Family News Issue 1

above & beyond proud parents whats happening family news access

Find, Friend & Follow Us Issue 1 | 2019

ays and anniversaries health and safety career opportunities

Spotlight on Thanking Running
Mr. Friendly our drivers in love

CRUSH YOUR NEW YEAR'S COMMITMENTS WITH THESE HEALTH BENEFITS

You’ve made your New Year’s resolutions and Feel the Burn - Get your Health Club Reimbursement
now it's time to stick to them. If you set a personal The health club reimbursement pays each enrolled member
fitness goal, consider the value of health coaching, preventive (18 and over) 50% of their membership cost, up to a maximum
benefits, and the reimbursements offered through our healthcare amount of $300 per calendar year. All you need to do is submit
plans to keep you on track. And remember, our Human Resources a reimbursement form, found in the Health and Wellness
team is here to help. section of mytoolbox, along with an itemized receipt showing
health club information and payment. Reimbursement checks
Stay Accountable with Health Coaching are processed at the end of each month. As a reminder, health
For those who qualify, health coaching is an excellent tool for club reimbursements for 2018 must be turned in no later than
the new you. Your participation in biometric screening, as well February 1, 2019.
as the online health assessment, will determine your eligibility.
Health coaches are wellness partners who
encourage progress toward health and
wellness goals. Notification of the health
coaching opportunity will come from
Cigna via mail or phone call. Keep in mind
that if you are identified as eligible for the
program, participation in health coaching is
an important step in earning the healthcare
incentive (lower premium in the PPO or
added HSA contribution in the CDP).

Play Offense with Preventive Benefits
Another useful option to aid your fitness
efforts in the new year includes the
preventative care benefits. These services
are provided when you don’t have any
symptoms and haven’t been diagnosed
with the health issue connected with the
preventive service. Flu shots, mammograms
and colonoscopies are a few of the
examples of preventive care covered by this
benefit.

These services are offered at no cost, so
there’s tangible financial value attached to
preventive care service coverage. And the
peace of mind that comes with provider-
supported wellness screenings is invaluable.

An easy-to-use preventive care services
guide can be found on mytoolbox. You may
also visit your personalized mycigna page
for additional information.

© 2019 Do it Best Corp. All rights reserved.

r second paycheck celebrate blood donors focus on health

INSURANCE TIPS YOUR SECOND PAYCHECK:
GET REAL-TIME COST ESTIMATES
FROM INSURANCE COORDINATOR FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS
APRIL PFEIFFER

above & beyFOoOnPd LELNOEWN-RUOPpLroLudMparEenNts T Saving money on your prescription medications is easier thanks to the
whats happeningmycigna websfaitmeialynndewmsoabccileessapp. Cigna’s drug cost tool allows you to

quickly and conveniently compare drug prices at your local pharmacies.
You can also use this tool to budget more effectively for prescription

If you chose a different health insurance plan for drug costs by obtaining accurate price estimates.

ays and ann2smyhcciaaaov0eemerrua1ddrlra9set(ahtfs,urrm)cypeioeaaoxdemsrntudae.dtiC5wceppia4drgillro4lneiiv9nnrasie.esds.cuunTeIethrrtrh’iaasvsoetnnehsaticcmheleateeihswpnncpaoeyahenlerwarwodtdanarssaonm.aarnstfIseeeofettldc(ooyyasoionsc)dntu,aaetlypsidseniltneyoaurosaonriunsuy’wetrgaywirclnoewlooccucnniraeetrkorthievoatweectldrhtitoehpportunitie••C•••s igCC LPCornoooiwcasvstet'esereercdassocgrttmuioiemmgspitaanactgtforeeoeissssrntomventiraoasictosiaoeletcpnqudruorifievvfeaiedrlmeeennsa:ttildpwrhuiatghrms,reawscphieoesnnsaesvapilraobvlieded within 24 hours
receive a new card.
To access your personalized mycigna page, visit the Health and Wellness

section on mytoolbox. The mycigna app is available for mobile devices in

the App Store or Google Play.

CARNEGIE GRADS CELEBRATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS

During the 12th season of the Dale Carnegie Training hosted by Do it Best, students from throughout Allen County
stepped out of their comfort zones and built confidence in areas such as stress management, attitude, enthusiasm, and
people skills. Ten of the students who graduated were Do it Best team members and the skills, fellowship, and successes they gained
will help them serve both our member-owners and fellow staff better. The community class graduated on November 26 and included
these Do it Best students: Mike Beerens, Chris Davidson, LuAnn Davies, Alex Gilliam, Jarek Hoppe, Robin Norris, Diane Rorick,
Laci Scheib, Dawn Williams, and Ashley Xu.

Participants learned timeless principles outlined in Dale Carnegie’s books "How to Win Friends and Influence People" and "How to
Stop Worrying and Start Living." In-class exercises and independent studies helped students get the most out of their experience.
For graduates like Jarek the comradery between students from different business environments was invaluable for establishing new
perspectives and appreciation for one another. “The best lessons I learned from the Dale Carnegie program were from the other
participants in the class. We all went through the course together and it was very beneficial to listen to everyone's reflection on the
lessons learned throughout the program,” he said. Others found that the class gave them the tools to communicate more effectively
and confidently in front of groups.

If you are Chris accepted his program diploma at the graduation Robin received the award for most improved participant and gave a
interested in ceremony. heartfelt speech demonstrating her professional and personal growth.
participating
in the Dale
Carnegie
Training course,
contact Human
Resources to
learn how tuition
reimbursement
can be used
to cover the
program’s cost.

EASY ACCESS TO Misplaced your most recent copy of Family News? You can easily access an electronic
FAMILY NEWS version any time by signing on to mytoolbox from work or home. We archive an entire
year’s worth of issues in the Family News section. Visit mytoolbox.doitbestcorp.com
and log in with your assigned ntserv\username and password.

2 Issue 1, 2019

A FRIENDLY FACE BLOOD
DONORS
The Fort Wayne office is looking a bit more friendly these days. Thanks to the hard
We thank these Fort Wayne
work of Digital Communications Specialist Dan Walton and Graphic Artist Terri team members for giving the
gift of life:
Wunderlin, there is now a historical Mr. Friendly display giving new life to an unused alcove on
r second patyhcehescekcond floor. celebrate blood donors focus on health Jacob Bredemeyer
Bryan Chamberlain
Over the past several years, Do it Best has been collecting Mr. Friendly memorabilia and Brian Christophel
acquiring numerous items including signage, clocks, and even an animatronic Mr. Friendly
from the 1973 market. “The collection came together from all different sources. Some of it was Laura Frederick
already in our company archives while other items came from Do it Best retirees or were rescued Chad Frederickson
from antique stores,” said Dan. Deanna Gallegos

Mr. Friendly debuted in 1970 and quickly established a strong identity during the 1970s and Linda Geise
1980s. While Mr. Friendly faded from use by the early 90s, he returned with an updated look in Amy Glick
above & bey2aon0n1idc4o. nWicitDhohiits Breeaspt pfpiegroauurraden.pcaereinntsa variety of adswahnadtsvhidapepoesn, iMngr. Friendly hasfarmesiulymneewdshaicscreoslse as Sue Keller
Sarah Krey
ays and anniversaries health and safety career opportunities Deb Martinez
Chris Mettler
Gary Miller
Stephen Myers
Julie Raspiller
Sheri Rex
Rita Roberts
Heather Rospond
Rhonda Rush
Dawn Williams
Laura Williams

A DRIVEN PARTNERSHIP

At Do it Best we are focused on being the first and best Waco General Manager Brent Watts (far right) stands with two
choice for members in the independent home improvement Ryder drivers during their appreciation meal.
industry, and an important component of that initiative is ensuring that
deliveries arrive to members’ stores Lexington delivered a remarkable 302 out of 306 deliveries
accurately and on-time. Thanks on-time, that’s 98.7%. They gave each of their drivers a pair of
to our partners at Transervice and gloves and a bag of goodies for the road.
Ryder, we have seen a record high
number of on-time delivery rates.
“We finished the month of October
with an on-time delivery rate of
94.5% - a record high for any
month!” said Outbound Operations
Manager Tom Mowery. “Since
July, we’ve achieved 22 of 23
weeks over 90%, a number that has
now stretched to 20 consecutive
weeks. For the entire fiscal year,
that combined performance has
resulted in another record high of
93%.”

To acknowledge the hard work of our delivery partners, each warehouse hosted their drivers at an appreciation meal or gave them
a thankful gift. “These guys work hard and have gotten off to a tremendous start this fiscal year. We want to keep that momentum
going as we enter the challenging winter months by making sure they understand that we value their efforts,” remarked Tom.

Issue 1, 2019 3

Welcome INDEPENDENTS COLLABORATE IN CHICAGO
to the
your second paycheck The North American Retail Hardware Association (NRHA) held its fourth annual State
of IndepceenledbernattseConference in Chicagbolo. oTdhidsoenvoernst brought togethfeorcustsoorne hoewanltehrs,

manufacturers, and distributors to review industry data and plan for growth opportunities in the

Family coming years.
The conference kicked off with a women's

roundtable and Territory Manager Jennifer

Barscz and Samantha Post from T&M Hardware

& Rental were both present to contribute to the

Dixon discussion. “The issues we addressed weren’t

Rocio Cervantes-Guerrero necessarily unique to women in our industry, experiencesf,abmaiclykgnreowusnadcsceasnsd
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Fort Wayne Day two of the conference was jam-packed with presentations and panel discussions focused on
William Blume helping retailers grow. One highlight included insights from Hartville Hardware’s Zach Coblentz. He
Derek Opliger shared about Hartville’s unique growth plans and focus on maximizing productivity. A key element

Medina of his presentation centered around his pursuit

Randi Bentley of knowing his “why” and how he can help

Dan Diehl others be successful.

Evan Krise Conference attendees from Do it Best shared a career opportunities
Ryan Plucinski and annpaiwvroeaurrsddaremidesotmheenfitrswt-ietvhheeSraaSlmtphiaranitntdohfasaIwnfedhteyepnesnhdeenwtass
Stephen Weaverbirthdays

Mesquite Award for her hard work and dedication to buy Communications Director Randy Rusk (far right) was
Justin Cazares local movements like Small Business Saturday. present to congratulate Samantha (middle) alongside award
Luis Cruz sponsors from STIHL, Independent We Stand, and NRHA.
Kori Harmon

Montgomery SPRINTING FOR SOLUTIONS Looking for ways to improve our
Josh Lucero internal processes and better serve
Jose Martinez our member-owners, several staff
Chris Olivero members participated in the first ever Do it Best Design Sprint. Invented at Google by Jake
Yeily Pena Vicente Knapp, a Design Sprint is a five-day process for solving problems and testing new ideas.
June Roc
Woodburn Participants cleared their schedules for an entire week and were tasked to come up with a solution for
Fevrusa Egoroff the obstacles employees face when fulfilling order requests by Standard Plumbing, a new high-volume
Linh Nguyen Do it Best member.
Adan Ramirez Ramirez
Field Staff The sprinters sketched out ideas and solutions for managing the orders and created a prototype website
Jill Cheyne-Roy to address the largest pain points in the current process. On the final day, they shared their solution
Aaron Goldsberry with groups throughout the company that work with Standard Plumbing. The team estimates that their
Rob Saglime idea could reduce current labor costs by as much as 90% and make the potential of larger orders from
Standard Plumbing manageable and profitable.

“The week was both invigorating and exciting and brought together individuals from across multiple
divisions. As part of an initiative we're calling Do it Best Labs, we are looking forward to future Design
Sprints like this and the opportunity to solve big problems and test new ideas. Kudos to Jerad Burley,
Aaron Diers, Jim Fuller, Jason Kohlhoff, Brian Loucks, and John-Paul Rivera for participating in this
challenge,” said Engineering Manager Bill Habegger.

4 Issue 1, 2019

AN ALLIANCE OF COLLABORATION

One of the

important

ways we ensure that

our member-owners are

positioned to compete and

win is through our strategic

Alliance partnership with

Home Hardware of Canada.

Keeping our members’

continued success in mind,

President & CEO Dan Starr

welcomed Home Hardware’s

new President & CEO Kevin

Macnab and several of his

colleagues to our Fort Wayne

office. “Kevin became the

leader of Home Hardware

only weeks prior to our Doug Roth, Steve Markley, and Dent Johnson were also present for the information sessions in Fort Wayne.
meeting. It was important to

see his vision and direction for

the future and how the Alliance will continue to play a significant role,” said Dan.

This half day bi-annual Alliance managers meeting served as an opportunity for each co-op president to share information and
updates on the year to come. It was also a time for Alliance Executive Director Greg Mann to present Alliance project plans and
budget details for 2019. “These meetings are invaluable because they demonstrate collaboration at the highest level,” said Greg. “It
was clear that both co-ops are focused on measuring real results using analytics. This shared goal resulted in plans for our Marketing
and IT divisions to discuss analytical strategies with their counterparts at Home Hardware.”

The next Alliance managers meeting will take place in June at Home Hardware and will include merchandise managers and other
leaders from both co-ops.

CELEBRATE The Finance Team members
division in Marketing
On November 29, Order Clerk Amanda celebrated with gathered for
Roy celebrated her milestone 40th Correspondence a surprise
birthday with fellow team members. Clerk Lyndsey wedding
Lockridge in shower for
anticipation of Meagan
the birth of her Alexander and
baby boy. her fiancé Kess
Baker who
married on
December 29.

CAREER OPPORTUNITIES As Do it Best Corp. continues to grow, there may be career opportunities
for you to pursue within the company. Visit mytoolbox.doitbestcorp.com
AT DO IT BEST CORP. for a complete list of all openings and contact the Human Resources team
if you’re qualified for and interested in a new role.

Issue 1, 2019 5

ABOVE AND BEYOND: LOVE RUNS

Michigan ranks among the worst in the nation
for human trafficking. Three years ago, Regional
Store Designer Matt Soper decided to do something to help
fight this growing problem.

Matt joined Love Runs, a nonprofit that brings people

together to fight as one against this scourge in the Detroit

area. Runners participating in Detroit Free Press Marathon

(FREEP) events raise funds to help prevent human trafficking

and restore its victims. Even though he didn’t consider himself

a runner, Matt felt compelled to join the cause and signed up

to run with his wife Heather. “I was terrified of the running Matt’s two girls are also involved in
part and I never thought I could do it, but when I focus on Love Runs and participated in the Kids
why I’m doing it everything else fades away,” said Matt. Martian Marathon.

Together with a group of around 400 other runners, Matt and

Heather train for the 2019 FREEP full marathon and work to raise at least $1,440 each for Love Runs. “One thousand four hundred

and forty is the number of minutes in a day that we are free and others are enslaved. Most of our fundraising is done through social

media and bottle drives,” he said.

The runners are a very close knit team and show tremendous support for each other. They have group training runs every Saturday,
and dress in matching blue Love Runs shirts for marathons that generate awareness for the cause. The runners also operate on a no
runner left behind philosophy and make sure that someone is always there to cheer the last person across the finish line.

In addition to raising funds and running, Matt and Heather also participate in outreach events where they visit hotels and other hot
spots for human trafficking. They speak with hotel staff to try and identify missing children and get leads on possible trafficking
situations. “Motel staff are often wary about reporting information directly to law enforcement but when we come by they are more
willing to give us important details about potential victims,” he added.

A SPECIAL DELIVERY

At Parkview Hospital and Behavioral Health in Fort Wayne, many children
spent the holidays hospitalized and away from the comforts of home. To
make the season special, employee board members hand delivered three car loads of gifts
to patients. This was all made possible thanks to staff donations collected throughout
November and December. Gifts included sensory kits, baby dolls, crib mobiles, trucks,
craft sets and much more. "The Parkview staff couldn’t say enough kind words. They
were so thankful for our donations and mentioned that our generosity allows them to
bring Christmas joy to children who may otherwise go without during the holidays," said
Communications Specialist Lauren Brune.

6 Issue 1, 2019

TOYS FOR TOTS RANDY'S RV COLLECTION ROLLS
IN MONTGOMERY INTO NEW HOME

On December 2 the Middletown & New Many people have special items they collect, and Communications Director Randy
Jersey Railroad Company held their Rusk has been acquiring miniature camper replicas since the age of nine. With an
7th Annual Toys for Tots Train, making extensive collection that became too large to properly display in his home, Randy
stops in towns throughout Orange decided to donate the vehicles to The RV and Manufactured Housing Hall of Fame in
County to pick up unwrapped toys. Our Elkhart, Indiana. “My wife and I will soon be empty-nesters. We wanted to downsize
Montgomery team knew the train would but I couldn’t imagine selling off the models I’d spent my whole life acquiring. The
be arriving in their area and wanted to RV/MH museum seemed like the perfect destination for my cherished collection,”
contribute to the cause. General Manager Randy said.
Derek Ball donated a Radio Flyer wagon
and Senior Lumber Sales Manager Tom After discussing the details with RV/MH Randy says he’ll continue looking for
Demetrius pitched in to put it together. President Darryl Searer, they selected a date unusual camper models and plans to return
Others stocked the wagon with toys, to create a new permanent display at the to the museum in February to add more of
and despite the rainy conditions on the museum featuring Randy’s collection. Over his finds.
day the train came through town, team two days in late November, Randy and
members were happy to embrace the Operations Manager Ryan Szklarek sorted
spirit of giving and be present to donate through the many boxes of models ranging
the wagon. in scale from 1:87 up to 1:16 and sorted
them by category and country of origin.
“There are so many unusual and detailed
models of campers, some of which we
have here in full-size. We are very fortunate
to have these on display. It will definitely
add a new must-see stop for visitors,” said
Ryan.

While Randy had some The new exhibit of Randy’s miniature vehicles is one of the
hesitation about leaving his nation’s largest collection of scale model camping replicas
collection behind, he was from around the world.
reassured of his decision when
the display was completed.
“This is everything I hoped
it would be. I’ve had this
pictured in my head for years
and now to see it all organized
in display cases is better than
I ever imagined,” said Randy.
“I’m so appreciative to Darryl
and Ryan for running such a
quality museum and giving me
the opportunity to contribute
to the camping hobby.”

GETTING AHEAD OF DIEGO

Our Southern states have seen their fair share of abnormal snowfall
this year thanks to winter storm Diego. To make sure our member-
owners were well positioned to serve customers ahead of the storm, several
team members at our Lexington warehouse came in early on a rainy Saturday
morning to fill and load two trucks of emergency supplies headed to The
Carolinas. “Our team always rallies to help members when they face weather
challenges. In less than two hours we loaded over $30,000 worth of inventory,”
said General Manager Scott Smith. Thanks to their hard work, an emergency
supply of snow shovels, ice melt, sleds, and generators were delivered to five
member stores before the record snowfall rolled in later that evening.

Issue 1, 2019 7

OUT AND ABOUT: Waco General FORT WAYNE
A SWEET SYMPHONY Manager Brent
Watts and his Families
enjoyed a
family are still scrumptious
breakfast buffet
coming down from cloud nine after their once-in-a-lifetime experience followed by
storytime with
in New York City. They had the opportunity to perform at Carnegie Mrs. Claus, and
then pictures
Hall with the Central Texas Choral Society. The 22-member choir was with Santa.

invited to be a part of a show

through Distinguished Concerts

International New York. The

production featured a world

class pianist, six accomplished

soloists, and over 200 choir

members from six different

countries.

The group sang Beethoven's Pam, Brent, and Evan Watts pose in
Ode to Joy: Symphony No. 9 front of the playbill for their show.
and Choral Fantasy to a sold
out audience of over 2,000
people, and were recognized
with a standing ovation. “As a
family who has loved singing
together for many years, this
was an experience to check off
the bucket list!” said Brent.

WHAT'S HAPPENING: DIXON Meeting/Expo Manager Vince Slack won the White Christmas-
themed tree designed by Amy Schmitz, Tammy Heffelfinger, and
Team members met together for a delicious catered Terri Wunderlin. The tree raffle raised over $250 to buy gifts for
dinner followed by a white elephant gift exchange. children hospitalized over the holidays.
Participants had a great time waiting to see what kinds of crazy gifts
their fellow coworkers would receive.

Staff wore their ugliest holiday sweaters and festive attire to add to
the mood of the Christmas luncheon.

8 Issue 1, 2019

FORT WAYNE LEXINGTON

The annual Christmas luncheon A good time was had by all during
brought staff and retirees together the annual holiday festivities which
for a great meal and sounds of included a gift exchange and dancing. The kids
the season, courtesy of in-house enjoyed burning their energy on obstacle courses,
carolers. trampolines, and rock walls at an indoor trampoline
park.
MEDINA
MONTGOMERY
Team members and their kids
enjoyed a day at the movies. After To celebrate the holidays, team members and
a showing of Ralph Breaks the Internet complete their families gathered at Thomas Bull Ski Lodge
with popcorn and soft drinks, children got to visit for a hot breakfast. The
with Santa in the theater lobby. children enjoyed a visit
from Santa and Mrs. Claus
MESQUITE and sweet treats from the
edible centerpieces.
Team members hopped on a bus
and headed for Vegas to watch a 9
Golden Knights hockey game against
the St. Louis Blues.

The employee board
organized a kids
Christmas adventure
and invited families
to visit the Camel
Safari Park where
they received a tour
of the farm and got
to pet the animals.
There was also
lunch followed by
s’mores for dessert.

Issue 1, 2019

SIKESTON

A record number
of staff and
retirees gathered in a festively
decorated hall for an evening of
food, music, and fun.

Families gathered at West Park Lanes for an afternoon of bowling
and refreshments. With over 150 people in attendance, everyone
enjoyed the energy and friendly competition of the day.

Team member Mario Dye The employee board
entertained the crowd with an worked hard to
awesome rendition of Stand By Me. decorate the space
for the party and
honored soon-to-
retire Elaine Estes
(third from left) for
her contributions to
the board throughout
the years.

WACO The kids Staff got creative
Christmas during a gingerbread
party was house decorating
a day at the movies. contest and enjoyed
Staff and their families other sweet treats
watched The Grinch on the big screen. during work.

For their adult holiday party, team members
put their bowling skills to the test while
enjoying snacks and refreshments.

10 Issue 1, 2019

WOODBURN

For a bit of jolly competition,
team members participated in
a Grinch relay while others cheered them on.

Team members gathered around the Christmas tree to send season’s greetings to our member-
owners.

INFORMATION SECURITY:
STAY SECURE IN 2019 WITH THESE IT TIPS

Internet security is an ongoing concern as we step into 2019. These nine
tips are designed to help everyone learn more about cyber security and
create habits to protect ourselves, our company, and our communities.

1. A udit your passwords. Make sure your passwords are strong and
contain an assortment of characters. Change them regularly. Don’t use
the same password for multiple sites.

2. S tay off the WiFi. Don’t use unsecured or public WiFi networks to
conduct personal business like online shopping, medical appointments,
records management, or banking.

3. C over your webcam. Use a piece of opaque tape to cover your
webcam anytime you’re not using it. Cyber criminals can use webcams
to get all kinds of information on people.

4. P rotect your systems. Make sure antivirus, firewall, and ad-blocker
solutions are patched and updated on a regular basis. Do it Best
provides these solutions on our work devices, so consider similar
practices for your home use.

5. D isable auto connect. It can be super useful for your phone to
automatically connect to your home WiFi or your car’s Bluetooth, but that’s not a good thing when you’re traveling or in
public. Make sure your WiFi auto discovery function is off, and Bluetooth is off.

6. U pdate your software. Make sure any software you use on your personal computer is updated regularly. Check on updates for
video games, smart TVs, and smart home technology like Nest thermostats.

7. B ack up your data frequently and in multiple locations. For storing critical information or irreplaceable files like photos,
consider using a removable hard drive that you remove in the event you fall victim to a ransomware attack.

8. C heck your email accounts. You may have forgotten about that old rocketmail.com account from 2003, but a cybercriminal
could still get into it and use your name to try to get information from your family, friends, and other contacts.

9. C reate an alternate you. Everything you want to read and do requires an email address. Instead of using your primary email
address for everything, consider creating an alternate email address for public-facing accounts.

Issue 1, 2019 11

FOCUS ON HEALTH: 6 TIPS FOR A TASTY, HEALTHY JANUARY

A new year is a good time to focus on developing healthy eating habits. Here are six
suggestions to help you get off on the right foot in 2019.

Fill your Plate Healthfully
Think of your dish as a pie chart: Fruits and vegetables should occupy half of your plate, while the rest
should be equally divided between lean protein and complex carbohydrates made with whole grains.

Eat Two Servings of Fruit and Veggies a Day
By consuming this amount, spread throughout your three daily meals and any snacks, you’ll stay full
and keep your calorie intake low. Incorporate fruit into breakfast. Add frozen or fresh vegetables to
your soups, egg scrambles, and pasta dishes for satisfying lunches and dinners.

Don’t Skip Meals
If you do, pros agree, you’ll increase the chances of overeating at the next meal. Instead, eat breakfast
to kickstart your metabolism in the morning, and aim to eat small meals every three to four hours
after that to keep it in high gear.

Don’t Drink your Calories
If you cut back on booze, sodas, and juices by just 25 percent per week, you’ll shave off loads of
empty calories that cause weight gain. You’ll also sleep better since alcohol interrupts snoozing cycles.

Keep a Food Diary
It’s a tried-and-true nutritionist trick that keeps you accountable for everything that passes your lips.
Just jot down drink, snack, and meal contents right after you finish up, and you’ll be able to tell if
you’re on or off track just by looking at the amount and type of food you’re consuming.

Do a DIY Cleanse
For three to five days, increase your fruit and veggie intake by 25 percent. In other words, make them
the focus of every meal by making vegetable-rich salads, hearty cheese-free omelettes, and filling fruit
smoothies. In addition, hold back on alcohol, coffee, sweets, dairy, and wheat products.

SAFETY CORNER Presented by your safety committee
GUARD AGAINST CARBON MONOXIDE POISONING

According to a new study by the Centers for Disease Control and With these sobering facts it’s a good time to remember the
Prevention, the first month of the year is the worst for carbon following safety tips to prevent CO poisoning:
monoxide poisoning. At least two people die each day from
carbon monoxide poisoning in January—three times the fatality • H ave your heating system, water heater and any other gas-,
rate recorded in August and July. oil- or coal-burning appliance inspected and serviced by a
qualified technician every year.
Fatalities were highest among men and senior citizens: Men
because they are engaged in more high-risk behaviors such • I nstall battery-operated CO detectors on every level of your
as working with fuel-burning tools or appliances and seniors home.
because they are likely to mistake the symptoms of CO poisoning
(headaches, nausea, dizziness or confusion) for the flu or fatigue. • D on’t use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove or other
gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside the home,
Cold weather increases the use of gas-powered furnaces as basement or garage or outside the home near a window.
well as the use of risky alternative heating and power sources
(portable generators, charcoal briquettes, propane stoves or • Don’t burn anything in an unvented stove or fireplace.
grills) during power outages.
• D on’t let a vehicle idle inside a garage attached to a house,
even if the garage door is left open.

• Don’t heat a house with a gas oven.

If a CO detector sounds, leave your home immediately and call
911 from outside. Seek prompt medical attention if you suspect
CO poisoning and if you or someone in your household is feeling
dizzy, light-headed or nauseated.

Find, Friend & Follow Us Issue 1, 2019