Fall is here, leaves are changing, and it’s almost time for many kid’s favorite holiday….Halloween. It’s a night you can pretend to be someone or something else. Have some spooky fun. And most importantly…trick-or-treat. Regardless if you are passing out candy or taking a small one around to trick-or-treat, you’ll want to know when everything is happening.

One of our local newspapers has a great article with the dates and times of many local trick-or-treat festivities. You can view that link by clicking here.

We hope you and your family have a great Halloween and enjoy your trick-or-treat events 🙂 

OK so our title may be a little silly, but it’s true! We live in a pretty rural area so chances are you know someone with a farm or may even have one yourself. It could be cattle, crops, or even vegetables that you “raise” on your farm. And we all know how much hard work farmers put into their farms. But what happens if you have property damages or say an animal gets loose and you need liability coverage…are you covered? 

Insuring your Farm

Many companies offer Farm Insurance that provides property, liability, or even comfort coverage such as livestock insurance. Whether your large-scale or a small family farm, you have options. Don’t you want to know that all your hard work is protected?

You can click here to learn more about the available business coverage available. 

A few things to think about

Depending of your type of business, you may need to consider additional safety precautions

Do you: 

• Have employees?
• Work with livestock?
• Use heavy equipment?
• Have crops?

Depending on how you answered those questions, you may need to consider additional measures. Do you know our office has resources available to use with employees? We also can help you put a plan in place for risk management. 

Give us a call today to see what options we have available for you. 

The end of summer is near, but that doesn’t mean you are confined to the indoors just yet. Many families spend the end of summer enjoying the outdoors by camping, cooking out or enjoying a nice campfire. Living where we do with lots of woods and national forests around us, we all need to do our part and takes steps to prevent forest fires. 

Steps to prevent forest fires

When you think about forest fire prevention, chances are Smokey Bear comes to mind. His website is full of tips and information on how to prevent forest fires. You can learn steps on how to:

• pick your campfire spot
• prepare your campfire pit
• build your campfire
• maintain and extinguish your campfire

You can view the Smoke Bear website by clicking here

Have a great end of summer and enjoy your time with your family in the great outdoors! 

Friday September 7, 2018 is the annual event to benefit Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center. This year’s theme is “Cowboy Boots and Cocktails.” Each year we have a great time at this event, and this year we are excited to break out the cowboy boots! (If you remember we dusted off our western apparel earlier this year at the Mid-Ohio Business Expo. You can view those pictures on our Facebook page by clicking here). 

About Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center

Raemelton is a local non-profit organization dedicated to providing therapeutic riding for the handicapped. They were founded in 1995 and serve more than one hundred students per week. Their provide Therapeutic Riding and Equine-Facilitated Learning ground programs. They are located on the grounds of the former historic Frank Black Estate in Mansfield, Ohio. Their facility features an outdoor riding arena, an indoor riding arena with a heated viewing room, two barns and ample pasture space. 

Cowboy Boots and Cocktails Event

If you are interested in attending this great event, in addition to the flyer above, you can click here for additional details. We hope to see you!  

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), every day more than 1,160 people are injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. In addition, the NHTSA claims that driver inattention is the leading contributor is most crashes or near-miss accidents in the United States. Those are some startling statistics that enforce the importance of not texting and driving. 

Many of us are guilty for just taking a quick glance at our cell phone to see an incoming message. Or sending a quick OK, or yes response. Just because you do not send full text messages, does not mean that it is ok. Any texting while behind the wheel is dangerous. 

Some facts on texting and driving

• Sending or reading a text message takes your eyes off the road for about 5 seconds. That’s long enough to cover a football field while driving at 55 mph.
• Of all crashes, over 90 percent involve driver inattention within a 3 second window of the crash.  
• Each day in the U.S., approximately nine people are killed and over 1,000 are injured in crashes that involve a distracted driver, according to the NHTSA. 

Texting and Driving Is Against The Law

Most states have adopted laws banning the use of cellphones and texting while driving. These laws help stress the importance of not texting and driving. Stay safe and remember:

Stop The Texts, Stop The Wrecks 

Schools are back in session and before you know it, it will be time for the dreaded flu bug. Before you know it you’ll start to see the signs to get your flu shots. And you know what that means? It’s flu season. Hard to believe it’s that time of year already, yet here we are.

What can I do during flu season?

There are several ways you can help protect yourself and your family from getting the flu this flu season. 

• Get a flu shot (which many health insurance companies will cover at a reduced rate or at 100%, check with your agent)
• Wash your hands frequently with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitizer
• Avoid touching your nose, mouth and eyes
• Avoid crowded settings if possible, if not avoid touching your nose, mouth and eyes and wash your hands as soon as possible after
• If you are the one with the flu, stay home and keep your distance from others so you don’t spread the flu

While these tips won’t guarantee you won’t get the flu, they can help reduce the chance. Do you need help determining how your health insurance will cover a flu shot? Give us a call, we can help

Each year the United Way of Richland county hosts a day of caring. The 2018 Day of Caring happens to be Friday August 3rd. Local businesses, like ours, volunteer their time to help out numerous United Way partner agencies. Many of these partner agencies have limited income and rely on donations and grant money to cover expenses. Paying for landscaping, painting or other services may not be in the budget for these local services. That’s where the United Way and local business volunteers come in. 

By volunteering our time, we can help these local organizations take care of some of their much needed non necessities. A day of “hard labor” for our volunteers can make a huge impact to many. As a member of this community, we want to do our part to give back and help out.  This year our Rinehart Team will be made up of 6 members. Team members are Partners Ted Wendling, John Hower and Marc Pfizenmayer, Agents Matthias Stewart and Zach Delong, and Account Manager Laci Vanderpool. This year we have the honor of helping the Harmony House.

About Harmony House

If you’re not familiar with Harmony House, they are a local homeless shelter located in downtown Mansfield, OH. They have been assisting those in need since 1990 and operate 24 hours per day, 365 days a year! You can click here to learn more about them and their services. 

Our agency has been part of the Day of Caring for numerous years. We actually have also been involved in past projects with Harmony House. We are thrilled to once again lend a helping hand!

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for pictures of our work throughout the day. 

Are you looking for a fun evening that benefits a good cause? Join us this Thursday, July 12 from 6-8pm at Westbrook Country Club. Three of our agents will be competing to raise money in a Celebrity Bartender Night. The proceeds from the night will benefit the United Way of Richland County. Our three celebrities will be –  Gary Walters, Matthias Stewart and Zach Delong. Most of you probably know Gary Walters, our president. But have you met our two newest agents? If not, this is a great time to stop out and say hello! 

About The United Way of Richland County

Events like Celebrity Bartender Night help raise funds for the United Way. These funds will be used to help individuals in our community in need. They are led by local people and based in the heart of Mansfield.

According to their website:

“United Way ensures that the funds you entrust to us are invested wisely in programs county wide. Our volunteer allocations teams review fundraising requests, conduct program site visits, evaluate program outcomes, and ensure community needs are being met. We monitor all dollars granted, year round, to ensure your dollars are impacting our community”.  

Join us in helping raise funds for this great local organization. Below is a flyer with details for the night. We hope to see you there! 

Here in Ohio we don’t usually experience typhoons, earthquakes, or severe tornadoes. It can be hard to fathom the devastation. But just because we don’t have these extreme weather events, doesn’t mean we are invincible to other natural disasters. Or that every household shouldn’t have an emergency supply kit. 

Emergency Supply Kit

• Water – one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
• Food – at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
• Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio with tone alert, and extra batteries for them
• Flashlight and extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Whistle to signal for help
• Dust mask to help filter contaminated air, and plastic sheeting and duct tape for sheeting in place
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Manual can opener for food
• Local maps
• Cellphone with charger and inverter

Electricity has become such a big part of our every day lives, we don’t put much though into it. How it works, what it does, or the dangers that surround it. Electrical Safety is usually only on the minds of electricians, contractors or those who are dealing with a problem with electrical work. However, it is really something everyone should spend some time thinking about. We have compiled a list of a few tips you should keep in mind when dealing with electricity. 

Electrical Shock

Did you know an electric shock can result in anything from a slight tingling sensation to immediate cardiac arrest? The amount of current, the current’s path through the body and the length of time the body remains in the circuit are all factors that determine the severity of the shock. The current found in the average household could be enough to cause fatal harm. That alone is the #1 reason electrical safety should be top of mind.

What Can I Do To Ensure My Home Is Safe?

Looking around your house I bet every room has some sort of electrical appliance plugged in? Television, lamp, microwave, cell phone, computer, the list goes on and on. Every one of those items are a reason to practice electrical safety in your home. To reduce the potential for danger, walk through your home and identify all the items that use electricity. After you’ve done that, download the below checklist and use the recommendations as precautions to reduce the risk of shock and burn injuries. 

Electrical Safety Checklist for Your Home

Your Home Is Where You Go To Relax

Take the time to complete the Electrical Safety Checklist for Your Home and make sure your home is safe for you and your loved ones. A little prevention now is much better than a devastating accident later. Injury to a loved one or a house fire are both realistic possibilities when dealing with electricity. Always leave electrical repairs to the professions, keep small children away from electrical threats, and make sure to follow instructions and not overload outlets or power strips. 

We’re always here to help. If you would like to review your homeowners insurance policy as well give your agent a call.