Every year, Impact Teen Drivers and California Casualty offer enrolled students, ages 14 to 22, the opportunity to win prizes for their original works (creative writing, video, graphic design, or music) showcasing creative solutions for preventing the #1 killer of their peers –reckless and distracted driving.
Distracted driving is anything that takes a driver’s eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, mind off driving, or keeps ears from being alert to surroundings. Commonly referred to as accidents, these crashes are actually 100% preventable.
The Create Real Impactcontest is a proactive movement to reduce poor decision making and inattentive driving by 16 to 19-year-olds that has become an epidemic. Empowering messages from young people urging their peers to adopt safer driving attitudes and avoid the tragic result of bad choices behind-the-wheel can save lives.
The Fall 2020 Create Real Impact contest winners were recently selected.
Prizes are awarded by a panel of qualified judges based on the following weighted criteria: 25% concept/creativity; 25% execution of the idea; 50% effectiveness of the message emphasizing solution(s).
The following students will receive $1,500 Grand Prize educational grants for their entries:
Jessie M., Sunbury, PA, in the music category for the work titled, “Some Things Change”
Alec B., Aptos, CA, for a graphic design submission titled, “It’s the mindset”
The 2021 Create Real Impact contest will kick off in January. Entries will be taken at www.createrealimpact.com. For more information on how to get schools and students involved, please contact info@impactteendrivers.org.
About Impact Teen Drivers
Impact Teen Drivers was founded in mid-2007 by the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, California Casualty, and the California Teachers Association. The organization has emerged as a leading non-profit organization dedicated to reversing the pervasive yet 100% preventable crisis of teens killed in car crashes. ITD’s mission is to develop, promote, and facilitate evidence-based education and strategies to save lives and reduce injuries and fatalities caused by reckless and distracted driving. To learn more visit www.ImpactTeenDrivers.org or send an email to info@impactteendrivers.org
This article is furnished by California Casualty. We specialize in providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
When temperatures start to dip and the days get shorter, snow and ice are soon to follow. If you live in a snow-prone area, it’ll soon be time to pull out the shovel, gloves, and boots and prep yourself for the snow shoveling season.
Here are some tips to stay ahead of the snow, protect yourself from injury, and make this necessary chore a little less taxing.
Before Shoveling: Prepare & Plan
Warm-up – Do some basic stretches to limber up and prevent injury.
Wear layers – Layers will keep you warm while allowing for full movement.
Start early – Shovel new snowfall before it melts and refreezes into a slipping hazard.
Make a plan – Before removing the snow, figure out where you’re going to move it to.
Choose the right shovel – Make sure your shovel fits your hands and frame. Choose from ergonomically-designed models that can reduce bending and strain.
Consider wax – Coating your shovel blade with wax (car wax is fine) will prevent heavy snow from sticking and freezing to the blade. This works best on metal shovels.
While Shoveling: Technique & Habits
Push, don’t lift – Pushing snow is easier on your body than lifting it. In times where lifting is unavoidable, be sure to:
Bend your knees and keep your back straight.
Position your feet hip-width apart and use your legs for leverage.
Avoid twisting with a loaded shovel.
Keep your shovel close to your body — This will help prevent injuries.
Keep it bite-sized – Shovel smaller loads rather than large ones. Also, focus on the powder rather than heavy ice.
Change up your grip – To prevent blisters and strain, switch up left- to right-handed shoveling. Also change it up with palm under/ palm over.
Take breaks – Especially if the snow is wet, be sure to hit pause every 20 or 30 minutes.
Stay hydrated – In cold weather, it’s easy to forget to hydrate, so be sure you have water available and remember to drink it.
Shovel snow while it’s falling – You’ll lighten your workload if you periodically remove snow while it’s falling.
Managing the Yard
While shoveling, keep your yard and home exterior happy by keeping these tips in mind.
Don’t let snow pile up – If branches are weighed down with snowdrifts, gently brush the snow off to prevent branches from bending under the weight and snapping. And when you’re shoveling near them, remember to not dump the snow on plants.
Make a windbreak – If it works for your yard, you can deposit each shovelful of snow to form a barrier that shields shrubs and plants from wind damage.
Clear snow from the dryer vent – A blocked dryer vent is a fire hazard and can put your family at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Make sure your vents are clear of snow build-up.
Keep the fire hydrant clear of snow – If you have a fire hydrant at the front of your yard, make sure part of your maintenance is to keep it clear in case fire crews need to locate and use it.
If you park in the driveway – Clear a path to the driver door first, so that you don’t have to trudge through the snow to get to it.
As long as there’s snow, there will be snow shoveling. By using the tips above, you can make this task a bit easier and prevent injuries in the process.
This article is furnished by California Casualty. We specialize in providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
If anyone deserves a supersized, overflowing stocking this year, it’s teachers. These heroes of the (virtual) classroom have been going above and beyond, keeping our kids on track and learning during an unexpected pandemic – no small feat!
Give them the big thanks they deserve by making this year’s holiday gift extra special. Personalize it if you can (ask your child if they remember their teacher mentioning any favorite pastimes, hobbies, or likes). If you don’t have much information to go on, practical gifts are always appreciated – especially by teachers and administrators who juggle so much every day.
Start with any clues your child might have, check out the list below, and then build from there!
1. Handwritten card or note – A thoughtful, heartfelt holiday card and message from your child will make their teacher’s year. These are often the gifts that stay with educators for years to come.
2. Gift cards – You can’t go wrong with gift cards. Target, coffee, Amazon, gas, Apple, restaurants, iTunes – the list is endless. They’re a super practical gift that will definitely get used!
3. TpT e-card – Help educators take a lesson planning load off this holiday by giving them a gift card for their Teachers Pay Teachers (TpT) account. Shop and send it in seconds here.
4. Office supplies – Besides needing supplies to keep classwork and lessons organized, many teachers secretly adore creative, whimsical, and cool supplies. Check out sticky notes, to-do list pads, novelty paper clips, themed stickers, daily planners, and more.
5. Customized stationery – There are all kinds of online services that let you customize paper goods and stationery items such as notepads, note cards, letter writing paper sets, address labels, pencils, thank you notes, and stickers.
6. Coffee – Educators may be one of the most caffeinated of professionals. How about getting them a gift certificate or subscription for a new roast to change up their morning ritual? If this one seems a little expensive, don’t worry a few bags (or Kcups) of their favorite cup of Joe should do the trick 😉
7. Mug or tumbler – Help teachers stay hydrated (or caffeinated!) all day long with a quirky, contemporary, or inspirational mug. Teachers are famously oftentimes mug collectors, so this is a pretty safe bet.
8. Fun, festive or teacher-themed socks – There are a million and one different novelty-themed socks online. These won’t break the bank (or break on the way to school with your child) and offer the warmth of the hugs that we can’t share today. Plus, sizing is a no-brainer!
9. Snacks – Teachers barely get enough time to finish their lunches – even ones who work remotely. So, you can never go wrong with snacks. Don’t worry, they aren’t picky – chocolate, popcorn, candy, chips! Let’s load those snack drawers.
10. A nice pencil pouch – A high-quality zipper pouch is the perfect organizer for highlighters, markers, pens, pencils, and correction tape. There are a ton of great designs out there too – good luck trying to choose!
11. A charging station – We’re all living on our devices right now – and running down batteries quicker than ever. Keep your child’s teacher charged for the day by gifting a portable charger, charging station, extra charging cords or USB power bank.
12. Tech gadgets – Make teachers’ remote work lives a little more enjoyable with gadgets such as an iPhone or IPad tripod, ring light, or universal cable.
And what not to get….
As you narrow your list, here’s a gentle reminder of some things to leave off of it. Though well-intentioned, the following presents either aren’t very practical or are gifted so often they end up collecting dust in closets or cupboards.
“World’s Greatest Teacher” clothing, cups, posters, etc.
Ornaments and other holiday knick-knacks
Stuffed animals
Jewelry
As with all gift-giving, thoughtfulness counts more than anything else during the holidays. A little brainstorming with your child could well result in the perfect gift – and extra holiday cheer to fuel their teacher for the New Year ahead.
Happy gifting and happy holidays!
This article is furnished by California Casualty. We do not take ownership of any photo featured in this article; all photos have been linked to their owner. California Casualty specializeas in providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
What’s makes a hectic, rushed morning even worse? Coming outside to find your windshield frosted over.
Get on the road quickly and safely by using one or more of these defrosting hacks. We’ve also included “don’ts” for each one to help you get precious morning minutes back and prevent damage to your windshield.
Remove the Bulk of Ice
DO use a soft brush or ice scraper to remove caked ice on your windshield. Choose a scraper made of plastic.
DON’T use a metal scraper, key or spatula. Metal items or those not specifically made for windshields may scratch, cut or damage the glass.
Do a Slow Warm
DO start your car and turn on the defroster. Depending on how cold it is, defrosting may take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes. This will melt any remaining ice and also defog the inside of the glass. You can also turn the heater onto its highest setting to absorb excess moisture from the cab.
DON’T use other heat sources such as a hairdryer or portable heater. Rushing the heating process can easily crack glass as it goes from cold to hot quickly. Your defroster is calibrated for safe heating.
Turn on the A/C
DO turn on your air conditioning. Even though this seems counterintuitive, the A/C function will help dry the air, which is especially helpful when it’s rainy outside. And yes, you can use your heater and A/C at the same time.
DON’T turn on the air recirculation button. Winter air is typically dry, so you’ll want to pull in fresh outside air when defrosting to replace the more humid air inside the vehicle.
Use Water
DO pour cold to lukewarm water on the windshield to help the defrost process along. You can also do this to any frozen-over door handles.
DON’T pour hot water onto a frosty or icy windshield. Just as with other heat sources, this can crack the glass.
Use a De-Icing Solution
DO use a DIY or store-bought spray to de-ice your windshield if you’d rather not scrape. If making your own, mix two parts rubbing (or isopropyl) alcohol with one part water in a spray bottle and spray over the ice. You can keep this solution in your car, as alcohol won’t freeze until about -128 deg F.
DON’T use hot water in the solution.
Frosted windshields are one of winter’s annoying inconveniences, but unfortunately aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. To make sure they don’t ruin your day, use the tips above and remember to not rush them or take shortcuts – taking a couple of extra minutes will keep you and your windshield safe.
This article is furnished by California Casualty. We specialize in providing auto and home insurance to educators, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
We have amazing employees at California Casualty. The Employee Spotlight is a new series aiming to highlight those talented individuals that make up our successful company culture and community. From human resource recruiters and learning and development trainers to claims adjusters, marketers, customer support specialists, partner relations, sales representatives, and beyond; each week, we’ll highlight a new team member, so you can get to know us better and see how our employees make us who we are as a company.
This edition of the Employee Spotlight will feature Field Marketing Team Manager, Jeff Myers.
Jeff has been with us for a whopping 25 years and works remotely for our Partner Relations team.
Let’s get to know Jeff!
What made you want to work as a Field Marketing Team Manager for California Casualty?
Back in 1993, my uncle worked for CalCas. I went to dinner with him one night, along with two other guys that had worked for over 25 years with CalCas. They talked so well about this company that I told my uncle I had to work there.
I applied and started with the company in the newly formed Retention Unit
What is your favorite part about your job?
There isn’t just one thing. Knowing that the company has the back of whom we insure, the graciousness they treat the employees with, the family feel- every CEO I have worked for knows the names of employees and their spouse- it’s amazing.
I’ve had a few jobs at CalCas, Retention Specialist, Sales, Field Marketing Manager, Sr. Field Marketing Manager, and now Team Manager.Each of those positions has involved working with great people and managers. They all have been fun jobs, but the best thing is who we serve, public safety, educators, nurses, and others. To see how we service them is so satisfying.
What have you learned in your position at California Casualty?
How to lead others well using the “Outward Mindset” philosophy.
What are your favorite activities to do outside of the office?
We spend a lot of time at our church service in the local community. My wife directs the foyer ministry and I oversee the Security Detail. I also lead a men’s group, Elders, and Married Life groups. I also serve as a Chaplin for the Riverside Sheriff’s Department.
My wife and I love to camp in the wilderness. We’ve slept in tents, Class-A motorhomes, and in cabins.When we travel we love to take our jeep and find new places we have never seen before, and return to some of our favorite places we discovered.
I like to fish but my wife sits there and reads. (No worms for her haha).
We’ve also traveled to Israel and are looking forward to going back soon!
Anything else you would like the audience to know about you?
I have two dreams that may never come true, but I never stop dreaming or thinking about them.
1.In my younger years, I was an actor- on stage from the age of 5. My best role was playing the lead role of “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof”. I actually was the only lead role that ever received an outstanding review by a local newspaper. So my dream is to be in a movie one day, preferably a western.
2. I grew up off-roading with my family. We belonged to a Jeep Club and would be out bouncing around in my dad’s 1963 International Scout. I learned to drive at age 10. As an adult, I have owned a few off-road vehicles and became a proficient driver. At one point I almost won a Baja Bug at an off-road show drawing. My friend and I would have used that to race in the Baja 1000. I still have that dream of racing an off-road vehicle, either in Mexico at the Baja 1000 or a race here in California called “The King of the Hammers”.
Another interesting fact, I was on a NASCAR race team with my brother. I was invited to help with their pit stops at the California and Las Vegas Speedways.
If you want to learn more about Jeff or are interested in a career at California Casualty, connect with him on LinkedIn! Or visit our careers page at https://www.calcas.com/careers
