We're thowing a Breast Cancer FUNdraiser!

Join us on Sat. October 16th for Pilates in Central Park. This is the first annual Pilates in Central Park Breast Cancer Fundraiser. Organizers expect to attract nearly 200 participants and will offer pre-registration at http://ping.fm/dSJWl

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and the City of Palm Coast will be doing "Pilates" for pink!

Registration to the one of a kind FUNdraiser is only 25.00 and the first 100 will receive a Pink Swag Bag stuffed with goodies!!

Join now to help find a cure for Breast Cancer!

Pilates in Central Park, Breast Cancer Fundraiser

Pilates in Central Park Saturday, October 16th 8-10am Central Park at Town Center, Palm Coast

WORKOUT for a cause - help fight Breast Cancer! $25 donation to our special Pilates in Central Park event includes one 45-minute Pilates class taught by YMCA and Synergy Instructors. Donation will also include a one of a kind Pilates goes Pink Swag bag stuffed with goodies and a pink Breast Cancer Awareness Ribbon*!

The Pilates session is for men and women of all fitness levels, you do not need any experience, this is a great way to kick start your health and benefit research to save lives!

Thank you for your support!

There are two ways to donate:

Donate early online at Time for Research, make a minimum donation of $25 and bring your receipt to Central Park on the 16th.

Same day donation: bring a check/money order payable to The Breast Cancer Research Foundation®; registration begins on 10/16 at 7:00am. Please do not bring cash donations!

Pilates in Central Park Schedule:

7:00am- Registration Opens (closes at 7:45am)

8:00am- Opening Ceremonies and Pilates Session

9:00-10am – Visit and learn about Breast Cancer!

For more information call Kelly at 407.719.5085

Swag bag and pink awareness ribbon guaranteed to the first 100 participants 100% of proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation®

Palm Coast, FL - On October 16th, 2010 join the residents of Flagler County as they take a STANCE for a cause. This is the first annual Pilates in Central Park Breast Cancer Awareness and Fundraising event. Pilates in Central Park is raising money to fight Breast Cancer and is expected to attract around 200 participants.

Every consumer should read this!

As an honest business owner, who ensures that our practice is legitimate it upsets me to hear about yet another locksmith company that is scamming consumers. When I hear that a locksmith company in Pasadana not only charged their customers excess fees but they refused to provide estimates for work ordered. This is not only terrible practice but frightening that a consumer would take work without an estimates. For our company, estimates are free, we will provide them over the phone or in person with no charge (and that's the way it should be for every locksmith company). First and foremost, as locksmiths if we don't know what the work require we don't know if we have the proper tools required for the job. I can't imagine going to a locksmith job and not previewing the property to make sure that I can provide what is needed for the consumer. This also provides me with the opportunity to educate the customer on their current security and ways to improve it. I think some locksmith companies don't consider themselves security experts but we are. We know the in's and out's of the most basic security system an individual can have... their locks and doors. When I'm working with a customer I'm not just providing a service, I'm providing security. It's important that all locksmith companies assess a customer's current security and provide them with ways to improve and in some cases save money. For instance, I once went to a job where a business thought they needed all new locks on every door, they had 20 doors. Sure, I could have provided new locks on the door but that would have cost them a ton of money, so I suggest they just get the current lock rekeyed which is much more cost effective for the consumer. Whether we are doing work for a corporation or a single lock on a resident, an estimate will provide the consumer with a detailed description of the service provided, possible security holes, and cost of that service. Please, CONSUMERS make sure that you are always getting an estimate before service is provided. If the locksmith needs to alter the pricing during a job, then a new estimate should be provided at that time. Protect yourself and your investment!

Make it a safe and secure day!

http://ping.fm/MweaZ

http://ping.fm/nf0KT

Pop-A-Lock Exhibits at the NIADA Trade Show

Pop-A-Lock Exhibits at the NIADA Trade Show

NIADA- June 23, 2010- SystemForward recently represented the Pop-A-Lockâ„¢ franchise system at the NIADA convention. The National Independent Auto Dealers Assoc. was an excellent opportunity to introduce Pop-A-Lockâ„¢ and showcase our mobile key making services. The attached postcard was used as a handout to the tradeshow attendees. Additionally, the "Need Keys" message was used as a half page ad in the NIADA magazine (June Issue). We will be sending out contact information of local dealers who stopped by the booth and request more information from the local contact person.

The postcards are now available to all Pop-A-Lock franchisees who would like to use locally when marketing to local car dealers.

Click the link below to see the postcard and e-momentum article:

NEED KEYS !

systemforward.com/emomentum/NIADA/NIADA-6-22-10.html

Blog title...

Great story about one Pop-A-Lock of Houma, LA.

Pop-A-Lock Locksmith Answers the Call

Workers who had just escaped the burning deepwater horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico did not stop to grab their car keys before escaping to safety from the burning rig that later created one of the largest oil spills in history. This means that many of the survivors who had been rescued and returned to the BP heliport in Houma, LA were faced with a new challenge. The simple task of driving home to see their families and loved ones just got a little more complicated without keys to unlock and start their cars.

Thankfully, local locksmith Pop-A-Lockâ„¢ answered the call to provide emergency service for these weary and frustrated survivors. Ray LeCompte, owner of Pop-A-Lock Locksmith of Houma, LA arrived within minutes of getting the call to make new car keys.

On the afternoon of April 21st, representatives for Trans Ocean and Arch Catering, companies that were hired by BP and had employees on the Horizon oil rig, attempted to contact local locksmiths to assist, however, it was not until they called Pop-A-Lockâ„¢ that the call was answered to provide emergency service to make the keys. There were dozens of workers who were desperate to go home, but did not have keys to start their cars. Pop-A-Lockâ„¢, a nationwide mobile locksmith service, was able to cut and program all of the keys on the spot. In order to speed up the process of duplicating so many keys at one time, LeCompte requested additional support from a nearby Pop-A-Lockâ„¢ locksmith from New Orleans, P.J. Breaux. Breaux was immediately dispatched to the BP heliport at the Houma, LA air base and the duo began making new keys for the survivors who were understandably anxious to go home!

When asked about his service to assist the workers, LeCompte replied, “As locksmiths, we get calls all the time for unexpected situations. We were glad that we could help out.”


http://ping.fm/ELZGC

Home Alone? Ideas for House Rules!

School begins on in a few weeks, is your child ready to be home alone? Just like you establish other house rules you should have home alone rules.

Every family has different home alone rules, but here are some rule ideas to discuss with a parent:

"Key" issues!

At school, keep your house keys hidden inside a pocket, purse or wallet.

Don't wear your keys around your wrist or on a necklace.

Don't loan out your key. You might consider leaving an extra key with a neighbor you trust in case you're locked out.

Hiding a key under a rock or a flowerpot isn't a good idea...that's the first place burglars will look!

When you get home, have your key ready to get in the home so you don't have to fumble with the lock.

"Closed Door" policy

Don't open the door to anyone except a sibling or parent.

Keep all doors locked, at all times.

Checking In

Once you've made it home, call your parent or guardian to let them know that everything's cool.

To see more please visit http://ping.fm/okOjW

Prepare your child to stay home alone after school!

There are some rather obvious things a family should do when preparing for youngsters to stay at home alone after school, beginning with a thorough check for safety risks in the house or apartment. This includes obvious dangers like access to firearms, adult beverages, and kitchen appliances -- especially those that use natural gas. (If cooking is to be “off limits,” plan to have snacks on hand that do not require heating up.)

This is a good time to put together a First Aid kit with your child, and discuss appropriate measures in the event of an injury. Post emergency phone numbers near all the telephones in the house, and be sure to include contact information for neighbors and other relatives who live nearby. Take this opportunity to review emergency evacuation drills to refresh their memory about how to get out of the house in case of fire.

“Most youngsters today know about calling 9-1-1 in an emergency,” said Brad England, executive director of Cypress Creek EMS. “We spend a lot of time at local schools and at day care facilities teaching youngsters to ‘Make the Call.’ Parents can help by discussing what to do in different kinds of emergencies, and to tell your child -- if they have any doubt at all about how to respond in an emergency -- to call 9-1-1. It is important for any youngster who is trusted to be home alone to know key identification information -- the home address, parents’ work numbers, and the name and phone number of a neighbor or responsible adult nearby. If your child ever does have to call 9-1-1, our dispatchers are especially trained to calm the caller, to provide understandable instructions, and to keep the child on the line until the emergency is resolved or our team arrives on the scene, if that is appropriate.”

“Along with other back-to-school instructions,” England continued, “be sure to require your child to take the same route to and from school each day, and to come straight home from school. Set up a check-in message routine so you’ll know they made it safely home even if you can’t come to the phone when they call. Another important safety rule is to caution your child NEVER to enter the house if the door is open, or if it appears it may have been broken into. Tell them to go to a neighbor’s home for help and, if a break-in is also suspected by the adult, to call 9-1-1 for emergency assistance.”

“We recommend that, once they are home, that children keep the doors locked at all times,” urged chief Deputy Moore. “The best rule is no company, no exceptions. That means when mom and dad are away, not even friends may enter the house. If someone calls and asks for a parent, the child should say they can’t come to the phone without letting the caller know they are home alone. It is also not advisable for kids to talk about being home alone and to keep their house key safely out of sight. Not only is it a temptation for friends to visit, but a careless word could alert others who might be unwelcome visitors.”

“Parents certainly don’t want to make their children paranoid about staying alone in the house,” Moore acknowledged. “But it is entirely appropriate to go over safety instructions and to discuss potential dangers. Things have, unfortunately, changed in our society, and each of us has the responsibility for our own security and protection. This is a case where it is truly better to be safe than sorry.”

Here are some other basic safety tips for being home alone:

* Establish “House Rules.” Write them down, post them, and review them periodically. Consider including homework and chores, using the phone, computer or kitchen appliances.
* Stress early on that parents should not be called to settle minor sibling disputes and disagreements. These can be addressed in the evening or at special weekly “meetings” held for just that purpose.
* Practice emergency procedures, including calling 9-1-1. Don’t assume that youngsters will know what to say on the phone in the event of an emergency, so rehearse some possible situations and talk about what you would expect them to do in each one.
* Do some role playing to make children comfortable answering phone calls and taking messages, as well as dealing with things like peer pressure (other kids wanting to come inside) and strangers.
* If you have a change of plans, or if you are not going to return home when you said you would, call and reassure your children. They tend to worry when things don’t go according to plan, and a lack of information can cause them to panic.
* There are many occasions during the school year when youngsters have after school activities. Be sure to discuss each day’s schedule -- including all transportation plans -- so that parent’s won’t worry if the “safe home” message is not received when expected.
* Try to avoid placing too much responsibility on a young child and listen carefully when a “home alone-er” wants to share concerns or problems.


Remember, no matter how mature your child acts, he or she is still a child. Children invariably make mistakes; they don’t always react in a situation as you wish they would. And, even if they start off well without adult supervision, they can get “spooked” and develop real fears about being home by themselves. Give your youngsters lots of encouragement, support and reinforcement, and treat their mistakes as learning experiences instead of failures. Show them how much you appreciate their helpfulness, self-reliance and cooperation while you are away, and be liberal with appropriate rewards.

source: http://ping.fm/zFWS9

Should I give my children a key to the house?

I think the timing is perfect for this topic, school begins in less than 30 days and parents are faced with the a difficult decision. Do I let my children have a key to the home and come/go on their own? The advice by child therapist, Kate Cohen-Posey will hopefully give you some tips on when the timing is right for you and your children.

My 9-year-old wants a key to the house. At what age do you feel a child should be given a key?

Providing a child of a responsible age with his own key to their residence is, depending on the family's circumstances, either a privilege or a necessity. Remember, for many families the reality of a child coming home alone at the end of a school day to an empty house and letting themselves in the door is a regular and unavoidable occurrence. These "latch key children" are very common today because of the great number of double income families and single parent households. These children are being given a great deal of responsibility at a very young age, and there are strict rules that these children must follow in order to preserve their own safety.

Given the nature of the question posed here, I can only assume that this is a situation in which a child doesn't need to have a key, but has friends that do and therefore would like to be able to have one as well. Before a parent makes this decision it would be prudent to answer a few questions:

* Why does my child want to have a key?
* Do I feel that these reasons are valid?
* What are the disadvantages and/or concerns I have about fulfilling this request?
* What are the advantages?
* What are the rules that I will put into place to insure that this responsibility is handled appropriately?
* Is my child mature enough for this?

Remember, as stated earlier, providing a child with a key is a privilege -- a child must earn it by demonstrating a high level of maturity and responsibility in their general behavior. The child must also recognize and acknowledge the appropriate behavior expected as a result of this new responsibility, and he must be willing to follow the new rules that a parent creates to assist his safely handling this new challenge.

All of this said, 9-years-old is not an utterly unreasonable time to give the "right" child a key to the house. Again, there are many latch key children given this task at even earlier ages. With the right 9-year-old and under good, well-supervised situations bestowing a child with this responsibility can lead to enhanced feelings of good self esteem and feelings of accomplishment and pride, and in turn may lead to more demonstrations of maturity and personal growth.

*Expert therapist, Kate-Cohen Posey.

Pop-A-Lock - EDU_30.mpg

Pop-A-Lock - RTN Business.wmv

Pop-A-Lock - Locked In Space new logo.mpg