Author Archive: Tim Mechling

Heating Up Your Community

September 1, 2021 Community Projects, 0

space-heaterIf your community has open spaces, say a park or a public ground for meetings, then you’ll know all about the hazards of standing around in the cold. Especially as the winter nears, it’s important to remember to stay warm, and a space heater is a great way to do that. If you are planning any open air events in your community, a space heater can help to keep people warm, and while most of us have jackets and scarves, it’s a nice little touch to keep the elderly or young warm when they need it the most. If you’re looking into getting one, but don’t know which one to go for, check out these space heater reviews at http://www.spaceheatercenter.com/.

-       Lasko 755320 Ceramic Tower Heater with Digital Display and Remote Control

The Lasko is a good sized, affordable space heater that comes with a remote, digital display, various settings and an automatic overheat safety feature. It’s a great way to keep a crowd warm and you can find them for around fifty dollars.

-       Lasko 5812 Automatic Air-Flow Heater with Temperature-Regulation System

Another Lasko, though this time a different model. This one is wider and shorter than the one before so it works well in small groups of people. If your event has people sitting around, then one or two of these dotted around the place will work a charm. It’s a little more expensive and can be found for around seventy dollars, and it uses an analogue knob rather than a digital system.

-       Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Propane Heater

If you’re going to an event and just want a heater for yourself then this heater will be a lifesaver. It’s easy to carry around and uses gas to heat up a large space. The initial cost can be quite high, over a hundred dollars, but it can be found for around seventy. Keep in mind it will need gas to fire as well, which adds to the cost. But it’s portable and effective and won’t let you down if you need heat.

-       Dimplex DFI2310 Electric Fireplace Deluxe 23-Inch Insert, Black

If you’re looking to really splash out and show off, then this heater will be excellent for you. It can stay in the back garden and heat everyone up when you have friends and family over for drinks or a barbeque. It’s aesthetically pleasing, and looks like a real fire, but it does cost almost three hundred dollars and isn’t portable.

All of these Infrared Heaters have their own special features. Click here to check out some more heaters.

It’s the 21st century, have you refreshed your community to go green and eco-friendly yet?

August 18, 2021 Community Projects, 0

ECOFRIENDLYSeems everywhere you look you see and hear the words green and eco-friendly.  It’s a good thing coming together worldwide for a cleaner environment to live in.  That’s the world, now how about your community?  Are you seeing changes towards living in the environmentally friendly world of today or are you still not on the path of change yet?  Maybe it’s time to come together with your neighbors and start making changes towards refining your town locally to jump on the bandwagon and refresh your environment.

You don’t have to jump tall buildings in a single bound or run faster than a speeding bullet and make changes overnight.  Nor do you have to start off with a huge project either.  Start with the small stuff and make changes gradually.  Work together and as a community make decisions to catch up with the ways your community can be eco-friendly and green too along with other communities, towns and cities around you that have started.  See what they’ve been doing and gather ideas as to how you can make it work for your locale.

Maybe start and see if your town can get some recycling bins placed somewhere convenient where you can have a specific place to bring plastics, metals, and other recyclable materials to be shipped off and transformed back into usable products.  With one area to do recycling in, it makes it convenient to store up and take a trip to the bins and dump off all your recycling that needs to be done all in one place.  Talk to your city or town and see if they have interest in putting a plan for recycling into action and what steps you need to take.  Get a petition going around signed by people who support recycling bins so the city knows you’re good and ready to put it into action and make it work.

Another small step is to place doggie bins in the park.  They are barrels with biodegradable plastic bags attached to them that you pick up your doggie doo with and dispose of in the bin.  Later the company comes and picks up and empties the bin, replaces bags and takes it off to compost.  It also is great because then you can go to the park and not have to watch every single step you take so that you don’t step in doggie doo because someone just let their dog do their duty and left it laying there.  This way the owner responsibly picks up after Buddy when he does his business and disposes of it properly.  See at your next town meeting if this is an option to look into and push for it.

Hold a meeting between the locals to talk about some ideas and where to take them.  Have a get together over a barbecue while it’s still pleasant weather and discuss steps.  Don’t forget to clean up after and recycle any of GotStocks range of wholesale catering supplies that you got for the BBQ.  That way you’re starting your recycling from the get-go.  It’s time to refresh your community’s environment and make it happen.

Keeping Care of Your Neighbourhood’s Electricity

August 11, 2021 Community Projects, 0

NEIGHBORHOOD

 

 

Electricity is all around us these days. It powers our phones, our internet, our refrigerators and even some of our cars. Of course, it also powers out street lamps and our shops and businesses. If you live in a neighbourhood then you probably have a generator. All the electricity running to the grid will come from here, and each house and business will use it. It’s not a bad idea to make sure this, and individual houses, are running smoothly, as even a small electrical problem can cause havoc to a community. If you are in the California region, then you should look into an electrical company in San Diego.

-       Why Bother?

Electricity is too fickle a force to be left to its own devices, and local governments aren’t always up to scratch. If you’ve ever noticed that your wiring is dodgy or that when you turn on one device another one turns off, then you may have an issue. Sure, it could be small now, but if left to grow it could potentially evolve into a very real, and very expensive issue. Even if you’re not sure if there’s an issue, there’s no harm checking it out. These companies do a free evaluation, so you have nothing to lose by being precautionary.

-       What Happens?

Getting an electrician is a two step process. First they do a survey, checking out what they think is the issue, and then they get down and fix it. If you’re hiring a San Diego company you know you’re getting quality and professionalism. How long the job will take and how much it costs depends on what needs to be done. It could be a simple or complex, you may need only a new wire, or perhaps an entire upgrade. You don’t have to worry about them scamming you as these guys are the best in the business.

-       How Can I Trust Them?

This is a company that’s been around the block for over twenty years. They’re well known for their quality and professionalism. Of course these days you can hop online and found out for yourself, or ask around and see if they meet your needs. If there is an electrical system issue in your area, you really can’t afford to wait around. Think about hiring in a company today and getting that system repaired.

 

Business Ideas for Your Community

August 10, 2021 Community Projects, 0

business ideasSometimes what a community needs the most is something that’s a little outside the box. There are really only so many coffee shops and wine bars that you can stuff into are area before it becomes overloaded. Communities thrive off diversity, so don’t hold back, why not open a specialist weapon’s store? And if you’re new to the trade, then you can find the best beginners crossbows here.

-       Aren’t they Dangerous?

When people think of weapons they think of anger and violence, but there are many different types of weapons store available and not all of them are for defence either. Some are for decoration, like antique weapons and wall mount pieces for enthusiasts. Others are for protection, and who says that’s a bad idea? Mostly, though, when it comes to a weapons store, you need to think way out along the curve.

-       What Would Work?

Take the crossbow for instance. At first glance you might think it a deadly weapon with no obvious reason to be in your community, but what if you were to start a community club for weapon’s enthusiasts? It could be like an archery range, but for crossbows. Or you could start a medieval themed community day where you highlight some of the older weapons. Or, if you live nearby a forest or fields, you could start a local hunting club. There are so many more reasons to own a crossbow than just to look cool and dangerous. It can actually be a real benefit to your community as a whole and open up new areas of business you may never have thought about before.

-       Why the Crossbow?

Sure, it might seem like an odd weapon to choose, but it’s far safer than opening a gun store or a knife shop. Both of those weapons can be easily concealed and cause real damage to people. But a crossbow is more of an art piece. It’s big, bulky and takes time to load and fire. As such, it’s not practical as a weapon on violence. But it useful as a showcase, a way to increase interest in your area in the medieval or in hunting. It could be the start to a whole renaissance fair, or shooting club. Not only that, but if you teach people the proper way to treat weapon then you could open some minds and save lives. Someone who understands a weapon is more likely to be able to protect themselves than someone who doesn’t.

Why a Phlebotomist is Good for Your Community

August 3, 2021 Community Projects, 0

Community

 

A good community relies on a number of wholesome characteristics. It should be well rounded and provide its residents with a range of goods and services. It shouldn’t overload on one type of store or product, as that makes it less likely to withstand sudden change. It should be clean, and tidy, and give its residents a space to be educated and healthy.

On that last point, health, it’s easy to under-think. A decent medical centre is usually in the offing, but have you ever thought about whether your community needs a phlebotomist? There’s plenty of phlebotomy information out there on what a phlebotomist does, but we’re going to break it down to just the basics.

-       What Is It?

A Phlebotomist is the fancy name for someone who collect and analysis blood samples. It’s a simple procedure, but one that has important ramifications. If your community has no way of testing blood, then all samples from all residents must be shipped off elsewhere. There they are tested and sent back again. The room for error is greatly increased, as are the cost.

-       Why bother?

A phlebotomist is a respectable position in the medical community. It commands a decent salary, usually averaging in and around the mid-30s. You’ll not only be helping out the residents, but you’ll be adding a vital member of society, someone with brains and intelligence and drive and skill. A good phlebotomist will also be able to set up a blood bank system. Giving blood is extremely important and it’s something we don’t do enough, but your newest resident could help set up a drive, and stock pile for when the community needs it most.

-       How Do I Become One?

If the idea of a phlebotomist appeals to you, it’s relatively straight forward to become one. All you have to do is put the time, energy and money into an accredited course. Usually, a two year degree will suffice, which is far less than most other medical jobs. Some states make you work a certain number of hours before you are certified, but view this as work experience and it makes more sense. Double check what your state requires, and then jump on board the phlebotomy train. It’s a great job with real benefits, both to you and your community. You can also find additional information at http://healthcareincomes.com/.

 

Protect your home and your community

August 2, 2021 Community Projects, 0

CommunitySafety450x263

 

There are many ways to protect your home and your community at the same time. Many home owners will get an alarm system and put a sign on their windows or out in their yard to tell would be burglars that they are protected by an alarm. But what if that alarm system fails or the burglar is familiar with disarming alarms?

Then what do you do to protect your home from burglars? Well one thing you can do is have tactical assault gear available for your protection. This can mean many things such as bullet proof vest, a rifle or gun, and many more items. These are just a few things that you can use to protect your home while you’re there.

What if you’re not home when they break in then what do you do? You would be relying on insurance at this point and a neighborhood watch program. Insurance will protect you by providing you funds to repurchase anything that is stolen or damaged in the event of a break-in. If the alarm system is faulty you can also prosecute the alarm company for not living up to their job responsibilities. But what if you have a neighborhood watch in place? This would help by being able to identify the burglar and put him away for a long time. But that only works is the neighborhood watch is doing their job as well.

What if there is no neighborhood watch? Well you can always start one. Call a meeting for all your neighbors and discuss the necessity of having a neighborhood watch party. Convince them that it’s a great investment of their time. But if that doesn’t work then purchase some motion detector cameras to video any possible problems while you are away or asleep. These are all acceptable options for protecting your home that can be incorporated into your community as well.

Many people don’t realize that as a home owner or renter in the neighborhood you are part of a community and within that community you have a responsibility to help each other out and look out for the elderly and children in the community around you. Socialize with your neighbors, make sure you are aware of who lives in your neighborhood and you have at least met them on a few occasions. Community support comes from all the neighbors and businesses in your community. Without community support many neighborhoods would be overrun by unsavory types of people, more breakings would happen, and drugs may start showing up in your neighborhood or home. So stay on top of your community and the activities going on around your home so you can protect your home, the people inside your home, and your community.

Many criminals will try to infiltrate a well-established community and take advantage of the working class community so protection is something that is very important for you and your community’s well-being. Stand up to the criminals and make it known that your community is not going to stand for their misguided ways.

Build Your Local Business in 3 Easy Steps

July 25, 2021 Community Projects, 0

LOCAL BUSINESSES

 

Whether you are in the business of making pastries or in the business of proofreading legal documents, there is always a way to get noticed in your community. With some easy-to-apply ground rules, take a look at some ways in which you could start to expand your business.

Get Online

Getting set up on the internet is always a big help. When someone wants to search for a service like yours in a city or town like yours, they will often just type in the key words into a search engine. They will type “sewing” and “Milton” for example and see what comes up. You want your company name to be among those that come up in the search results. Get some help with building your website if online programming is not your thing. You could always pay your child or a friend’s child to help you with the development. There are lots of website templates to choose from online that provide the framework for the website’s design. There are sony vegas pro templates if you want to look modern and cool, but there are also more basic templates if that’s what you’re looking for. Spend an afternoon with someone who can help and get your presence recognized on the internet first.

Get Noticed

Do you have a sign up outside of your local shop? If it’s flat and facing the other side of the street, that’s great for those who are looking from that point of view. But what about people who are on the same side of the street as you? Consider a mounted wall sign that sticks out from the side of the building so your business is more noticeable. There are also those folding signs you can set outside on the street so your business logo is at street level. This type of sign is great for restaurants and coffee shops but even if your business is about custom hats, people’s eyes will still be drawn to the writing on the board. Many people will probably think it’s a food menu as they approach and read it out of curiousity. By the time they are finished reading your sign, they’ve realized that it’s not about food but instead about whatever it is that you’re promoting. Even if they feel a little disappointed that they didn’t read what they expected to, the point is that they read your sign.

There are also magnetic car signs your can put on your car doors or on the back. This way your company name will be noticed and recognized as a local character over time. Whether you’re driving to get some supplies or parked outside the office, your car will be advertising while you work.

 Give Samples

This one could get tricky, depending on the business you’re in. If it’s food or wares, it may be easier to give out samples. If you work in a trade or in accounting for example, it will be more difficult to produce some sort of enticement sample. It’s easy to hand out cupcakes but not so easy to hand out tax paperwork. If you can’t hand out samples at local events, try posting your services with a prominent logo on one of the bulletin boards at your community center. You could also leave a flyer with a business card stapled to it in neighbor’s mailboxes. Don’t do that last one too often though, or it could have a negative effect of being considered junk mail.

4 Benefits Of Having A Community Website

July 24, 2021 Community Projects, 0

COMMUNITY

 

It’s surprising to see who is engaging in social media these days. Our parents and grandparents use facebook, our uncles talk about twitter and our neighbors know what youtube is. Some people think that their community doesn’t need a website or a blog, because that’s what the community center is for. What they don’t see, is that the community website could be an extension of the community center and could act a 24 hour-a-day liaison between the center and the people who need to look up a number or check a class time.

Here are some benefits that could come from establishing community website:

 Creating Jobs

The development of the blog or website alone will cost money, but you can probably get the job done by a local resident who is studying the field of web development or has recently graduated and is looking for work. What a fantastic job to put on his or her resume. A lot of people offer to do web design for free when they are graduating soon, in order to boost their portfolio and look more experienced to future employers. There are a bunch of people in the community who would love to experiment with some free html5 templates for a weekend. Don’t know what that means? Don’t worry! They do, and that’s what counts. Once the site is developed, you’ll need people to fill the contents of each page and a web admin to make sure information is current and up-to-date. Things like class times and registrations, contact numbers and more, will need to be kept current to be reliable.

Promote Local Talent

If there is a local show, play or fair coming soon, promote it on the website! If people sign up for e-mails about local events and promotions, they’ll get word of the local event and spread the word to neighboring friends. With an automatic e-mail blast, the website will be doing the promotions for you at no extra cost.

 Promote Local Work

Many communities are filled with skilled laborers who have mastered one trade or another over the years. There are skilled neighbors all around us that people may not know of. There are plumbers, woodworkers, electricians, glaziers, painters, demolition professionals and even pest control aficionados. These locals have honed their skills and already have their character vouched for by the others in the community. No more worrying about who to trust to do work in or around your home. Create a “Jobs Board” section on your community website and those who are looking for a certain type of work can post their requests up there. You’ll be giving work back to the community and keeping business local as well.

Boost Education

The “Jobs Board” could also have a spot for those looking for tutors. Whether it’s for their children or for themselves, you never know who can play piano or who used to be a math teacher until you reach out and ask. Get local tutoring from a trusted community member to help you or your children learn outside of the classroom. Even if it’s just a weekly group meeting to discuss current events in the news, your site could be promoting education for all ages. This kind of opportunity could potentially give work to older community members who used to teach but have retired since then. Giving them a few hours of work a day can do wonders for their moral and could lift the spirits of the whole community.

 

 

Build Your Community With Local Handiwork

July 23, 2021 Community Projects, 0

COMMUNITY 2When your home needs work done, the task can seem daunting. You’re wondering who to call for the job, who will not overcharge and who has the best work ethic. Consider asking around in your own neighborhood and see who has the skills you need. There are many in your community who may be skilled in different fields of work concerning residential or commercial repairs. There may be some older folks who used to work in the trades for decades and have since retired. You may be giving someone a job they really need or allowing an older member of the community to feel that they are not forgotten. Here are some areas where local handiwork can help.

Fencing

If it’s a matter of putting up a fence where none was before, that’s a job. It could also be that the existing fence is collapsing or tree roots have eroded the surface and are pushing the fence posts up. If you’re repairing an old one or installing a new one, fences are easier to build when there are more people on the job. Ask around in your neighborhood and see who is good with their hands. If you can round up a couple of people who know what they’re doing, they can help you out for a smaller fee than a contractor would. You could always offer to repay their kindness with food and drinks as well. A team effort from the neighborhood folks is a great way to build relationships and strengthen community ties.

Pavement

Paving is a little more complicated than putting in a fence, but it could still be beneficial for you to ask the locals who did their driveways and who they would recommend. They may also tell you who to avoid, so a moment to seek the advice of the community folks could go a long way and save you stress in the future. If no one in the neighborhood has anyone in mind, perhaps the local community center knows of a person who could help. They know more people in the community than you do so give them a try as well. Even if they know of someone on your street who works with http://www.xlasphaltmelbourne.com.au/, it’s somewhere to start.

Painting

Painting is a big home repair job, even if it’s only one room. If you are in your first home and are new to renovations, this is another good opportunity to chat with your community members and see who can recommend some help. They may know of a company who did their interior or exterior a few years ago and will get you their number. Or they may tell you that it’s not that hard to do it yourself and that they will help you out. Having some folks over for a team painting day is a fun way to get closer to the people in your town. Keep your helpers well fed and make sure they don’t go thirsty either. Treating them to a nice barbeque dinner afterwards might even be payment enough for those who just want to help out and be useful.

By reaching out to those in the community for home renovation help, you may be surprised at what the people around you know and what you can learn. If they end up doing the job with you, you’ll grow from there and a few years down the road you can return the favor to the next new neighbor.

 

 

Refreshing your community is good. How about start with refreshing yourself.

July 20, 2021 Community Projects, 0

REFRESHYou want to see your community thrive and do well in the environment it’s in. Think about it though, how can you refresh your community when your own world is upside down. You’ll want to start by refreshing yourself. Some things in life come out best when you work them from the inside out.   Pause your busy schedule for a minute and see how you can refresh yourself and put yourself in a better position to help refresh your community.

One way to do that is to set an example. Feel good on the inside by helping things on the outside such as recycling things that can be recycled. That’s what those colored bins are for, and people will see you doing it and want to pick up and help and start recycling too. It’s an awesome feeling on the inside to know that you’ve made recycling a part of your daily schedule. That good feeling you get, well, it will spread throughout. People will see you doing it and follow along. There, you’ve done something for yourself, now it’s time that the community sees a brighter, happier you helping out.

Another way you can refresh yourself from the inside out is through education. One way to do that is to take up an education, start a career. That feeling of helping others through your own accomplishment is the best way to refresh yourself. There are many different paths you can follow such as the up and coming, growing field of radiation therapy. Don’t believe that something like that could be a career for you? Stop for a minute and take a look at radiationtherapyschoolshq.com/ and see what it can do to you. Better yet, there are probably places in your community that could use someone with training to help. Take your education, refresh yourself, and then use your knowledge to help refresh your community.

Taking care of yourself on the inside makes the work you do on the outside sparkle a little bit more and people around you will see that sparkle. You like to help people, but don’t forget about yourself. A little refreshing on the inside goes a long way when it comes to refreshing things that are on the outside. Communities talk, and you’ll be the subject of some positive conversations when people see the inner glow you’ve gained from refreshing yourself.

Make lists to see where you want to stand and where your goals are for yourself. Then make a list of goals you want to help refresh your community with. If you look really close at both lists you’ll see that they actually intertwine. You’ll see that refreshing yourself on the inside is helping you to be able to refresh more on the outside, in your community. This list should be your mantra and as you cross things off you’ll feel an inner self-worth that you might not have felt before. This is the way to do it. Refresh your community by starting with yourself and you’ll find yourself on a track to both inner and outer success.