A Poem for National Police Week

Posted on May 15, 2012 by patrons | Permalink 0

We have some talented Facebook fans and one of them, Ulunda Baker, was kind enough to share this very sweet poem with us. A Tampa police officer, Chris Smith, came to her 3 year old’s classroom to talk to the class about being an officer for National Police Week. Ulunda’s son was in awe and could not stop talking about their special visitor. She wrote this poem from his perspective.

When I grow up I want to be a hero!

Not too long ago I got to see the coolest thing.
After my friend’s dad came to school, it became my dream.
He pulled up in his big car with flashing lights.
All I could do was get excited with a great big smile.
I knew at that moment when I saw his badge,
That just like him was what I wanted to be;
How important of a job to protect you and me?
He went on and on about the things he has to do every day,
Just so our community is safe for us to run and play.
I knew he had a family just like me.
But, yet he sacrifices and gets the bad guys off the street.
He let us flash the lights and sit in his car.
Back and forth we went on asking him lots of questions.
He was our like a Star!
People like him just do their job as it comes.
They have no capes, fancy eye guards or super powers to bring along.
All they have is the commitment to serve and I want them to get the credit they deserve.
Not too long ago I got to see the coolest thing.
It was also the day I began to dream.
That being a Police Officer is one of the greatest jobs I know;
They are our everyday Super heroes!

So the next time you see a police officer, remember to thank them for their daily service. They put their lives on the line every time they put on the uniform. And say a prayer for the families of fallen officers, whose names will be added to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial today in Washington, D.C..

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Motorcycle Safety Tips for Both Riders and Drivers

Posted on May 11, 2012 by patrons | Permalink 0

May is Motorcycle Safety Month. At Patrons Insurance Agency we insure many Florida motorcyclists and drivers. We always recommend that riders start by getting a free motorcycle insurance quote and letting us customize a policy that meets your personal and financial needs. Here are some great safety tips for both Riders and Drivers from the Motorcycle Safety Foundation.

For Riders

  1. Get Properly Trained and Licensed–Half of all riders today have never taken a proper safety class such as the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Basic RiderCourse. Along with training, get your motorcycle endorsement by the DMV. Studies have shown that trained and licensed riders are safer.
  2. Wear All the Right Gear, All the Time–Always wear a real motorcycle helmet manufactured to the standards of the Department of Transportation. Visit www.helmetcheck.org to ensure you have a proper helmet.
  3. Don’t Drink and Ride–Never, ever ride while impaired by alcohol or any kind of drug. Bikes, beer and booze don’t mix. Nearly half of all riders killed in motorcycle crashes had been drinking.
  4. Ride Within Your Skill Limits and Obey Traffic Laws–Don’t ride faster or farther than your abilities can handle.
  5. Be a Lifelong Learner–Take refresher RiderCourses. No matter how often you ride or how long you’ve been riding, take advanced courses to brush up on the basics and keep working on improving your skills.

For Drivers

  1. Focus on Driving–Don’t be distracted. Never text while driving. Put down the cell phone or mobile device. Food, pets and even passengers can be bad distractions.
  2. Look for Motorcyclists–Motorcycles are smaller than other vehicles and are often harder to see. But motorcycles are out there and you should expect to see them and try to see them in the mix of traffic.
  3. Give Motorcyclists Enough Room–Keep a safe distance when following a motorcycle. Don’t change lanes too close in front of a rider. Motorcyclists and their machines generally don’t just have fender-benders in collisions with cars.
  4. Use Your Turn Signals–Always signal your intentions. It’s for everyone’s safety and it’s also the law.
  5. Keep it in the Car–Trash, including cigarette butts, should stay in the car, not thrown out where it could hit a motorcyclist. Road debris can kill a rider. Heavier items, especially, should be kept inside the car or truck or should be very well secured.
Let’s all remember these important safety tips while on the road and make it a better place for riders and drivers alike!


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A Hair Raising and Cutting iPhone App for Kids

Posted on May 4, 2012 by patrons | Permalink 0

Every now and then I check out the Top 25 Free apps in the Apple App Store. I rarely pay for apps because there are so many good free apps. One time recently I found this adorable app, the Toca Boca Hair Salon.

“Let your kids run their own Toca Hair Salon! Cut, color, comb, shave and blow-dry lifelike hair on six different cute characters. Using your fingers you can make any hair style you want! And of course – take a snapshot and save your creations!”

My 2 year old son loves playing this app on my iPhone (also available for iPad and iPod Touch). It’s interesting enough that he stays engaged and simple enough that he’s able to navigate it. He especially likes changing up characters and cutting their hair, blow drying it and spraying it all kinds of bright colors.

Then he takes lots of pictures of his hair masterpieces. Here are a couple of his creations.

I must admit that I love playing with this app. I get their hair and face covered in bubbles and then soak them with a shower. I also like the way the characters make little comments like “Huh?” or “Oh” when buzz all their hair off.

Toca Boca has several creative, open-ended apps for kids, including Kitchen Monsters ( free) and Robot Lab ($1.99). You can see the rest on www.tocaboca.com/games.

Go to the App Store to download Toca Boca Hair Salon. For more apps we love, go HERE.

 

 

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The Dangers of Eating and Driving

Posted on April 30, 2012 by patrons | Permalink 0

Distracted drivers cause accidents. While you may suspect that this article is going to provide another warning about the danger of using cell phones in traffic….this warning is much more low-tech. While having conversing on cell phones behind the steering wheel continues to cause problems, a bigger problem lies with plain old eating and drinking.

Besides the fact that most food-related accidents happen in the morning (prime eating time), the most popular food distractions are:

  • Coffee
  • Hot soup
  • Tacos
  • Chili
  • Hamburgers
  • Barbecue
  • Fried chicken
  • Jelly Donuts
  • Soft Drinks
  • Chocolate

A lot of preparation accompanies the act of eating and drinking. Consider fumbling around with sandwich wrappers, adding sweeteners or cream to tea or coffee, putting in straws for cold drinks (how about getting poked in the eye with a straw), devoting one arm/hand for handling food or drink, dealing with condiments. Drivers who are eating/drinking also face reacting to spills; particularly when it involves something very messy or worse, very hot.

The key issue for drivers to remember is that, no matter one’s amount of experience; driving is difficult and dangerous. All forms of distraction should be avoided, or at least kept to a minimum. You, the persons sharing the roadways with you and your FL car insurance will be better off if you focus on driving and not on a meal.

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Family Fun at the 2012 Green Thumb Festival

Posted on April 24, 2012 by patrons | Permalink 0

April is Earth Month and that means its time for one of my favorite local events, the Green Thumb Festival! The festival is all day April 28th and 29th (Sat. & Sun.) at Walter Fuller Park in St. Petersburg, which is located at 7891 26th Ave N. The event features local plant vendors, a flower show, recycling rally, a butterfly tent, free mulch and a food court. For more details click here.

Last year that had some very cool stands with owls, fish and butterflies! This is definitely a family-friendly event. Though, it is outside and requires a good amount of walking, so this FL insurance agent recommends wearing comfortable shoes, sunscreen and plenty of drinking water. If you plan on shopping, don’t forget to bring some reusable bags and a wagon, if you think you may leave with bigger plants.

Here are some more photos from the 2011 Green Thumb Festival.

 


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Parents & Students Plan for a Safe Prom Night

Posted on April 20, 2012 by patrons | Permalink 0

A high school prom is considered quite important; often it represents a first chance to participate in a formal event. It is also considered a chance to act as a full-fledged adult. The event involves arranging a complete evening of dining, dancing and socialization. However, not as much time is usually devoted to making the event as safe as possible.

It is almost inevitable that a prom will involve serious exposure to alcohol or other intoxicants. The evening also involves many young, inexperienced drivers who are excited about making their way to different destinations such as pre and post prom activities. Sadly, these factors have combined to make prom season a dangerous one. Serious traffic accidents often become the main feature of what should be a night of joy.

Potential prom-goers and their parents need to create a strategy to help make prom night both memorable and safe. Here are some tips:

  • Parents should get all activity details, including dinner and pre and post prom events
  • Confirm the night’s events with school officials and other parents
  • Consider arranging a safe, group post-prom activity where participants can be supervised
  • Clearly lay out your expectations to your son or daughter about acceptable behavior regarding their evening
  • Discuss all details about transportation, whether they are drivers or passengers
  • Be sure that communications are set up. If the child does not have a cell phone available, find out the numbers where he or she can be reached during different phases of the evening and encourage them not to text while driving.
  • If practical, consider arranging for a third party to handle transportation (taxi or limo service)
  • Consider an amnesty arrangement. In other words, let your child know that they can contact a parent for emergency transportation should something go wrong and, for that evening, they’ll be no lectures or punishments
  • Make sure your student has the best FL car insurance in case the worst should happen.

Help your son or daughter make prom night a bright memory rather than a tragedy. Plan on making safety and fun everyone’s priority.

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5 Creative New Uses for Plastic Easter Eggs

Posted on April 12, 2012 by patrons | Permalink 0

If you have little ones at home, you probably know what it’s like to have dozens of plastic Easter eggs laying around. You hate to just throw them away and it would be great if you could use them more than once a year.

Well this Florida insurance agent scoured the web for clever new uses for these plastic doodads that would work any time of year. Just click on the photo to see the original source.

Snack Containers

Tea Light Holders

Adorable Teacups

Tablecloth Weights

Compound Word Builders

Do you have any ideas to add to this list? We’d love to hear from you in a comment below.

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Cooking with Debra Murray on YouTube

Posted on April 6, 2012 by patrons | Permalink 0

We are so excited to tell you about our Partner of Patrons, Debra Murray’s new cooking channel on YouTube. After many years on the Home Shopping Network with Wolfgang Puck and Suzanne Sommers, she’s going solo. We know firsthand that she’s an amazing chef. She catered our daughter Katie’s wedding afterall.

Debbie will be posting simple recipes that are big on flavor. Her first video teaches you how to make Macaroni and Cheese Cones. She actually makes the cone out of provolone cheese! They’re delicious and perfect for parties.

Yesterday she posted another recipe for Blueberry Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast. Your mouth will water just watching and you won’t believe how easy it is to make. This would look impressive on your Easter brunch table.

If you like what you see, make sure you subscribe to her channel. She’ll be posting more recipe videos soon.

 

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Instagram Finally Available for Android Users

Posted on April 4, 2012 by patrons | Permalink 0

Instagram, one of my favorite iPhone apps, is now available for Android users. This fun photo enhancing app with a mega network of users is FREE on Google Play (Android) and the App Store (iPhone, iPad).

Instagram allows you to take photos and enhance them using more than a dozen custom filters. It can turn an ordinary object into hip, like this pumpkin.

Once you’ve tweaked your photo, it’s easy to share to Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and Tumblr. Users have the option to choose on which network they want to share or they can leave it on their profile. Other users can like and comment on your photos as well.

Fellow Instagramers are easy to find via your contact list, Facebook and Twitter. I love that I can follow Chef Jamie Oliver as he travels the globe, as well as businesses like Starbucks.

To read more about the differences between Instagram for iOS and Android, check out this article on CNET.

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St. Pete Residents Call 893-SAFE for Fire Prevention Help

Posted on March 29, 2012 by patrons | Permalink 0

We see it on the news all the time. Homes and businesses are burning to the ground everyday and many are dying in these fires. Often times, these disasters are completely preventable. Even when they are not preventable, it is important that the people inside a burning building have enough time to get out.

Every home should have at least one smoke detector, however many don’t. You can buy one at a hardware store like Lowes or Home Depot, or even Walmart and install it yourself. Or St. Petersburg residents can call (727) 893-SAFE to request firefighters from your local station to come out and install a smoke detector in your home for free. It takes less than 10 minutes to do. Remember to change the batteries every 6 months. St. Pete Fire & Rescue recommends you change the batteries when you reset your clocks for daylight savings time.

If anyone in the home has allergies or any other medical conditions, they can leave you with medical forms and a magnetic pocket to keep on your fridge. If there’s a fire, fire fighters will check the fridge and grab the information. This can be very helpful during a stressful event like a fire or when there’s a babysitter. For more ways your local fire station can help you, go here.

We hope you’ll take advantage of this community service and share the information with your friends and neighbors. If you’d like to discuss the importance of Dwelling Fire Insurance, please give us a call at 1-888-721-1949.

 

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