It takes great commitment to do what you do day in day out. We appreciate your efforts, and are proud to be a partner organization. In addition to our commitment to serving your insurance needs, California Casualty also sponsors, attends, and even creates programs that support you, your colleagues, and your families.
FFAM Firefighter Memorial
To celebrate our 25-year partnership with the Fire Fighters Association of Missouri, California Casualty provided a memorial wall sponsorship to the Fire Fighters Memorial Foundation of Missouri.
Field Marketing Manager Katelyn Hoffman and Strategic Account Manager Rebecca Stumpf just recently had a chance to see our etching. They had attended the FFAM Board Meeting the day before, and made a special stop on their way home.
Originally the duo had planned to celebrate our 25 year anniversary at the FFAM Annual Convention, but both the 2020 and 2021 conventions were canceled due to the pandemic
NFFF FDIC Memorial Stair Climb
Our team attended and sponsored the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation FDIC 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb in Indianapolis, IN. This year marks 20 years since the September 11th attacks. These stair climbs are put in place to remember and honor those that we have lost, and to help raise funds for the families of other fallen or injured heroes.
2019 Firefighter of the Year
In July, the Los Angeles Firefighters Association and California Casualty honored retired Capt. Rick Godinez as the “2019 Firefighter of the Year” in L.A. after the initial ceremony was postponed in 2020 due to the pandemic. Senior Field Marketing Manager, Charlene Rowens, had the privilege of handing Godinez his award on stage. He retired from the LAFD in April of 2020.
Educator $2,500 Jackpot
Shannon, an Early Childhood Special Education Teacher and California Teachers Association member from Palmdale School District, heard about the $2,500 Giveaway on the California Casualty Facebook page. She plans to use a good portion of the funds for her classroom and students, and the remainder to financially help her daughter who will be attending college in the fall.
Shannon has been a teacher for 30 years, attributing the kids as her reason for joining the profession. When asked what advice she would give to anyone interested in joining the field of education, Shannon, stated, “Be patient and flexible. This work requires you to be adaptable and always willing to learn.” She also shared that her CTA membership provides many resources and the support that she needs to do her job.
NJEA Member, Angela M., received the news that she was a winner virtually. Angela is a retired educator who taught Fourth and Fifth Grade for over 25 years in Bergen County, New Jersey. At age 93, and retired from the profession since 1990, Angela says she will most likely donate a part of her $2,500 winnings, but otherwise does not have plans for the money.
Angela recalls that when she was actively teaching, she and her students were a team – they worked together and learned from each other. She said that June and September were her least favorite months during the school year. She hated September because she had to pretend to be a big bad ogre so that the students thought she was tough, but she hated June because he meant she had to say goodbye to all of her friends.
One of our Q2 winners, Autumn Erickson, is a 5th-grade teacher at Mt Vernon School in Springfield, Oregon. Autumn was very surprised to find out she won a $2,500 Educator Jackpot from California Casualty. When asked how she wanted to spend the $2500, she said that she has some home improvement projects waiting, including painting. She also wants to buy raised garden beds for the yard.
Our second Q2 winner has not received the surprise news that they are a winner. Our Field Team is working diligently to schedule that presentation.
Operation Backpack
Throughout the entire month of July, our Kansas City gathered school supplies and donations for Phoenix Family’s Operation Backpack. This initiative gives school supplies to low-income families in the Kansas City community. Our Kansas employees donated a total of 31 backpacks completely stuffed with school supplies, like kleenex, paper, pens, sharpens, glue, etc. to help local students succeed and make them feel confident as they walk through the door on that first day of school.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, 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.
NEA Member Benefits recently added siblings to the list of family members eligible to access the NEA Auto and Home Insurance Program provided by California Casualty. Referred to as an NEA Member’s “Extended Family,” parents, in-laws, adult children, and now siblings can take advantage of the special rates, deep discounts, and personalized service available through the NEA Auto and Home Insurance Program.
California Casualty offers policyholders special benefits, such as:
Rates good for a full year, not six months like many insurers offer
Auto insurance that covers $500 for non-electronic items taken from your vehicle
$0 deductible for accidents in a rental car
Broad policy protection for anyone they allow to drive your vehicle
Free ID defense
Free pet injury coverage up to $1,000
Holiday or summer skip payment options
Exceptional towing and roadside assistance availability
Plus, as an NEA Member, you have more exclusive benefits, including:
Waived/reduced deductible for collision or vandalism while parked on school property
Educators excess liability coverage for protection in the classroom
Fundraising coverage with $0 deductible for goods/funds valued up to $500 while under your care at school
And more!
Tell your family (and colleagues) about the NEA Auto and Home Insurance Program. Members who switch see an average of $423 in savings.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to teachers, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.800.800.9410 or www.calcas.com.
California Casualty along with its long-time partners, the Professional Firefighters Association of Utah (PFFU) and the National Education Association (NEA), recently came together to deliver 85 warm coats to children at risk through the PFFU Coats for Kids program.
Students at Redwood Elementary School in Salt Lake Valley’s Granite School District will be a lot warmer this winter thanks to California Casualty, PFFU Local 2970, Star Orullian of Granite Education Association, Redwood Elementary School Principal Jolynn Koehler, and NEA Member Benefits Affiliate Relations Specialist, Sean Mabey.
Coats for Kids was established in 2013 by the Professional Fire Fighters of Utah to combat one of the most fundamental hardships of childhood poverty- the absence of a warm winter coat.
For more than a decade, PFFU has watched the problem of childhood poverty creep mercilessly into the homes of the communities it serves. Poverty ravages families without discrimination – and by necessity those struggling to survive naturally prioritize food, heat, and rent above winter clothing.
In Utah, and many other communities across the country, the lack of a winter coat often results in frequent school absenteeism which translates to forgone learning, missed opportunities for socialization and play, and the loss of balanced nutrition provided through the school’s meal program. Helping students stay warm as they walk to and from school leads to increased attendance, allowing children of families in need to experience the critical childhood benefits their school has to offer.
There is no denying the joy of a child being zipped into their brand new coat by their hometown heroes. Since 2013 the Professional Firefighters of Utah Coats for Kids drive has resulted in 2,198 coats purchased and provided to needy children in fourteen different elementary schools in Utah.
“What happened today at Redwood Elementary mattered to many little First Graders”, said Sean Mabey “Seeing those little kids wearing coats, smiling and waving, will be a highlight for me personally this season.”
Representing California Casualty, Assistant Vice President, Valerie Cregan commented, “It is truly an honor for all of us at California Casualty to join in support of our valued business partners in their efforts to help the children of the Salt Lake Valley community.”
“The Professional Fire Fighters of Utah, and all of our IAFF Affiliate Locals are very proud of our ongoing Coats for Kids project. Our ability to supply coats is only possible through our members’ fundraising efforts and our great partners such as California Casualty. As 2020 was a most difficult fundraising year – California Casualty stepped up BIG to help us get more kids in coats just in time for the holidays.” Jack Tidrow, President.
In attendance: Redwood Elementary Principal Jolynn Koehler; Granite Education Association Representative Star Orullian; PFFU President Jack Tidrow; PFFU Secretary/Treasurer Susan Davis; IAFF Local 2970 Firefighters Kyle Stewart, Bronson VonTussenbrook, and Drew Griffin. Attending remotely from California Casualty:Lisa Almeida, AVP, Valerie Cregan, AVP, and Erica Reich, Senior Field Marketing Manager; attending remotely from NEA Member Benefits:Sean Mabey.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, 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.
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.
Our streets and freeways are coming back to life after having been empty for months. And right now, we are at the end of the season known as the “100 Deadliest Days” for teenage drivers (Memorial Day through Labor Day). Add to that the excitement of back-to-school and socializing with friends beyond the virtual connections enforced by stay-at-home orders. It’s the perfect storm for poor decision making and inattentive driving by many 16 to 19-year-olds.
While COVID-19 poses a threat to our communities, teenagers are nearly four times more likely to die in a car crash than from the virus.
One of the biggest contributors to this “other” growing pandemic is 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.
Did you know that reckless and distracted driving is the number one killer of young people?
Recognizing the need to proactively address these 100 percent preventable crashes – mistakenly called accidents – Impact Teen Drivers (ITD) launched a Create Real Impact Creative Contest. The contest hinges on the idea that needless teen deaths can be avoided if young people are given a platform to – in their own words – urge their peers to adopt safer driving attitudes and avoid the tragic result of bad choices behind the wheel. This year’s Fall Create Real Impact Contest gives educators and students a chance to win their share of $27,000.
Here’s How it Works:
Students, ages 14-22, can submit one entry into one of the four categories — creative writing, video, graphic design, or music — to showcase their original idea for a solution or strategy to end reckless and distracted driving.
Individual Prizes are awarded in a variety of ways:
$500 to the entry with the most online votes within each category
$1,500 to the grand prize winner in each category (as determined by CRI judges*)
$1,500 for a Spanish language award within the video or graphic design category
*Judges will determine the Grand Prize Winners based on the following criteria: 25% concept/creativity, 25% execution of the idea, and 50% effectiveness of the message. Online voting in no way influences the decisions of the panel of judges.
In addition to the individual student winners, high school teachers and advisors are invited to submit a distracted driving social media campaign developed and implemented by their student leaders. The High School Distracted Driving Social Media Campaign contest gives students the chance to develop critical thinking and rational problem-solving skills through conducting research, advancing technical and creative writing skills, and developing communication with peers and community members across multiple media.
Projects can be developed through distance learning or in-person.
The social media campaign prizes are as follows:
$10,000 for the first place winner
$5,000 for second place
$2,500 for third
Important Dates:
Contest Opens: Monday, August 24, 2020, at 8:00 a.m. (PT)
Contest Entry Deadline: Thursday, November 12, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. (PT)
Online Voting Begins: Friday, November 13, 2020 at 8:00 a.m. (PT)
Online Voting Closes: Thursday, November 19, 2020 at 4:00 p.m. (PT)
Grand Prize Winners and Top Online Vote Getter Winners will be announced by the week of November 23-27, 2020
No one understands teens the way their peers do. By leveraging their creativity to spread resonant messaging on safer driving and better decision-making behind the wheel, young people can be a powerful force in reducing needless teen deaths.
Over the last months, we learned to (quickly) shift our communities online — or create entirely new ones where there were none before.
If there are any silver linings to this pandemic, a strengthened sense of connection definitely tops the list. It’s no surprise that the professionals we serve — educators, first responders, nurses, and peace officers — have so often been the ones building community and connection.
Here’s a round-up of some heartwarming and creative ways they’ve brought us together while we’ve had to stay apart.
Educators
Positivity parade. To cheer their students up, teachers across the nation have driven through their students’ neighborhoods in car parades, oftentimes in vehicles decorated with joyful signs, messages, and decorations.
Teacher memes. Parents have certainly had a crash course in homeschooling — and their reflections (and teachers’ responses) have led to some brilliant memes.
Keepin’ it real. This music teacher’s video went viral when she shared what it’s like switching to online teaching and learning.
Mask project. Two former school administrators launched a mask-making project to support their communities’ frontline medical workers.
Keeping kids fed. Educators across the country have made sure that no students go hungry during school closures.
Nurses
Dance as medicine. Lifting spirits while delivering excellent care, these nurses use dance to bring humor and positivity to their Covid-19 patients. Check out all five videos — we dare you to keep a dry eye!
Stepping up, showing up. School nurses have been answering the need in communities everywhere, whether by administering tests at Covid-19 testing sites, doing wellness checks on hundreds of students, or rounding up donations and supplies for other frontline workers.
Creative stress-busting. Nurses and doctors are using humor, dance moves, and creativity to stay sane, spread smiles, and promote safety.
#904RainbowHunt. Trying to cultivate hope in an uncertain time, an ICU nurse created a (now burgeoning) Facebook group for people to create, share and hunt for rainbows in neighborhood windows.
First Responders
Storytime with peace officers. To comfort and connect with kids during stressful times, law enforcement officers nationwide have been reading to kids virtually.
Cribs – firehouse edition. Firefighters give kids a personal virtual tour of their fire station — from the living quarters to the garage, fire engines and everything in between.
Heroes cheering heroes. First responders cheer on frontline healthcare workers in New York and Pennsylvania with sirens, lights and applause.
#HeartsforHealthcare. Firefighters and first responders are sharing the love — by parking their engines and cruisers in heart shapes — to show support for healthcare workers.
Times of crisis bring out both the worst and best in people. We’re ever grateful to our American Heroes for bringing their best to their communities and inspiring us all to find ways to connect to and support each other.
This article is furnished by California Casualty, providing auto and home insurance to education professionals, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and nurses. Get a quote at 1.866.704.8614 or www.calcas.com.
Students at Redwood Elementary School in Salt Lake Valley’s Granite School District will be a lot warmer this winter thanks to California Casualty, PFFU Local 2970, Star Orullian of Granite Education Association, Redwood Elementary School Principal Jolynn Koehler, and NEA Member Benefits Affiliate Relations Specialist, Sean Mabey.
Representing California Casualty, Assistant Vice President, Valerie Cregan commented, “It is truly an honor for all of us at California Casualty to join in support of our valued business partners in their efforts to help the children of the Salt Lake Valley community.”
