The explosion created a 90-foot-wide crater, killed 14 people, injured more than 200 and caused up to $100 million dollars in damages, and the owners only had $1 million in coverage?
 

Seriously, what business owner, whether it’s a fertilizer plant or a bakery, would only carry that little in general liability coverage? Even as a recovering risk-taker, I carry a $1 million umbrella policy to protect my family. I also carry uninsured/underinsured coverage on my auto policy and after this event, maybe I should also look to begin carry it on my home as well?
 

If you divided up that insurance money by the number of tragic deaths, you get a little less than $75,000 a person. Then there would be nothing left for the 200 injured (40 critically) and the $100 million in property damage.
 

So the question now is does the lack of sufficient insurance enable the plaintiff attorneys to pierce the corporate veil? My guess is that if not, then those very lawyers will instead try to find a way to reach into every responsible and affiliated party’s pockets, including the landscapers, the vendor machine suppliers and the office suppliers. I am quite sure that there is an insurance agent out there somewhere in Texas who is squirming around his office looking over his paperwork to make sure that he documented the owners limits of coverage decisions.
 

I suspect that West, Texas Fertilizer company is probably not the only company that stores hazardous materials without carrying enough liability insurance to cover the risk those materials pose. But any business owner with an ounce of ethics — and business savvy — would never underinsure by this much. So how is this even possible today, and how could this be allowed?
 

As with any accident or disaster, it fortunately creates a learning process and this should serve as a valuable lesson to every homeowner, auto owner, business owner and CEO as it relates to your insurance coverage needs and decisions. It should also serve as a lesson to every state legislator as well.
 

Several states don’t require higher limits of general liability coverages for hazardous operations and industries. The bottom line is that the lack of insurance coverage can be consistent with the overall lack of responsibility we see from business owners, automobile owners and, yes, even some state legislators.
 

As an example of this, how can any state legislators in Kentucky sleep at night knowing that they only require drivers today to carry — the minimum $25,000 for bodily injury liability up to a total of $50,000 for the combined medical expenses of all of the occupants of the vehicle, and property damage liability coverage with a minimum limit of $10,000 to cover the costs of repair to damaged property, including the other driver’s vehicle. Are they living in the 1950s? Have they not checked what the average auto claim cost is today?
 

In my profession, when making sales calls with some of the best agents in our office, one of the earth-stopping questions that they sometimes will ask is, “What keeps you up at night as a business owner?” As an owner of a fertilizer company, I suspect that this had to be at the top of that list. So how could he responsibly and intelligently decide on such lower limits of coverage?
 

Most of you who know me know that I am not one for big government and for any additional unnecessary legislation, but I am about common sense. The last thing I want to do is place more regulations on businesses especially in a time of economic downturn, but we have to hold our citizens and business owners and corporations accountable for gross negligence as it relates to their actions.
 

Therefore, I don’t think that a company should be allowed to be able to avoid paying for additional insurance coverages and using the bankruptcy option as a solution as its risk reduction strategy. Such incident must serve as a lesson for future change.
 

Investigators have yet to determine the cause of the explosion, and they still haven’t ruled out terrorism. So from what I gather, there will be plenty of blame to go around, including for the state of Texas and the federal government, once the dust settles.
 

As an average chemistry student in high school but yet a Breaking Bad television series junkie, I realize that Walter White needed anhydrous ammonia to make his crystal meth, and just as in the television series, thieves have been targeting the West, Texas plant for years. According to a Reuters report, over the past 12 years law enforcement have reportedly responded to at least 11 reports of burglaries and five separate ammonia leaks at the West, Texas plant. According to one 2002 crime report, a plant manager told police that intruders were stealing four to five gallons of anhydrous ammonia every three days.
 

Apart from anhydrous ammonia, the company also stored tons of ammonium nitrate, the VERY same material used in the Oklahoma City bombing, but yet this plant reportedly had no fence, alarms or guards who patrolled the building. How can that be in our post 9/11 era? Didn’t Congress pass a law several years back requiring facilities that store such large amounts of the chemical to report to Janet Napolitano of the Department of Homeland Security and to work with the agency to ensure proper security measures are in place to keep it out of criminal hands and protect against attacks?
 

The point is that we all share in the blame for what happened in West, Texas and that common sense must prevail, and the answers can be found in the middle if we would just stop posturing and listening to all the special interest groups that muddy the decision process.
 

Government-imposed safety inspections, insurance requirements, worker protections, industrial zoning, environmental protection, banking and financial rules, etc., are all necessary but must be fair and logical. It is unreasonable to expect consumer-citizens to be able to make the right and most informed decisions about risk and cost-benefit for everyday decisions, so government must play a part in the decision to ensure that we are all safeguarded and adequately compensated from such tragedies.
 

We must have reasonable, focused, fair and cost-effective safety and environmental regulation – some local, some state, some federal; and the insurance industry must play a key role in risk-spreading and cost allocation to make sure that the burden is shared. In other words, “Thank God for Insurance.”

Be safe, my friends.
 

Keven Moore is director of Risk Management Services for Roeding Insurance (www.roedinginsurance.com). He has a bachelor’s degree from University of Kentucky, a master’s from Eastern Kentucky University and 25-plus years of experience in the safety and insurance profession. He lives in Lexington with his family and works out of both the Lexington and Northern Kentucky offices. Keven can be reached at kmoore@roeding.com.
 

Click here to read more columns from Keven Moore.

Mother’s Day is coming up , so I thought it would be fun to talk about those favorite recipes that no one can make as good as mom. And for each of us, I’m sure the dishes will be very different. My Nana – my Dad’s mom – was 100 percent Polish. Even though my Nana is in heaven, Dad magically brings her spirit back to earth when he recreates her Polish sausage, kapusta and pierogies. Our “food memories” can be very strong and make us feel connected to our moms, whether they live across town, across the country or are keeping my Nana and Jesus company.
 

Now, I arguably have the best mom on the planet (yes, that’s the two of us pictured at left, circa 1977). We always ate dinner as a family every night, and many times Mom would involve my brother and me in her cooking and baking activities. I’m sure there were times when she may have regretted that decision, but Mom was spending quality time with us while teaching us valuable cooking skills. If she hadn’t taken the time to do that, I don’t think I’d be writing Meal Planning Monday – so THANKS MOM!
 

I remember a time in high school when I tried making a particular recipe in my brief vegetarian phase that turned out awful. Back then I hated failing at anything, so I’m pretty sure I was crying as I threw my attempt at dinner in the trash. Thankfully Mom, being the wonderful encourager that she is, told me that being a good cook requires two things: good recipes and practice. (Obviously, it was a horrible recipe to start with and, therefore, not my fault.) So, I have become an avid collector of good recipes and now have years of practice under my belt. Some of Mom’s recipes I have successfully duplicated, but others just taste better when she makes them. Here are some of my all-time favorites.
 

Chicken cacciatore – My Mom would make this in the Crockpot with bone-in chicken, tons of mushrooms and peppers, and serve it over pasta. It’s pure heaven! I haven’t perfected this recipe yet, but am going to try a clean-eating version my friend Julie Brawley created. Fortunately, one of my favorite Italian restaurants, Pompellio’s, has a cacciatore dish that tastes almost exactly like Mom’s.
 

Split pea soup – I have tried to duplicate my Mom’s split pea soup on multiple occasions and missed the mark every time. It’s just one of those recipes that no one makes as good as she does. Must be all the extra love she adds! I always request it as my birthday dinner, with warm corn muffins slathered in butter.
 

Turkey slices and gravy – This recipe is super easy and still a favorite for both me and my brother. My Mom would buy a pound of turkey deli meat, slice it into bite-sized pieces, and heat it in a skillet with a jar or two of turkey gravy. Most of the time she served it over white rice with a veggie on the side. Now I make a grown-up version of the recipe. I start by sautéing mushrooms in a little bit of butter to add to the turkey and gravy, and then serve it over wild rice.
 

Chicken noodle soup – Nothing makes me feel better when I’m under the weather than a bowl of Mom’s homemade chicken soup. I’ll make a huge pot of this soup and freeze the leftovers. Let me tell you – there’s nothing better than realizing you have homemade chicken soup in the freezer when you start to feel sick. If your mom can’t be there to take care of you, it’s the next best thing.
 

Sugar cookies with homemade buttercream frosting – Some of my favorite childhood memories revolve around making Christmas cookies with Mom. It was – and still is – fun to bake and decorate those delicious treats. Most years, Mom and I still bake them together. I’m excited that my nephew and niece, Reid and Ayla, are going to be old enough to help us bake and decorate them this year.
 

To all the moms out there – happy early Mother’s Day! I hope you have as many fond memories as I do of cooking and baking with your mom. And be sure to start training up the next generation of young cooks and bakers. So tell me – what recipes remind you most of your mom?
 

Meal Planning Monday is a regular feature of yourstrongtower.com, a website dedicated to promoting the financial well-being of families through the use of coupons and good money management principles. Financial coach and self-proclaimed Coupon Queen Christine Luken, along with partner Craig DeLisle, aims to reduce the cost, time and stress of shopping and meal preparation so families have more time and money to invest in the things that matter most to them. Read more of Christine’s money management tips and check out her Coupon Wizard at yourstrongtower.com.
 

Read more “Meal Planning Monday” columns here.

Suzy’s having a grand ol’ time. Giving presents for OUR birthday. Doesn’t get better than a chance to say thanks to all the folks who’ve made the last two years – long hours, hard work, sweat, tears and laughs – worthwhile.

Two prize winners already this week: Manda Shank of Lexington and Jennifer Fields of Paris. Another will be announced tomorrow morning

The MONDAY GRAND PRIZE will be an overnight on May 10th at Kentucky State Resort Park at Barren River – and TWO entries for the Barren River Spring Hoot 5k Run & Walk. Thanks so much to Kentucky’s terrific State Parks for offering this great gift! (You know how much Suzy loves the Kentucky State Parks! A real Kentucky, family-friendly treasure).

Here are this week’s gifts:

The Kentucky Derby book — award-winning — by James Nicholson

Sponsor: InBoundLex (To Manda)

Four tickets to the Kentucky Horse Park. (To Jennifer)

E-gift certificate for 3 Day/2Night vacation from Grand Navigator (Announced this weekend)

 
 
Click HERE To ENTER!

“Like” our sponsors on Facebook and share with friends for more chances to win.

 
 
Suzy sends good wishes for good luck – and many, many thanks to all of you for being such good Friends of KyForward.

Oh, and have some Birthday cake. Everybody needs an excuse to have cake!

Smart Fun Tomorrow

Governor Steve Beshear and First Lady Jane Beshear today encouraged Kentuckians to attend the 77th annual Governor’s Derby Celebration in historic downtown Frankfort. The event will be held tomorrow – that’s the famous First Saturday in May – from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Eastern time and is FREE and open to the public.

Smart health

Baptist Health Lexington Hospital will offer its annual FREE stroke screening from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 24 near the Dillard’s inside entrance at Fayette Mall. No appointment is necessary.

The stroke screening involves a check of risk factors for stroke and will include assessment of blood pressure, pulse, blood glucose and total cholesterol. Staff also will check for signs of narrowing in the carotid artery.

If needed, an EKG will be performed. If an abnormality is found on the EKG, the person will be offered an evaluation with the Center for Atrial Fibrillation and Heart Rhythm Disorders at Baptist Health Lexington.

For more information about the stroke screening, please call 859-260-4400.

Be good to yourself, Suzy Friends – this is a great opportunity! Keep yourself healthy.

Now, let’s get ready to PARTY . . .It’s Derby weekend, we have to pick our favorites, get our favorite people together, don our hats (or not), set out the food and drink and Enjoy, Enjoy, Enjoy! Be safe. See you Monday.

Midwifery care is common across the globe. Many nations that embrace midwives as primary caregivers for low risk pregnancies have much better maternal and infant outcomes than our own.
 
Though we as a country spend more than any other developed nation on health care, we rank surprisingly low on infant outcomes. Norway, Ireland, Sweden, Cuba and Guam all have better outcomes (more healthy live births) than here in the U.S. All the countries that enjoy better maternal and infant mortality rates than the U.S. have both universal health care and midwives attending the majority of births. In the U.S., we have a cesarean section rate of roughly 33 percent while hospital-based Certified Nurse Midwives have a much lower 10 percent rate. Because they are not nationally recognized, there are no comparable record for CPMs.
 
This does support that, as studies have shown, the midwifery model of care results in fewer costly interventions.Washington State is one of the first states to authorize Medicaid payments for CPM care and has shown sizeable savings. Officials report that the current Medicaid plan is estimated to have saved well over $3 million in just two years thanks to CPM care. The chief medical officer of Washington’s Medicaid program, Jeff Thompson, MD, MPH, estimates that the average uncomplicated licensed midwife attended birth costs about $2,500 compared to the average uncomplicated hospital birth cost of about $10,000.
 
Thompson has said, “Midwives have a central focus in our strategic plan. We are hoping Washington State can double out-of-facility births in the next two or three years.”
 
Twenty-seven states license CPMs and of those 11 permit Medicaid payments to CPMs. Kentucky should join this growing trend. As our stated budget staggers under the weight of Medicaid, we need to expand our thinking and return to our roots.
 
Kentucky has a rich heritage in midwifery care. Internationally renowned Frontier Nursing University founded by Mary Breckinridge is the oldest continually operating midwifery program in the U.S. and is located in the tiny Appalachian town of Hyden. It is the home of nurse midwifery and the first family nurse practitioner in the nation.
 
One of the instigating forces in the creation of Frontier Nursing University was the need for better rural care. The need for rural care has not changed. Kentucky still suffers a lack of adequate care in many rural areas and licensing CPMs could dramatically improve care options in many of these rural areas.
 
Homebirth has grown significantly in the past few years. The Centers for Disease Control estimates the growth at 29 percent over the past several years. It wasn’t that long ago that being born at home was the norm. Respected doctors like Marsden Wagner and Aviva Romm are vocal in their support of homebirth and frequently cite the evidence that confirms the safety of birthing at home. More women are choosing to birth at home. Licensing CMPs would provide them better care and reduce costs.
 
Recognizing Certified Professional Midwives in Kentucky and allowing Medicaid payment for care just makes good financial sense. We should join the majority of states that already recognize CPM care and become one of the leading states that permits Medicaid payment for CPM care.
 
While Kentucky was once a leader in women’s care, we are lagging behind and it is costing us millions. Licensing CPMs is good for moms, it is good for taxpayers and it is good for babies.
 
Gena Bigler is passionate about public service and credits her time serving nonprofits in AmeriCorps and Volunteers in Service to America (V.I.S.T.A.) with teaching her extreme budgeting and bargain shopping. Gena is now CFO of McNay Settlement Group and serves on the board of the Lactation Improvement Network of Kentucky (L.I.N.K.). Gena would be happy to hear from you at lgbigler@gmail.com.

 

Click here to read more columns from Gena Bigler.

Well, Suzy is so giddy about KyForward’s 2nd birthday she’s making bad rhymes . . . but giving away great gifts. Our Birthday. YOU get gifts. Starting today, we’re celebrating with daily gifts to our Friends throughout the Merry Month Of May MERRY BIRTHDAY TO US.

We’ll have some cool daily prizes and then on MONDAYS, we’ll have a grand prize for the week.

The GRAND PRIZE – announced on Monday – will be an overnight on May 10th at Kentucky State Resort Park at Barren River – and TWO entries for the Barren River Spring Hoot 5k Run & Walk. Thanks so much to Kentucky’s terrific State Parks for offering this great gift! (You know how much Suzy loves the Kentucky State Parks! A real Kentucky, family-friendly treasure).

Here are the other gifts we’ll be giving away between now and then:

The Kentucky Derby book — award-winning — by James Nicholson
Sponsor: InBoundLex

Four tickets to the Kentucky Horse Park.

E-gift certificate for 3 Day/2Night vacation from Grand Navigator

Click HERE To ENTER!

“Like” our sponsors on Facebook and share with friends for more chances to win.

Suzy sends good wishes for good luck – and many, many thanks to all of you for being such good Friends of KyForward.

Smart fun for our veterans

Another reason to appreciate Kentucky State Resort Parks – here’s a special opportunity for our Americans in uniform – present and former.

Green River Lake State Park will host its Armed Forces Weekend May 17-19. This weekend has been set aside to honor Americans in uniform who served their country in times of war and peace. Current and former members of the military can get a 10 percent camping discount.

Special activities are planned throughout the weekend. On Friday, May 17, flag pins will be distributed to guests. At 9 p.m., there will be a candle ceremony to honor active military, veterans and those who have died serving our country.

On Saturday, May 18, there will be an ice cream social from 5-7 p.m.

For more information, please call 270-465-8255.

Green River Lake State Park sits along an 8,200-acre lake and has a campground, marina, mini-golf, gift shop, picnic area and hiking trails. Green River Lake State Park is south of Campbellsville on KY 55.

Suzy’s Stamp of Approval

 
 
Try these sites for great bargains, deals and tips:

www.nomorerack.com
www.coupons.com




moneysavingmom.com





www.chachingonashoestring.com



www.getmovingky.com
www.baublebox.com

Have a great Random Act of Kindness Wednesday. It’s the little things that count, Suzy Friends. 


Warmer weather usually means more motorcycles on the roads. (Photo by Keven Moore)

Like bears coming out of hibernation, motorcyclists can now be found crisscrossing our streets and roads enjoying the spring weather and freedom that a motorcycle provides. Unfortunately, spring season is always the most dangerous time of the year to ride because most haven’t ridden in months and their riding skills may be a little bit rusty. Plus, drivers of vehicles haven’t had to contend with them for the last several months and their eyes aren’t as trained to be looking for them.
 

Even though I’m a safety professional, Ihave experienced my share of accidents over the years, and I can still remember my very first workplace accident at the age of 13 on a bike, which left me emotionally scared and terrified of ice ever since. It happened while I was a newspaper boy. My route consisted of the former Turfland Apartments and a couple of surrounding nearby streets, but I happened to live some six blocks away and the paper had to be delivered in the rain, snow and, yes, even the ice.
 

As I tried to navigate my sister’s commandeered bike on this particular subzero January day a couple of days after the great Kentucky blizzard of 1977-1978, it was extremely difficult to steer because of the accumulated snow and the weight of the front and side baskets filled with newspapers. Luckily, it was mostly downhill and I could let gravity do most of the hard work; all I had to do was keep it straight, pray and just stay of the path of cars.
 

As I turned into the front entrance to the apartment complex, I suddenly found myself riding on a solid sheet of ice. Being young and fearless, I proceeded forward only to find myself suddenly laying on my back, spread-eagle in the middle of the parking lot bruised, confused, battered and bloodied wondering. I never lost consciousness that afternoon, but I sure learned the importance of an athletic cup and bike helmet, which may explain my fondness for wearing personal protective safety equipment in my professional career.
 

Back in that day, nobody wore bike helmets and we were all taught to rub dirt into any wounds. But I can still remember lying there for a good 15 to 20 minutes trying to recover. I also learned that there weren’t that many Good Samaritans back then either, as I would occasionally raise my dazed and confused head up from underneath the bike, only to watch several cars drive by dodging me and those 200-plus newspapers spread across that parking lot.
 

Today as a proud owner of a Yamaha V-Star Cruiser motorcycle, I still found myself wrestling with the very lesson that I learn that cold January afternoon. For those of you who own and ride a motorcycle, you can attest to the sense of freedom that a bike ride gives you after a hard or stressful day at work.
 

Some will say that four wheels move the body, but two wheels move the soul. and I would have to agree. Trust me there is nothing more relaxing than riding the back roads amongst some of the most gorgeous horse farms in the world here in the Horse Capital of the USA, as new foals and yearlings go galloping across these Kentucky hillsides. Life is too short for traffic, and when I ride it’s never about the destination, it’s always about the journey. Many times when I take off, I never know where I am going, and as long as I have fuel in the tank I am still not lost yet.
 

When I first bought my motorcycle four years ago, like any good safety professional, I purchased a full-faced helmet, but quickly learned how hot and annoying such helmets can become in the heat of the summer. Then one afternoon in the early fall after forgoing the opportunity to wear a helmet for a quick trip up to store in my neighborhood, like an addictive drug, I became hooked on the feeling of the freedom of not wearing a helmet.
 

Being a safety professional I felt a bit ashamed, but I tried to justify my actions by believing I actually wasn’t breaking any laws and I was perfectly within my legal rights to ride without a helmet in the state of Kentucky. Thankfully, winter was upon us and after a bit of soul searching and detoxing over those winter months, I eventually compromised with my conscious by purchasing a half face helmet before that next spring.
 

A motorcycle helmet offers protection for the most vital of body parts – your head. According to the most recent stats available from the Kentucky State of police report in 2011, there were 1,839 motorcycle accidents involving other vehicles, with a total of 99 fatalities, of which 69 of those individuals were not wearing a helmet.
 

But many motorcyclists still protest to being forced to wear a helmet. Some even claim that the negative aspect associated with wearing a helmet outweigh the benefits of wearing a helmet. When you put on a helmet, you do lose that sense of freedom that a motorcycle offers you, as it gives you a sense of confinement that enclosed vehicle would.
 

Some motorcyclists would even argue that helmets actually pose a safety risk. According to some the weight and shape of a helmet may actually contribute to a motorcyclist’s breaking their neck during an accident. Others argue that they may actually be a distraction, which could lead to an accident. Then other opponents say the sides of the face shield block their peripheral vision and that the helmet’s thick shell and inner liner impair their ability to hear.
 

However a certified helmet does reduce the amount of kinetic energy transmitted to the brain in an impact by spreading that force across the helmet’s rigid shell. The remaining force is then absorbed by the helmet’s inner liner. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, along with various helmet manufacturers, claim that a helmet can reduce brain injury by as much as 69 percent.
 

It’s difficult to argue with that fact that, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
 

• Motorcyclists are 35 times more likely to experience a deadly accident on the road than those in passenger cars.
• 11 percent of all roadway accidents that occur in the United States involve motorcycles.
• Head injury is the leading cause of death in motorcycle crashes.
• A motorcyclist not wearing a helmet is 40 percent more likely to die of a head injury than one who wears a helmet.
• It is estimated that helmets reduce the likelihood of a crash fatality by 37 percent.
• Seven states have repealed the universal helmet law since 1997: Texas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Florida, Pennsylvania, Arkansas and Michigan, and helmet use dropped significantly and fatalities increased in all seven states that repealed helmets laws, with Louisiana coming in first with a fatality increase of 108 person.
• In 2010, the federal government estimated that the number of deaths on motorcycles was about 30 times the number of deaths in cars, on a per miles traveled basis.
 

Many motorcyclists believe that wearing a helmet should be a matter of choice and I would have to agree as a safety professional, but it’s a dumb choice. But a motorcyclist who doesn’t a wear a helmet should also be referred to as an organ donor.
 

Believe me, I get why riders like that sense of freedom. But logical riders need to come to their senses as I did, and realize that even if you are an occasional rider on the back roads at 35-45 MPH, you have to wear a helmet, especially if you have people at home counting on you. As I have learned there are two types of husbands in this world, those that ride motorcycles and those that wish they could ride motorcycles. I ride less that 1000 miles a year, but my wife still refuses to ride with me when I ask, not because of my riding skills, but because she tells me somebody has to survive to take care of the kids.
 

I have learned that you have to ride as if you are invisible and as if nobody sees you when you approach any vehicle, or intersection. Midnight bugs might taste better, but I try to optimize my chance for survival by riding during the bright sunny hours, during non-peak traffic periods and on less traveled roads and I never ride like I stole it either.
 

The unique thing about any kind of accident, it allows you the opportunity to learn from those mistakes to remind yourself to never repeat such decisions. As I approach 50 this year, I have learned that wise old men don’t become wise from making all the right decision, but from learning from theirs and others idiotic decision, thus allowing them to become old.
 

As a safety professional who likes to ride occasionally, I always try to remember that “safety” is the cheapest and most effective insurance policy. As motorcycling is not of itself inherently dangerous, crashing is. However, riding a motorcycle is extremely unforgiving of inattention, ignorance, incompetence, stupidity; so remember – live to ride, but always ride to live!
 

Be safe, my friends.
 

Keven Moore is director of Risk Management Services for Roeding Insurance (www.roedinginsurance.com). He has a bachelor’s degree from University of Kentucky, a master’s from Eastern Kentucky University and 25-plus years of experience in the safety and insurance profession. He lives in Lexington with his family and works out of both the Lexington and Northern Kentucky offices. Keven can be reached at kmoore@roeding.com.
 

Click here to read more columns from Keven Moore.

Smart sweepstakes

The Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA), yes that’s a mouthful, is offering Kentucky residents another chance to win a new iPad in a sweepstakes through Facebook in May.

To enter, click on the orange graduate icon on the KHEAA Facebook page, answer one question about college, and “like” KHEAA on Facebook.

Only Kentucky residents are eligible. Employees of KHEAA or its sister agency, the Kentucky Higher Education Student Loan Corporation (KHESLC), and their immediate family members are not eligible. Prior winners are also not eligible.

The drawing will be held in early June, and the winner will be notified by email. The winner must respond by email within three days to receive the fourth-generation iPad or another winner will be named.

Smart, fun good-cause time

You are invited to attend the R.O.C.K. Jessamine Auction/Fundraiser, Thursday, May 23rd from 5 p.m.-9 p.m.  The event will be held at Quality Construction Company’s 6,000 square foot showroom at 109 Means Drive, Nicholasville (behind Kohl’s and Sam’s Club).  Snacks and drinks will be provided.  Business Casual attire.

R.O.C.K. (Revitalize Our Communities Kentucky) – through Habitat for Humanity of Jessamine County and the Jessamine County Chamber of Commerce) aims to help those in their community who need a “hand-up” in taking care of critical exterior repairs to their homes. The fundraiser will buy tools and equipment needed to make those repairs.

Please R.S.V.P. To jonathan@qccky.net or call (859) 887-9917 to let them know you are coming.

Smart adventuring

Kentucky State Parks, Suzy’s very favorite, will host the 2013 Unbridled Adventure Race Series, three adventure races that will test participants’ physical and mental skills for beginners and veteran racers.

(Photo from Flying Squirrel Adventures.)

The series is being offered at Kentucky State Parks in partnership with the Kentucky Office of Adventure Tourism and Flying Squirrel Adventures. 

Each race will include mountain biking on trail and road, trekking on and off trail, paddling on flat or slow-moving water, and navigation with topo map and compass. A given race may also include a short life-jacket-assisted swim or other discipline for which no special expertise is required.

Races are open to individuals or teams of two, three or four people. All races are United States Adventure Racing Association-sanctioned and qualify for points in the USARA national standings. Additionally, the Unbridled Adventure Race Series qualifies for additional points under the new USARA points guidelines.

The dates and locations of the races are:

These would be excellent races for any beginners who would like to get started in adventure racing. There will be a free navigation clinic on Friday night before the first two races in the series. Registration fees range from $75 to $135 per racer. Winners of individual races will receive prizes, and top finishers in the series will receive cash awards.

For more information and registration, visit www.flyingsquirreladventures.com. Registration closes two weeks prior to race day.

Those who register will receive a wicking-fabric race shirt, post-race meal, quality waterproof maps, event insurance with medical coverage, course vetting, race bibs, door prizes, and awards.

The Fig XI is a regional qualifier for the 2014 USARA Adventure Race National Championship. If you are not a current USARA member on race day, you will need to purchase either a one-day membership ($8) or annual membership ($35). For more information about USARA and what membership and sanctioning mean, visit the USARA website at: www.usara.com.

Smart preparedness

(Photo from Medicinenet.com.)

With Spring comes more outdoor fun – and the need for First Aid preparedness. Medicinenet.com has some tips for putting together an appropriate First Aid kit for those inevitable spring “emergencies” – since Mom is usually the first responder.

Here are 8 First Aid Essentials:

Go to Medicinenet.com for details – and for a lot more on First Aid.

Smart ‘green’ spring cleaning

(Photo from Earth911.com)

Spring has sprung and now – Hip-hip-hooray is being said by nobody – it’s Spring cleaning time. But we can make it a more enjoyable task by feeling good, not just about how clean things will be around the house – but about how we got them that way. We’re going GREEN, of course. Starting with our cleaning products. For a really fresh start, here’s how to make your own Earth-friendly cleaning products

The main ingredients

 

Most homemade household products contain the same ingredients. The first – and probably most obvious – is soap, which you can purchase in bars, liquids or flakes for less than $3. Soap itself is completely biodegradable and nontoxic. But when choosing your soap, opt for brands without synthetic scents, colors or other additives for the most eco-friendly results.

 

Once soap is dissolved in water, adding common kitchen ingredients like vinegar, baking soda, lemon juice and salt is usually enough to get things clean. But for added power, some recipes use powdered wash soda (also known as sodium carbonate) and borax (also known as sodium tetraborate). Both ingredients are mineral-based and available in the laundry section of most grocery stores for about $4.

 

1. Laundry detergent

 

Store-bought detergents can cost up to $10 for 32 loads, which can really add up over time. But it’s easy to get the same fresh-smelling clothes the all-natural way for less than half the price.

 

Adding soap flakes to the warm water at the start of your wash cycle is a quick and easy substitute for detergent. If you’re washing in cold water, simply dissolve your soap in a small pot of water on the stove and pour about a cup in with each load. And skip the fabric softener. Adding 1/2 cup of vinegar to the rinse cycle will soften clothes just as well.

 

You may run into problems with basic detergent recipes if you have “hard water” – meaning your water supply is very rich in minerals. When added to hard water, soap flakes can stick to your clothes and leave them a little less than clean. For hard water areas, add 1/3 cup of wash soda to water before adding clothes, and use dissolved soap in place of detergent (the wash soda softens water and helps clothes come out clean). Add 1/2 cup of borax for added cleaning power.

 

2. Glass cleaner

 

Pricey bottles touting a streak-free shine for all your glass surfaces can sell for as much as $5. But did you know a homemade alternative costs less than 20 cents?

 

Just mix 2 tablespoons of vinegar with 8 cups of warm water to give your windows, mirrors and glass countertops a shiny finish. You can apply your mixture with a towel. But if you prefer the spray-on method, pick up a reusable spray bottle from a local discount store, or reuse the bottle from a purchased glass cleaner.

 

3. Toilet cleaner

 

Cleaning the toilet is probably the ickiest (and most necessary) job in the house. And while many of us spend a bundle on “extra-strength” cleaners in an effort to stave off bacteria, all-natural methods can be tough on germs too – and cost way less. So, ditch those brand-name cleaners, and sub in a DIY alternative for less than a dollar.

 

To get the bowl clean, simply sprinkle in about 1/4 cup of baking soda and drizzle with vinegar. Let the mixture sit and fizzle away for about 1/2 hour, and scrub clean with a toilet brush. Your porcelain throne will be just as clean without the harsh chemical smells.

 

4. Tile and grout cleaner

 

It’s tough to clean tile and grout without being left with a sore elbow. And you may think that expensive cleaners make things easier, but a $10 price tag and a fancy label isn’t the only way to get the job done. About 50 cents worth of baking soda or vinegar is enough to leave your tiles clean and your elbow rested.

 

Usually, mixing 1/4 cup of vinegar with about 15 cups of water will be enough to clean your tile. But if you’ve got some tough spots, you may need something a little stronger. Make a paste using 1/4 cup of baking soda and a tablespoon of liquid soap and scrub it onto tough areas with a scouring pad.

 

5. Wood polish

 

You want to keep your wood furniture looking nice, but is $5 for a little can of polish really worth it? To get all your wood finishes looking shiny and spotless, skip the pricey polishes and do it yourself on the cheap.

 

For ugly rings on your wood tables, just make a paste using equal parts baking soda and toothpaste. Yes, we said toothpaste. Use a plain, non-gel toothpaste and apply your mixture over the ring with a cloth. Wipe off the film with a wet cloth, buff with a dry one and your table will be good as new.

 

To give surfaces a glossy sheen, mix about 1/2 cup of vinegar and a tablespoon of olive oil and apply like your usual polish. Vinegar will pull dirt out of your wood surfaces, while oil leaves them shiny and moisturized.

Have a great Monday, an even greater week. Stay tuned because when Suzy comes back on Wednesday, she’s going to help KyForward roll out a month-long Merry Month of May “Merry Birthday to Us” – we’re turning TWO (not the terrible kind, of course!) – celebration. With lots and lots of great prize giveaway. Don’t miss that FUN!!!

Finally, it’s starting to warm up enough outside here in the Cincinnati area to fire up the grill on a regular basis! It’s especially nice for me, because my husband is the grill master, so I get some assistance with dinner.
 
A few weekends ago, Nick and I went grill shopping at Lowe’s. We’d had our previous grill for almost 10 years and it was literally falling apart. (Of course, that didn’t stop the pickers from snatching it at the curb on garbage night eve!) I really wanted a grill with a side burner, so we bought a medium-sized grill with one side burner.
 

The first attempt to use our new grill was a disaster. Apparently, because of the construction of today’s grills, it’s virtually impossible to use them if you’ve got high winds going on outside. No, we weren’t trying to grill during a tornado or anything, but a storm was starting to blow in. We live on top of high hill, so if it’s windy, we really feel it.
 
The grill wouldn’t heat up past 250 degrees and the wind kept blowing out the burner flames, so we ended up bringing our meat inside and finishing up on the stovetop. Nick wanted to load it up in the truck and take it back to the store.
 
Fortunately, we decided to give the new grill another shot before returning it. Our second attempt was much more successful. The grill heated up nicely and cooked our food to perfection. So far, we’ve made grilled chicken with various marinades, turkey burgers and Italian sausages on it. I thought now would be a great time to share some awesome grilling recipes – some old, some new – with you.
 
· Hawaiian Chicken – I didn’t have any fresh ginger, so I used ½ tsp. of powdered ginger from my spice rack. We used the reserved marinade for dipping the chicken instead of basting. It was fantastic!
· Bacon-Wrapped Beef Filets – This is my hubby’s favorite way to eat steak. I’ll marinade the filets in beer for 30 minutes prior to putting them on the grill.
· Three-Cheese Italian Chicken Sausages – I love these Johnsonville chicken sausages. They are quick and easy, but much more grown-up than hot dogs. Saute’ some peppers and onions and serve on a whole wheat bun.
· Favorite Grilling Sides – If we can do our side dishes on the grill, then there’s no need to turn on the stove. That’s definitely a good thing in the dead heat of summer! We love mushrooms and they are so easy to make on the grill. I’ll also buy canned whole potatoes, skewer them, and drizzle a bit of Italian dressing on them before adding them to the grill. I also love corn on the cob made on the grill. We soak the corn in the husk for 30 minutes, and then put it on the grill. The water trapped inside the husks steams the corn and it tastes delicious!
· Warm Italiano Spread – One of my favorite appetizer dips is made on the grill. It’s got cream cheese, tomatoes, and pesto – yum! Serve with hearty crackers, like Triscuit’s Black Pepper and Olive Oil.
· Chicken Bruschetta – In July, when our homemade tomatoes start to ripen, it’s time to make my favorite chicken recipe on the grill. Marinade chicken breasts in balsamic vinaigrette dressing for at least 30 minutes. In a small bowl, mix chopped tomatoes, fresh basil leaves sliced into thin ribbons and just enough balsamic vinaigrette dressing to coat. Grill chicken on one side then flip and add the tomato topping. Sprinkle cheese on top (feta, goat cheese and shredded mozzarella all are great) during the last minute of cooking.
· Southwestern Turkey Burgers – These were delicious! Here’s my version of the recipe:
 
Southwestern Turkey Burgers
 

Ingredients:
 
· 1 pound of ground turkey
· 3 tablespoons of low fat olive oil mayo
· 1/3 cup of bread crumbs
· 2 tablespoons of chopped jalapeños (Use fresh and include the seeds if you want them really hot. I used canned jalapeños.)
· thin slices of cheddar cheese, optional.
· buns
 
Directions:
 
Combine turkey with mayo, bread crumbs and jalapenos. Make into 4 hamburger patties. Grill over medium heat 5 to 8 minutes per side. Add cheddar cheese during the last few minutes of cooking.
 
Meal Planning Monday is a regular feature of yourstrongtower.com, a website dedicated to promoting the financial well-being of families through the use of coupons and good money management principles. Financial coach and self-proclaimed Coupon Queen Christine Luken, along with partner Craig DeLisle, aims to reduce the cost, time and stress of shopping and meal preparation so families have more time and money to invest in the things that matter most to them. Read more of Christine’s money management tips and check out her Coupon Wizard at yourstrongtower.com.
 

Read more “Meal Planning Monday” columns here.