Leaving the country this summer might sound crazy, especially with the way the economy sounds.  But there are always deals to be found, and when it comes down to it, Canada isn’t that far away.  But if you are looking to get out of the country, don’t forget to start acquiring a passport now.  New laws went into effect today that specify if you leave the country, you’ll need a passport to get back in. And the process to get one can take a little while.  So now is the time to get started on getting your own little blue book.  Plus it’s fun to collect those stamps in the back.

Posted: June 1st, 2009 under Helping Others, Show Notes.
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Thankfully, I have quite a few years before I need to teach my daughter how to drive.  But I’d guess that when I learned to drive, I may have given my parents a few sleepless nights.  Part of that comes from your concern as a parent for the safety of your children, especially as they get a license and hit the road by themselves.  Now a new key system is being developed to help your teen stay safer. Using a system installed into the dashboard of some new Ford automobiles, you can program a variety of safety features.  For example, you can disable the radio until both the driver and passenger are buckled in, set a maximum speed that the car will go and have a chime alert the driver when they pass certain speeds.  These settings are programmed into your teens car key, so that whenever they drive with that key, those features are activated.  Now all it needs is the capability to program the car with your voice to say, “I’m watching you” every once in a while.

Posted: May 8th, 2009 under Helping Others, Show Notes.
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A little less than one year ago, storms and tornados ripped through Eastern Iowa.  The recovery efforts for those areas are still continuing, and in Parkersburg, you can be a direct part of making a brighter place for others.  Most of the playground equipment in Parkersburg was destroyed in last years storm, and now the city is looking to rebuild those areas and make a place for children to get out and enjoy. Through fundraising and other efforts, they plan on acquiring the new equipment, but they need help putting it all together and building the playground.  Volunteers are needed April 16-18 and April 22-26 from 8a.m. to sunset.  If you want to help out and volunteer you can contact Amy Truax, a member of the Parkersburg Long-Term Recovery Committee and the Rebuild Iowa Advisory Commission at 319-346-9853 or by email at ajtruax@aol.com.

Posted: April 6th, 2009 under Helping Others, Local News, Show Notes.
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Last summer, we went through a flood together.  Homes were lost, property was damaged, and tears were shed.  Now, residents in Fargo are going through the same experience.  Now, you can help by joining with some of the toughest guys around.  This Saturday at Young Arena in Waterloo, the Black Hawks and Rough Riders are facing off in their hockey regular-season finale, and they want your help.  When you go to the game, you can donate to the flood relief efforts in Fargo by dropping something in the empty sandbags they’ll be passing around the stadium.  You can get more info about the game and their efforts here.

Posted: April 2nd, 2009 under Helping Others, Local News, Show Notes.
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It was a lot of fun watching Kurt Warner in the Super Bowl this year, but now Kurt’s taking his work ethic off the field and he’s coming to Cedar Rapids this summer. Kurt will be working with Americorps and Habitat for Humanity as they build 20 homes in Cedar Rapids.  The main building project will take place June 14-20.  Habitat representives say that while discrimination laws keep them from donating all the houses to those affected by the floods, they hope that many of the houses built can help those families who are in need.  If you’d like to learn more about Habitat and how you can help, contact your local Habitat for Humanity at their website here. Just enter your zip code to find the office nearest you.

Posted: March 30th, 2009 under Helping Others, Local News, Show Notes.
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