Mount Mansfield 

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The Kinney Pike Report
4th Quarter, 2012
In This Issue
Healthcare Reform Preparation
Client Spotlight - HowardCenter
Community Corner
Get Rewarded for Referrals!

We value your loyalty, and want to reward you for referring new clients to Kinney Pike.    

 

Watch for details about

a new Customer Referral Program coming in January!   

Quick Links
 
 
 
Six Things to Know About Protecting Personal Information When Shopping Online this Holiday Season

It's the season of giving, but don't give away personal information to identity thieves!  Between crowded big box stores, packed mall parking lots and long lines, more and more Americans are doing their shopping online.  While this has become a tremendous convenience for many people, it comes with a few risks.  Here are six ways to make sure your online shopping experience is a jolly one. 

 

Click here to read more. 

Candle Safety

 
 Candles can be a special part of a holiday tradition, celebration, or atmosphere.  Never forget that you're dealing with an open flame.  Use these reminders to keep yourself, your family and your guests safe:

 

*  Never leave a burning candle unattended.  This is especially important if you have children or pets in your home.
*  Place your candle well out of reach of children and pets; and don't let teens burn candles in their bedroom. 
*  Avoid using candles with combustible materials(pinecones, twigs, etc) embedded in the wax.  It's very dangerous to use a candle as light to look into a closet or when fueling equipment such as lanterns or kerosene heaters.  The flame could ignite the vapors. 
*  During a power outage, use flashlights, battery-operated lamps and glow sticks rather than candles for light.
*   Never place lit candles where they may ignite blinds or curtains.
*  Keep candles at least 12 inches from anything that will burn and away from a draft.  Many fires are started when a moving curtain touches the flame.  

 

DID YOU KNOW?
* More candle fires start in December than any other month.
* The top five days for home candle fires are Christmas, Christmas Eve, New Year's Day, New Year's Eve and Halloween. 

 

 

To contact a Personal Lines Specialist, click here. 
      
How Much Insulation is Enough?

Proper insulation of your home will not only help prevent ice dams, but also save on heating costs and make your home more comfortable.  The effectiveness of insulation is measured in R-value, which represents the material's Resistance to heat flow:  the higher the R-value, the greater the insulation value. 

 

For Northern New England, the minimum recommended R-values are:

 - For exterior ceilings: 
 R-38 or 12 inches of insulation

  - For exterior walls: 
R-19 or 6 inches of insulation

 

Consult your building professional about available materials and the right insulation for your situation. 

Winter Storms and Your Business

Severe winter weather can lead to property damage, employee illness or injury, and possible business closures.  Preparing before the storm can help you protect your employees, minimize damage, and recover quicker following a winter storm situation. 

 

To read more, click here. 

 

 

To contact a Kinney Pike Business Lines Specialist, click here.   

As we close 2012, we would like to thank you for your continued business with Kinney Pike Insurance.   

 

Kinney Pike employees in our seven Vermont offices make considerable efforts to show their appreciation by giving back to those in need in Vermont's communities, and especially during the holiday season.  Our employees even "pay" to wear jeans on Fridays, and their accumulated funds are donated to various charitable organizations or in response to a local crisis.

 

Giving back to the community is what we do.  We're proud to be a community partner and thankful for your business. 

 

On behalf of everyone at Kinney Pike Insurance, have a safe and peaceful holiday season. 

Preparing for Healthcare Reform

It's a great time to be a Kinney Pike client!  As the Affordable Care Act moves forward and Vermont moves closer to rolling out the Vermont Health Benefit Exchange in January 2014, Kinney Pike is also making sure that you are prepared for the required changes.  All Employee Benefits and Business (commercial) clients are invited to attend webinars in the coming months and will receive Compliance Bulletins to prepare you for Healthcare Reform. 

 

SAVE THE DATE!  Kinney Pike will be offering Healthcare Reform Seminars in Vermont on February 14 and 15, 2013.  The keynote speaker will be Bob Radecki, a nationally-recognized Benefits Compliance expert that has been retained exclusively by Kinney Pike.  Bob will share specifics about Federal and State Healthcare Reform laws, address your questions and provide helpful tools to assist you and your employees determine if employees should purchase individual insurance on the Exchange, or through their employer. 

 

Healthcare Reform will change the way employers and employees buy health insurance.  Businesses need to be prepared to explain this process to their employees.  We encourage you to save time on your calendar for this free seminar.  Details will be coming soon!   

 

 

To contact an Employee Benefits Specialist, click here. 

 Client Spotlight - HowardCenter

 The Howard Center

 
In 2013, HowardCenter will celebrate its 140th anniversary.  Founded in 1873 as an agency serving the children of the destitute, HowardCenter's children's programs continue to be a crucial component in the services it offers.  Today, HowardCenter offers life-saving professional crisis and counseling services to children and adults; supportive services to individuals with autism and developmental disabilities who need help with education, employment, and life maintenance skills; counseling and medical services for those struggling with substance abuse, and intensive interventions for adults with serious and persistent mental health challenges. The agency serves 15,000 individuals and families each year, mostly in Chittenden County (although some programs are statewide).

 

Throughout its history, HowardCenter has been a leader within the community, creating prevention, education and treatment programs in response to emerging community needs.  Within the last 15 years alone, HowardCenter established the:

 

  -  First social and rehabilitative services clubhouse in Vermont.  Westview provides recreational and employment opportunities for individuals with serious mental illness.

  - First residential treatment program for adolescent sex offenders

  - First coordinated psychiatric services program in Vermont offered to community-based nursing homes in collaboration with Fletcher Allen Health Care

  - First Call, first and only 24-hour crisis services for children and families in Vermont

  - First HUD-funded shelter in Vermont for homeless adults with psychiatric challenges

  - Downtown Burlington Community Outreach program to assist people with mental illness, substance abuse, homelessness, and unmet social service needs

  - First client services provided in risk-reduction education and needle exchange program in Vermont

  - First methadone clinic in Vermont offering comprehensive medical, counseling and testing services for individuals with opiate addiction

  - First youth-oriented directory of youth services in Chittenden County

  - First Safety Connection Program in the state to allow adults with developmental disabilities to live independently, relying on technology and professional staff for emergency support

 

It's difficult to predict what challenges our community may face in 2013, but as we approach our 140th anniversary, we look forward to providing services which benefit individuals, families and our community.

 

Visit our website, www.howardcenter.org, for more information about our programs and how you may contribute to the work we do within the community.  Many of our programs rely on community support, and throughout the year, we sponsor several fundraising events.  Check our website after the first of the year for information about our upcoming 2013 Curling Challenger fundraiser.

 

 

If you would like your business to be featured in an upcoming issue of the Kinney Pike Report, contact us. 

Community Corner

"It's so nice to take a few minutes at the holidays and reach out to others who need a little help," mentioned Jody Freeman, Personal Lines Manager in White River Junction. Jody organized a Toys for Tots drop-off location in our White River and Randolph offices and has collected barrels full of toys for kids. 

 

We're doing our part to be sure kids and families across Vermont and New Hampshire are remembered and celebrated this holiday season. Please join us in reaching out to our neighbors in need.

  

Here are some of the organizations we have helped this holiday season:  

 - Toys for Tots

 - Norwich Basket Helpers

 - St. Johnsbury Foodshelf

 - HOPE (Help Other People Everyday)

 - Swanton Community Foodshelf

 - United Way Operation Happiness
 - Tree of Giving - Poultney Women's Club

 - Swanton United Way

 - Salvation Army (sponsored several families)

 - Stuff a Bus in Rutland

 

 Holiday gifts

 

Community Donation / Facebook Challenge

Kinney Pike will be donating $1 to David's House of Lebanon, NH for every new "like" we receive in the month of December (up to $250).  David's House provides support and a home-away-from-home for families whose children are receiving medical care at the Children's Hospital at Dartmouth in Lebanon, New Hampshire.        

 

Drawing Winners: 

Crystal Pringle of Moto Tassinari was the winner of our $100 gas card quarterly drawing for completing a Kinney Pike Satisfaction Survey.  Congratulations Crystal!
Thank you for your loyalty and continued business.  We appreciate them both!  

Sincerely,
 


Doug Corman, Justin Barwood & Peter Werner
Principals

 

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