirk!

And the first place winner of the avatar contest is Guinevere Moon!

Congratulations to our contest winners! Click on their names to see their beautiful works of art!

Well done everyone! Please feel free to use the winning signatures and avatars, as well as any of the other entries, in the CR and HOL forums. In fact, we encourage you to use them in order to promote Gryfftoberfest. Go put them in your HOL and CR signatures now!

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a. New Staff
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Missa Matz, head of Gryffindor's Paw Print, has chosen new staff. Congrats to Lily Padfoot, Moxie Mungo, Kadina Tigano, Eve Shay, Guinevere Moon, Amanda Hensgen, Joanne Grey and Crystal Key. Thank you to all who applied. If you did not make it this time, it's alright!! Missa will keep your application on file if you choose to apply again.

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b. New Issue
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After another traditional summer hiatus, the Gryffindor Paw Print is back to work and first issue is already hot off the press. This year's PP staff, already brimming with fresh faces and familiar favorites, has produced a stunning 15 article edition that's just dying for your loving attention. Find out what's coming :O, learn the truth behind the recent destruction of the CR, figure out which new staff members you should be welcoming, and more in this month's Paw Print. Read about head editor Missa Matz's favorite article picks for issue 26 here, and be sure to leave some comments for the hardworking writers of the Gryffindor Paw Print!

The Paw Print: http://pawprint.gryff.net