Inspire is to live.....

Here is a little inspiration to continue your day on a positive note. In all honesty, when I received an email with this link I questioned whether or not I really wanted to watch it. Now that I have watched this video, it give me a whole new outlook on life. I know it may sound very cliché but seriously WATCH THIS! Did I mention that he has a magnificent voice?!



-Denea Duran

Photo Credit: thesolesearch.wordpress.com

"Memories of Lexington's Old Mill" Gala Fundraiser

SERVPRO is excited to support the Lexington County Museum in their annual fundraiser & gala tomorrow, January 28th from 7:00pm-11:00pm! For $40, you receive a lively night of dinner, drinks and dancing with entertainment provided by the Great Society Band. There will also be a chance to win raffle prizes ranging $100-$300 in value from several vendors, including a free carpet cleaning from your very own SERVPRO of Lexington! Tickets are still available at the door!

We hope to see you tomorrow night at the Lexington Municipal Complex to promote one of our oldest and most vibrant foundations in Lexington County! You won't regret it.



For more information visit the event page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/events/133275296789409/

Lexington County Museum:

231 Fox Street, Lexington, SC 29072
Tue - Sat:10:00 am-4:00 pm
Sun: 1:00 pm-4:00 pm
803-359-8369
http://www.lex-co.com/museum.html
http://www.teachingushistory.org/qt-lex/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lexington-County-Museum/55124226871

 

Farewell

Since farewells are not fun and Friday is "Fun Friday," I have chosen to write my farewell today instead of tomorrow. Let us never desecrate Fun Friday with sadness.

It seem strange to write a farewell without a proper introduction, so let me officially introduce myself (other than a bold name at the bottom of each article): I am Sandy Hayden. I graduated from Clemson University with a degree in Writing and Publication Studies. I grew up with an incredible, large family of which I am the youngest. As a child I was sure that my life would take one of two routes: a fashion designer or an archeologist. So, naturally, I chose to became a writer (hehe). I rarely let a day go by without reading my Bible/praying and running. My greatest strengths are my determination and creativity; my greatest weakness: my unceasing need for social interaction (a difficult need for a writer, as writing is more often a task done in solitude). Now you know me, so let the farewell commence.

I began working here in June as the Social Media Representative. Professionally I have learned more than I can say. I was a writer thrust into a marketing world, and I've spent the last 6 months there gaining as much experience as possible. I've had the opportunity to learn how to market SERVPRO online, meet clients, travel to the Outer Banks to photograph hurricane damage, and even tackle a few fun video projects. But even more impressionable than the professional experience has been the relational one. From the crew to the people in the office to even the clients, there is a place in my heart for them all.

So what now, you ask? Oh nothing much, just marrying my best friend and moving to California. :) But seriously.

So I ask you to welcome the new Social Media Representative with open arms in January. Be good and comment often! So long and farewell, friends.

Sandy Hayden

8 Eco-Friendly Laundry Tips

Why wait to make a New Years resolution to go green in the laundry room? You might find it's easier than you think! Check out these great tips on how it's done:

Control the Temperature

About 90% of the energy associated with doing laundry involves just heating up the water. Simple fix: Just turn that dial to cold.

Wash Full Loads

Even the most energy-efficient loads use 40 gallons of water. Reducing the number of loads you do each week will save water and money. If you find yourself doing eight or more loads of laundry each week, skipping just one will save over 10% on your laundry costs.

Upgrade to Energy Efficient Washer and Dryer

This is not permission to go out and replace your current machine that’s running just fine. (But nice try!) If you’re in the market for a new washer or dryer, buying an energy efficient model can save both water and energy (and did I mention lower your bills).

Switch to Natural Detergents and Stain Removers

Natural products tend to be free of chlorine bleach, synthetic fragrance, dyes, and optical brighteners. What's in them? They’re usually plant (not petroleum) based, contain biodegradable surfactants, and are often specifically formulated to perform well in cold water. Be sure to read the fine print when shopping.

Choose Non-Chlorine Bleach

Use in the home isn’t quite as detrimental for the environment as industrial use (like bleaching paper), but chlorine bleach can irritate skin and eyes. Most non-chlorine bleach is hydrogen peroxide. You can buy branded versions, or just stick to the 3 percent version sold in drug stores. And doing so will really add up. In fact, if every U.S. household replaced just one 64–ounce bottle of chlorine bleach with non-chlorine bleach, we could prevent 11.6 million pounds of chlorine from entering our environment.

Rethink Dryer Sheets

The chemicals (including synthetic fragrances) found in conventional dryer sheets and fabric softeners are similar to what is found in conventional detergents. They’re largely questionable for human health and the environment. Plus, don’t even think about recycling those dryer sheets. Either skip them entirely or choose eco-friendly ones like Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day lavender dryer sheets.

Hang Clothes to Dry

Keeping your clothes out of a dryer extends their life (my little fashionistas), reduces energy use, and cuts costs. Whether indoors or outside, line drying can be done year round. Just don’t put dark colors in bright sunlight or they’ll fade. Bonus: Indoor rack drying during the winter doubles as a humidifier.

Make Your Own Laundry Products

The only real way to know what’s going into your laundry is to whip up your own solutions. Use safe-for-the-environment ingredients that are already in your pantry like vinegar, lemon juice, hydrogen peroxide, and baking soda. Many of these DIY formulas have been used for generations and get the job done. (For those of you who didn't see, we posted the money-saving recipe here.)

Content Credit: Real Simple

Fun Friday: Let's Go Shopping

You know what I love about America? You can shop for a cause. Ethical consumerism, of sorts. As we are finishing up our week of breast cancer awareness, I thought we might donate to the fight against breast cancer and go shopping... at the same time!



Who says you're limited to a breast cancer t-shirt? ShopKomen.com has a huge variety (from clothes and accessories to items for your pets and your office) of merchandise, all raising funds for the cure.



Help give free mammograms administered by clinics and hospitals by visiting PinkRibbonStore.com!



Similarly, TheBreastCancerSite.com funds mammograms. Check out their wide variety of merchandise. They even have Fair Trade and Green items (two thumbs up on the ethical scale)! Did I mention their stuff was cute?



And last, but certainly not least, comes ReThinkBreastCancer.com. (Name sounds familiar? These are the guys who brought you Your Man Reminder phone app.) Shop in their store and fund their organization, working to rethink the campaign against breast cancer. They've got a real knack for this retail therapy thing.

So whether it's for yourself or for someone else, take this Friday and go shopping for a cause!

Sandy Hayden

Dance.

One of the greatest and oldest expressions we have is dance. It comes as no surprise that it should be so closely linked to the fight against breast cancer, from hot pink mob dances to intricate modern pieces. For many, dancing serves to communicate their fight as they battled breast cancer, to process pain, and to raise awareness. Here are just a few of those dances.

This is a clip from the documentary "Foreign Puzzle," where Sharon, a breast cancer survivor and dancer, faces her inability to handle the disintegration of her body as she undergoes chemotherapy. This dance, "Materiality of Impermanence," shows Sharon escaping to a place where she is unconfined. For more information about the documentary, please visit their facebook page.

[vimeo http://vimeo.com/20945536]

This is a well-known So You Think You Can Dance routine performed by Melissa and Ade choreographed by Tyce Diorio. It is dedicated to Diorio's friend, who was suffering from breast cancer.



One of the most celebrated dances, particularly for breast cancer awareness, is the flash mob dance. Orlando Making Strides Against Breast Cancer supporters come together for this dance, choreographed to Melissa Etheridge's "I Run for Life."

Sandy Hayden

An Interview with Kim Watson

The day I had a coffee interview with Kim Watson I pulled a copy of Lexington Life magazine out of my mailbox to find her face, accompanied by the other four women who make up “The Ta-Tinis,” smack dab on the cover. This group of five came together with the common thread of being diagnosed with breast cancer at a young age—ranging from 26 to 34-years-old at the time of diagnosis.

When I walked into the coffee shop that day I expected someone entirely different than Kim. I had seen Kim before; I knew what she looked like, but to sit across the table from her discussing everything about her experience from the initial phone call to the last chemotherapy treatment—it was hard to believe that a woman with so much radiance had been on Kim’s journey.

She recalled the initial phone call from her doctor. “He asked me if I was by myself... ‘I have cancer, don’t I?’” The treatment was grueling, with reactions varying from nausea to an endless appetite, from extreme exhaustion to an inability to sleep. Refusing defeat, though, Kim insisted on continuing work during treatment.



“Did treatment have an effect on the way you felt about yourself as a woman?” I asked. There comes a time, Kim explained, when you have no breasts, no hair, you’ve gained weight, and you have no energy to exercise or do anything, really. You feel nothing like your former self—you don’t feel like a woman. You try not to take more than one day at a time, but you wonder who will ever want this. After a long journey of treatment, reconstructive surgery, and time, an old you returns—a long lost friend, stronger than before. “One day I looked in the mirror and I didn’t see cancer anymore.”

The Ta-Tinis were formed originally for the support of each other, but realizing the utter lack of support for young women, their support gradually became directed more outwardly to other young women facing the same battle. “It’s an amazing opportunity to take something bad, cancer, and use it to help other women.”

Kim, adorned with a smile, made a comment that revealed precisely what set her apart from other women in a simple yet profound comment: “Most women complain about turning thirty,” she says, “but when you have cancer you celebrate every year.”

For more information about The Ta-Tinis, please visit their website.

Sandy Hayden

Technology + Hot Guys = Early Detection?

There's a new app out for all you iPhone junkies, and it might just be contributing to early breast cancer detection. Brought to you by RethinkBreastCancer.com, this app uses hot guys to remind you to check your breasts. Rethink's goal is to take self breast exams from being scary and complicated to a regular part of your routine--maybe even making it fun. The organization caters to younger women, stating that breast cancer support is not one-size-fits-all; their aim, rather, is to create a campaign that is "age-appropriate, lifestyle-tailored support for young women and their families." It only makes sense to target young women, as early detection is the key. In hindsight, it's a wonder it has taken this long for such a campaign.

So check out the hilarious ad for this app, and maybe consider warming up to the idea of regular self exams. SERVPRO warning: this video may be a tad too hot to handle (don't say we didn't warn you).



For more of Rethink's videos, click here and enjoy.

Sandy Hayden

Lexington Medical Center's Pink Glove Dance

Lexington Medical Center has entered the Pink Glove Dance competition! To vote for their video click here and "like" the video (upper right-hand corner). The contest ends this Friday, so be sure to vote!

Sandy Hayden

Viva la Green!

What comes to mind when you think about "going green"? Far more energy than you're willing to expend? Time and money wasted? There are many myths about recycling that are commonly accepted (check out Popular Mechanic's article Recycling Myths: PM Debunks 5 Half Truths about Recycling). The truth is that being eco-friendly doesn't have to be a grueling process. Check out these 10 cheap and very doable ways to go green!

1. Be a Friend to Farmers -- Want the best prices on organic produce? You don't have to look too far, just to your local farmers' market. Organic is the best option for your body, the planet and, when you buy locally, your wallet too. Not only do you save money when you buy directly from the organic producers, but you also support local food production.


2. Cleaning for Under a Buck -- Looking for an alternative to harsh household cleaners? Fun fact: you can clean most of your house with a non-toxic cleaner for (usually) less than a dollar! The secret? Baking soda. A little water and baking soda makes the perfect paste for cleaning tubs, sinks, stoves, and other surfaces. It has a whitening effect that is perfect for cleaning grout. Adding a handful to your whites in the wash can even brighten your clothes. It's also a great deodorizer and won't irritate your lungs.


3. Veg Out -- Try eating less meat, particularly red meat. Cows require a lot of feed or grass to survive, pollute water with their waste, and produce a large amount of greenhouse gases. For you and your family eating a lot of meat can be strenuous on your digestive system and disagreeable for your overall health. Since you have to shop for food and make meals anyway, why not change it up and eat vegetarian a few times a week. It's all about habit.


4. Fertilizing with Garbage -- At-home composts make brilliant use of food scraps. Instead of stinking up your kitchen garbage, the scraps go into your compost and create a rich fertilizer for your lawn and garden. Compost is organic, non-toxic, and extremely healthy for plants and the soil. Now doesn't it feel good to give back to the planet with minimal effort?


5. Solar Savings -- Open those blinds and curtains and turn off the lights. Sunlight is free and completely renewable. Not only does sunlight save you electricity, but it's also good for your body. The sun's rays are just the right brightness and spectrum to give you more energy, better regulate your sleep patterns, and improve your mood. Sun equals smiles.


6. Well-contained Lunches -- Be sure to utilize reusable containers for lunches whenever possible. You have a one-time investment on the containers that can save you mucho money. Throwaway baggies and individually packaged lunch items (juice boxes and applesauce cups, for example) are far more expensive than if you filled up reusable containers at home with juice, fruit, and a sandwich. That means that less goes to the landfill too.


7. Slow Your Flow -- While it's great to encourage family members not to waste water, a nearly effortless way to improve on those results and also help your bottom line is to install low-flow fixtures and low-flow toilets. You can easily exchange your showerhead for a water-saving variety that saves a gallon of water a minute. A faucet aerator for the kitchen or bathroom is a cheap replacement and can immediately cut water consumption in half. Low-flow toilets too expensive? Try filling a plastic bottle with water and placing it in the tank of your toilet. This will lower the amount of water used on each flush.


8. Old News is Good News -- Have a package to send? Avoid the expense and waste of bubble wrap. Instead, reach for yesterday's newspaper as packing material. To add extra flare, circle interesting or cute articles.


9. Money in the Miles -- Put on your thinking cap next time you plan errands and schedule them together on a miles-saving route. By strategically combining errands and avoiding unplanned trips to the store, you'll save gas and keep your wallet a little fatter. Plus, you'll be spewing less pollution into the air from your car.


10. These Boots Are Made for Walking -- Are you used to jumping in the car just to pick up milk from the corner store? Before the next time you grab your keys, consider walking instead – to run errands, to get exercise, to go to the park for recreation. Take your children with you. Walking is free, saves energy, produces no emissions (unless you count the production of the clothes and shoes you wear), and keeps you healthy. Viva la green!

Image Credit: Mom Goes Green

Content Credit: Cheap Ways to Go Green and Everyday Green

Sandy Hayden

Hilarious & Helpful Household Hints

Who says Fun Friday is the only day we can have fun? Check out these hilarious Household Hints brought to you by Gypsy Rose's World. Note: We have not tested these yet! (Yet.)

1. Budweiser beer conditions the hair.

2. Pam cooking spray will dry finger nail polish.

3. Cool whip will condition your hair in 15 min.

4. Mayonnaise will KILL LICE, it will also condition your hair.

5. Elmer’s Glue – paint on your face, allow it to dry, peel off and see the dead skin and blackheads if any.

6. Shiny Hair – use brewed Lipton Tea.

7. Sunburn – empty a large jar of Nestea into your bath water

8. Minor burn-Colgate or Crest toothpaste

9. Burn your tongue? Put sugar on it!

10. Arthritis? WD-40 Spray and rub in, kill insect stings too.

11. Bee stings – meat tenderizer.

12. Chigger bite – Preparation H.

13. Puffy eyes – Preparation H.

14. Paper cut – crazy glue or Chap Stick (glue is used instead of sutures at most hospitals).

15. Stinky feet – Jell-O!!

16. Athletes feet – cornstarch.

17. Fungus on toenails or fingernails – Vicks vapor rub.

18. Kool aid to clean dishwasher pipes. Just put in the detergent section and run a cycle, it will also clean a toilet.

19. Kool Aid can be used as a dye in paint also.

20. Kool aid in Dannon plain yogurt as a finger paint, your kids will love it and it won’t hurt them if they eat it!

21. Peanut butter – will get scratches out of CD’s! Wipe off with a coffee filter paper.

22. Sticking bicycle chain – Pam no-stick cooking spray.

23. Pam will also remove paint, and grease from your hands! Keep a can in your garage for your hubby.

24. Peanut butter will remove ink from the face of dolls.

25. When the doll clothes are hard to put on, sprinkle with cornstarch and watch them slide on.

26. Heavy dandruff – pour on the vinegar!

27. Body paint – Crisco mixed with food coloring. Heat the Crisco in the microwave, pour into an empty film container and mix with the food color of your choice!

28. Tie Dye T-shirt – mix a solution of Kool Aid in a container; tie a rubber band around a section of the t-shirt and soak.

29. Preserving a newspaper clipping – large bottle of club soda and 1/2 cup of milk of magnesia, soak for 20 minutes and let dry, will last for many years!

30. A Slinky will hold toast and CD’s!

31. To keep goggles and glasses from fogging, coat with Colgate toothpaste.

32. Wine stains, pour on the Morton salt and watch it absorb into the salt.

33. To remove wax – Take a paper towel and iron it over the wax stain, it will absorb into the towel.

34. Remove labels off glassware etc. Rub with peanut butter!

35. Baked on food -fill container with water, get a Bounce paper softener and the static from the Bounce towel will cause the baked on food to adhere to it. Soak overnight. Also: you can use 2 Efferdent tablets, soak overnight!

36. Crayon on the wall – Colgate toothpaste and brush it!

37. Dirty grout – Listerine.

38. Stains on clothes – Colgate.

39. Grass stains – Karo Syrup.

40. Grease Stains- Coca Cola, it will also remove grease stains from the driveway overnight. We know it will take corrosion from batteries!

41. Fleas in your carpet? 20 Mule Team Borax: sprinkle and let stand for 24 hours. Maybe this will work if you get them back again.

42. To keep FRESH FLOWERS longer Add a little Clorox, or 2 Bayer aspirin, or just use 7-up instead of water.

Well, like I said, we haven't tested these yet, but comment back if you try (or have tried) any of these! Let us know what works!

Photo Credit: Moody Mommy, Like a Warm Cup of Coffee, New Moon Journal, Little Jenny Wren, and Modern Vintage Homemaking.

Hurricane Jargon: Know the Terms

Tropical Depression
An organized system of clouds and thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 38 MPH (33 knots) or less. Sustained winds are defined as one-minute average wind measured at about 33 ft (10 meters) above the surface.

Tropical Storm
An organized system of strong thunderstorms with a defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 39–73 MPH (34–63 knots).

Hurricane
An intense tropical weather system of strong thunderstorms with a well-defined surface circulation and maximum sustained winds of 74 MPH (64 knots) or higher.

Storm Surge
A dome of water pushed onshore by hurricane and tropical storm winds. Storm surges can reach 25 feet high and be 50–1000 miles wide.

Storm Tide
A combination of storm surge and the normal tide (i.e., a 15-foot storm surge combined with a 2-foot normal high tide over the mean sea level created a 17-foot storm tide).

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Watch
Hurricane/tropical storm conditions are possible in the specified area, usually within 36 hours. Tune in to NOAA Weather Radio, commercial radio, or television for information.

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Warning
Hurricane/tropical storm conditions are expected in the specified area, usually within 24 hours.

Short Term Watches and Warnings
These warnings provide detailed information about specific hurricane threats, such as flash floods and tornadoes.

*Terms courtesy of http://www.fema.gov/

*Photo credits:

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXqxbyELC7_A5Dh6XobQ0_uGa3TUNDNUzTnS-BnAuh_8ZOkruG5kiWkf9rg-p_FY8AjN12-K8TzQe1va_FeoK4bS8oBWJtNeD6sHtTWgUs9jL_47UX5bGl1PuFKFIPEJyq5I_Lqqt85QI/s1600/hurricane_katrina.jpg

http://weathersavvy.com/hurricane_bonnie_OPT.jpg

http://www.worldaffairsboard.com/attachments/multimedia-jukebox-room/7616d1175836440-hurricane-katrina-revisited-19d25df.jpg

Myth-busting: Lightning

After seeing my dog Charlie shove her face (the only part of her body that would fit) under my bed during the storm last night, I found myself with inspiration for today's blog. You see, I wish I could have told my terrified pup that we were completely safe and that she was not facing her final hours. As silly as she seemed, though, I couldn't help but think that we act similarly. We often approach storms with too much or too little fear because we don't know the facts. So please take a moment to test your knowledge and enjoy some lightning myth-busting.

Myth: Lightning never strikes the same place twice.

Fact: Lightning often strikes the same place twice, especially if it’s a tall, pointy object. The Empire State building is struck nearly 25 times per year!

Myth: If clouds aren’t over my head and it isn’t raining, lightning poses no threat to me.

Fact: Lightning often strikes more than three miles outside of the thunderstorm and has been known to travel as far as 10-15 miles before striking the ground.

Myth: “Heat lightning” occurs after a very hot summer day and poses no threat.

Fact: “Heat lightning” is just a term used to describe lightning from a thunderstorm too far away to be heard.

*Don't forget to fill out the poll on our home page about how you heard about SERVPRO. We'd love to hear from you!

Sandy Hayden

First Aid

According to the National Safety Council (nsc.org), “25% of emergency room visits could be avoided if people knew basic first aid and CPR.”

It is more than likely that everyone will find him or herself in a situation that could be benefited by first aid training. If first aid is not all the treatment a person needs, it will help until professional care can be administered. NSC describes first aid as “the difference between life and death, between temporary and permanent disability, between rapid recovery and long hospitalization.”

Register for a class with the American Red Cross and be the difference: http://www.redcross.org/portal/site/en/menuitem.d8aaecf214c576bf971e4cfe43181aa0/?vgnextoid=aea70c45f663b110VgnVCM10000089f0870aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default

Sandy Hayden

Home Emergency Tips: Part 3

Helpful tips on what to do until help arrives.

Today we post Part 3 of Home Emergency Tips. Here at SERVPRO we clean and restore fire and water damage, but our desire is that you never need to call us. June is Home Safety Month, so stay tuned to tips to keep your home the safest home it can be.

Harmful Waste (Sewage, Bloodborne Pathogens, Etc.) 

Do:

• Stay out of affected areas.


• Call emergency service personnel if the situation is life threatening.


• Treat all bodily fluids as if they are contaminated.


• Turn off the HVAC system if there is sewage damage.

Don't:

• Attempt cleanup of any kind.


• Touch or handle items that might be contaminated with bodily fluids.


• Eat, drink, smoke, apply cosmetics or handle contact lenses in affected areas.

*If exposed to harmful waste, OSHA recommends a post-exposure medical evaluation. Consult your local health department or physician.

Home Emergency Tips: Part 2

Helpful tips on what to do until help arrives. 

It's time for Part 2 of our 4-part Home Emergency Tips. June is Home Safety Month and we want to equip you to minimize home injuries with brief tips that go a long way. Stay tuned for more tips!

Vandalism Damage

Do:

• Hose or wash egg damage from building exterior as soon as possible.


• Blot freshly spilled food from carpets and fabrics with a dampened cloth or sponge (but don't overwet). Scrape and blot; don't rub since it can damage fibers.


• Vacuum glass particles from carpets and upholstery.


• Save containers that reveal the composition of spilled inks, cosmetics and paints.

Don't:

• Attempt to remove ink, paint or cosmetic stains.


• Operate damaged lamps or appliances.


• Discard wood chips, broken pieces from furniture, porcelain or other art objects.