I am getting that feeling that winter is on its way, I hate this time of year! Everything is dying, grass is turning, leaves are falling and it is only a matter of time before the black ice and long dark days are upon us. Oh well, not much I can do I guess. On a happier note, this is the time of year that the annual Becker-Rinkenberger Fall Classic is held and this year the charity golf outing was held on September 30th. This was our 24th year, time does move along. Some of you were in attendance or helped with a hole sponsorship or two and we appreciate the effort! The totals are not yet completed, a few bills to pay yet, but I think we generated about $6,500 for charities in the area. That puts us near $110,000 for the life of the outing and I thank all of you who have made that happen!
This is also the time of the year for kids to take to the streets and come knocking looking to fill their bags with candy. So in preparation of Halloween, a few messages related to child safety-
Hope You Never Need It!
You are out and about with your kids and suddenly one of them disappears. If it has happened to you, then you know what a horrific feeling that is. This new tool from the FBI provides you with quick retrieval of your child’s photograph and physical identifiers that can easily and quickly be passed along to the authorities. The “app” also provides you with tips on keeping your kids safe and what you need to do during those first critical hours when your child turns up missing. I hope you never need it, but if you do, you will be glad you took the time to look into this application.
It can be downloaded for free from the App Store on iTunes and plans are underway to make it available to other types of mobile devices in the near future. Here is the FBI’s site if you care to learn more about it: http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/august/child_080511/child_080511
Halloween is Coming!
When I was a kid, Halloween was a pretty cool day. We hit the streets long and hard, each of us competing to come back with the biggest haul of candy. Halloween was always at night, darker the better, no daytime hours for us and we stayed out late. It was a different time; there did not seem to be so many threats as there are today facing our kids. Maybe it is just selective memory, but things seemed simpler then and kids could be kids without worrying so much about them as we do these days. Halloween is nearing and most likely your city or town has already set their day and hours. For those of you in Portage, the hours are 5:30p to 7:30p on October 31st
Before you send the kids out, sit down and have a talk with them about the do’s and don’ts when they are out there trying to bring in the big haul.
The Department of Health and Human Service has a few tips -
- S: Swords, knives, and similar costume accessories should be short, soft, and flexible.
- A: Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk in groups or with a trusted adult.
- F: Fasten reflective tape to costumes and bags to help drivers see you.
- E: Examine all treats for choking hazards and tampering before eating them. Limit the amount of treats you eat.
- H: Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others see you.
- A: Always test make-up in a small area first. Remove it before bedtime to prevent skin and eye irritation.
- L: Look both ways before crossing the street. Use established crosswalks wherever possible.
- L: Lower your risk for serious eye injury by not wearing decorative contact lenses.
- O: Only walk on sidewalks or on the far edge of the road facing traffic to stay safe.
- W: Wear well-fitting masks, costumes, and shoes to avoid blocked vision, trips, and falls.
- E: Eat only factory-wrapped treats. Avoid eating homemade treats unless you know the cook well.
- E: Enter homes only if you're with a trusted adult. Otherwise, stay outside.
- N: Never walk near lit candles or luminaries. Be sure to wear flame-resistant costumes.
Last week I presented a violent crime survival block of instruction at a few businesses and I told them as I always tell you, if it does not seem right, it probably isn’t right. Call the police and let us figure it out, that’s what we get paid to do!
Contact Us!
- Emergency - "911"
- Routine Business - (219) 762-3122
- STOP Team - (219) 764-5676
- We Tip Line- 1 - 800 - 78 - CRIME
Be Safe