The Strickler Express is Strickler Insurance’s Newsletter for friends and clients of Strickler Insurance. We have been sending out the Strickler Express since 1982. Contact us to learn more about insurance and request a free insurance quote.
Daily Reading
You know the importance of starting off the day with a healthy breakfast and physical activity, but are you giving the same amount of time and attention to preparing and strengthening your mind and well being? It has been found that reading something inspirational in its simplest form can be very beneficial and takes a minimal amount of time. Aristotle said that “happiness depends upon ourselves”. This is short, yet very profound. If you are happy, and you deserve to be, an inspirational message will reinforce it. If you are struggling, the act of saying something inspirational a couple of times to really gather its meaning may help you break the uncertainty and find the solution. It may take a day or even weeks, just like strengthening your body. The words like calm, content, and empower come to mind as outcomes of daily inspirational reading. Reading can help make a difference in your life which will in turn make a difference in the lives of those around you. It is not the size of the reading, but the effect it has. It is not necessary to spend ample amounts of time preparing yourself mentally, but the fact that you are reading something inspirational every day should have a benefit. The more time it may take the more likely it will not be done. My suggestion is to start off your day with a boost and if the day allows more time for other reading then take it and enjoy it.
The following are possible kick-starters for your day:
- “Start by doing what’s necessary; then do what’s possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” Francis of Assisi
- “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched—they must be felt with the heart.” Helen Keller
- “I can’t change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” Jimmy Dean
- “Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” Maya Angelou
- “Put your heart, mind and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.” Swami Sivananda
Reading is so important. Just ask my 2 daughters-in-law who are both 8th grade English teachers. They would say that reading exposes you to new things, provides self-improvement and understanding, prepares you for action, gain experience from other people and helps to boost imagination and creativity. Whether you are at home or at the beach, I hope that you have something special to read this summer. If your book is particularly noteworthy, let us know.
What Is Happening In The Agency
Roll out the welcome mat we have two new team members!
Kyle Rheiner
Please join us in welcoming Kyle Rheiner to our team! Kyle has been working out of our West Chester location for over 2 years and is now working closely with our team in Lebanon. Kyle is a West Chester University alum, class of 2006, and resides in Downingtown with his wife Megan, daughters Annie and Lily (ages 3 and 7mos), and their 85lb Olde English Bulldog named Philly. Kyle’s been in the insurance business since 2006 and joined us in 2013 – He focuses on the insurance for manufacturing companies, mainly breweries and distilleries throughout the U.S. You can probably catch him either brewing craft beer or drinking it out of a snobby glass, or both.
Matt Cecil
Also joining the team is Matt Cecil, our new Office Manager. Matt is new to the insurance industry after 16 years in his previous career as a head golf professional. He is a Clemson University graduate of 1999, and achieved his MBA from Lebanon Valley College in 2010. Matt lives in Lebanon with his wife, Jamie, and three children, Paige, Benjamin, and Henry. Matt welcomes the challenge of learning all aspects of the insurance industry and applying his knowledge of customer service, management, and marketing from his previous career to working at Strickler Insurance Agency.
Kyle’s Brews News
Whether you like it or love it, craft beer has taken over the east coast in a major way. Unique styles, diverse flavors, and varying aromas are all around you everywhere you choose to dine. Other than consumption, beer has a few other uses you may not be aware of… (Please save this for your least favorite brews.)
1 – Removing stains from carpet. Beer can remove many of the spilled coffee and tea stains that line the stairs, or any carpet (that is just the case in my house). Simply pour a little beer over the stain, and blot the stain out, continue to do that process till the stain comes out. After the stain has been removed simply put a little soap and water on a rag and then again blot that same area. Those horrible looking coffee stains will soon be gone!
2 – Place a Tupperware of beer in your garden. Where you normally find slugs in the morning or see the silky slim that they leave behind. In the morning you will find all the trapped slugs! They will climb right in and not be able to get out! (I’ve done this, it works!)
Becky’s Swimming Pool Safety & Maintenance Tips
Warmer weather means more outdoor activities for the whole family, including cooling off in the pool. We want to help you make sure that you, your family, and your guests are safe. Here are a few tips that can help you stay safe while having fun:
Always supervise swimmers and have life-saving equipment nearby:
- Maintain secure fencing and a locked entrance around the pool and deck area to prevent access when adequate supervision is not available. Install self-closing and self-latching gates.
- Make sure no one swims alone. Never leave a child unattended in the water or pool area, and make sure less experienced swimmers are always accompanied by a swimmer who has water life-saving skills.
- Diving should be prohibited unless a specific area of the pool is designated for safe diving. Water depth and diving-restricted areas should be clearly marked.
- Make sure there is adequate lifesaving equipment in the pool area. Including life preservers and a rope with life-saving rings, a reaching pole, or a rescue hook.
Regularly maintain your pool during the season to keep swimmers and sun-bathers safe:
- Keep chemicals safely stored away from the pool area. Follow all storage and usage instructions recommended by the pool chemical manufacturer.
- Be sure electrical devices, including outdoor entertainment systems, are away from pools or wet surfaces. When using electrical devices outdoors be sure to plug them into a GFCI outlet.
- Keep the pool area clear of glass bottles, toys or other potential accident hazards.
- Inspect the liner. Rips and tears can appear undetected at the top of the lining. Check for signs of wear and tear in areas where pipes or other items may have penetrated the liner (e.g. skimmers, hoses, etc).
- For above-ground pools, check metal supports for rust or deterioration.
- Check the deck for safety hazards.
