March Newsletter - Are you Vermont Strong?

Last Month's Raffle Winners

Congratulations to our February raffle winners, Doug White and Paul Sykas, who each won different Fire Safety kits provided by Safeco Insurance and Hickok & Boardman/Denis, Ricker & Brown!

This month, we're giving four people a chance to win a Vermont Strong license plate. Show your pride in helping rebuild Vermont with the net proceeds going to the Vermont Foodbank and the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund. Read below for details on how to win!

St. Patrick's Day: Origins and Facts

Origins

St. Patrick was a historical figure, but the origins of our St. Patrick's Day celebrations have very little to do with history. Born in England, St. Patrick was kidnapped at age 16 and forced into slavery in Ireland for seven years. Later he escaped back to England, became ordained as a priest, and returned to Ireland. Long after his death, myths were attributed to St. Patrick and he eventually became known as Ireland's patron saint.

The Shamrock

As the legend goes, St. Patrick would use the three-leaf shamrock to teach potential converts about the Christian trinity. Around the 17th or 18th century people began to wear them as symbols of the holiday or of St. Patrick.

The American Spin

St. Patrick's Day was a minor religious holiday until the 1970s, although there are accounts of Irish-American soldiers marching during the Revolutionary War to celebrate St. Patrick's Day. Now, the holiday has evolved to an event celebrating Irish heritage. The holiday is also celebrated in Ireland, where it was adopted in an attempt to boost tourism in the spring.

Community Events

March for Babies

Members of our staff are participating this year and we encourage you to start your own or join an existing team. Together we make a difference!

Frozen Fun for Families Winter Co-Ed Softball Tournament

Our Denis, Ricker & Brown team had a rousing good time playing against other teams like Letourneau's Lawn Care and State Farm. This was our first tournament and while we didn't take home the gold, we'll definitely bring some serious heat next year! The tournament benefits two young girls in the local community. Learn more

Our Montpelier office staff and family members join in on the Freezing Fun for Familes Benefit

Safety Tips: Protect Your Hearing

Here When You Need Us

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) poses a risk to more than 30 million people each year. Often, NIHL goes unnoticed because it develops slowly over periods of exposure with rarely any physical pain.

Follow the tips below or download our Safety Matters edition on hearing safety.

Noise is measured in decibels.

The higher the number of decibels, and the longer you are exposed, the higher your chances are of being affected by NIHL. Most sounds occur at or below 70 (cars, traffic, normal conversation). Damage can occur at 85 (factory noise, screaming child). Emergency sirens are about 130, with gunshots and rock concerts around 140. Just one minute of unprotected exposure to 110 decibels risks permanent hearing loss.

Exposure matters.

Quick burts of loud noises, like fireworks, or gunshots can permanently damage your hearing instantly. Long-term, repeated exposure to noises that aren't quite as loud, like motorcycle engines and chainsaws, can slowly damage hearing over time.

When in doubt, use earplugs.

We can damage our hearing without even noticing, and many common activities can put you at risk for NIHL. A summer's worth of riding a gas-powered lawn mower, shooting firearms without ear protection, listening to earphones too loudly... These are all risks for permanant damage. Whenever appropriate wear earplugs!

Additional information is available from the OSHA website.

Nutrition & Health: Fruits and Vegetables

March was declared National Nutritional Month in 1980. Although we might all associate "vegetables" with leafy green salads, they can come in all sorts of colors, shapes, and sizes. Enjoy these tips, courtesy of the American Dietetic Association, for how to incorporate more fruits and vegetables in your diet:

"Vegify" your pizza night.

Making pizza for dinner? Get creative with the veggies! Spinach, broccoli, mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, green peppers, and even zucchini make tasty (and healthy) topping choices.

Add color to your salad.

Salads can be more than just leafy greens - baby carrots, grape tomatoes, kale, spinach, mandarin oranges, raisins, and chickpeas can all add a little bit of color to your salad bowl and spice up the taste.

Grill your fruit.

Dessert doesn't have to undo all of your work at the gym. Next time you're grilling, make some fruit kabobs. Great choices are banana, peaches, pineapple, apples, and pears. Grill on a low heat until warm and slightly toasted.

Lasagna-stuffers.

Adding vegetables to your lasagna recipe is a delicious way to boost your veggie intake. You can chop, slice, or even shred carrots, zucchini, spinach, as well as add fresh herbs like rosemary and thyme.

Get a good start with a healthy breakfast.

If you're having oatmeal, try chopping up some fruit and nuts for toppings, or having an apple or banana as a side. Making an omelet? Fill it will broccoli, squash, carrots, peppers, tomatoes, or onions to kick start your day.

Monthly Raffle

This month, we're giving four people a chance to win a Vermont Strong license plate. Show your pride in helping rebuild Vermont with the net proceeds going to the Vermont Disaster Relief Fund and Vermont Foodbank. Ride with pride!