OctO ber 2024
THE BEST LIFE Lake Eufaula
Cover Photo by Moonflower Photography
This publicaTion is sponsored by
Meet the McQuays
MEET YOUR TEAM
PhotograPher
Fall is one of my favorite seasons at Lake Eufaula. The days begin to get shorter, the sun sets earlier, and the air gets cooler. We look forward to watching and attending fall activities, wearing sweatshirts and sweaters, and sipping coffee and hot chocolate during the evening. Lake Eufaula is beautiful in the fall. The color of the leaves changes and the hills become alive with yellows, browns, and reds.
I love to take a boat ride on the lake during the fall and watch the sunset. It is a great time to reflect on yet another season-ending and remember the laughter and fun we had during those hot summer days.
There is a lot to do at Lake Eufaula during the fall season. I have great memories of owning a houseboat and taking it out and anchoring for the weekend and enjoying the company and conversation of friends. I remember fall fishing. I love to fish for crappie off our dock and have fish fries on our deck. There are Fall Festivals, Fairs, chili cook-offs, great conversations around campfires, and more.
The peace and serenity of fall can engulf us with feelings of contentment and security. The Gentle Giant is getting ready to sleep for the winter. But first s/he shares with us a beautiful canvas of God’s creation and shows off the majestic life of this vast 835 miles of shoreline. Once again, if we are lucky enough to be able to live here and experience all of these miracles, we are lucky enough. To all of you - enjoy the Best Life Lake Eufaula this fall and we will see you next month.
Karen
oСtober 2024
● October 2-7
Major League Fishing - South Point October 4 - Lake Eufaula Association Golf Tournament - Arrowhead Golf Course
● October 18
FREE Fish Fry for the Community sponsored by Vision Eufaula, 150 Front St, Eufaula OK www.VisionEufaula.org
● October 19
A Salute to the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s at Legacy On Main Street, 224 N. Main St, Eufaula Doors open at 6 pm www.LegacyOnMainStree.com
breast Cancer Awareness Month, observed every October, serves as a crucial reminder of the importance of early detection and education about breast cancer, a disease that affects both men and women worldwide. While it is often associated with women, breast cancer can and does affect men, although at much lower rates. Everyone needs to understand the prevalence, warning signs, and importance of early detection, along with the different types of breast cancer that individuals should be aware of.
In 2024, it is estimated that there will be 310,720 new cases of invasive breast cancer diagnosed among women in the United States alone. This figure does not include cases of recurrence, which further highlights the pervasive nature of the disease. Unfortunately, breast cancer will claim the lives of approximately 42,250 women this year, underscoring the critical need for awareness and early intervention.
Breast cancer is less common in men, with an estimated 2,790 new cases of invasive breast cancer expected in 2024. This number does not include recurrences. Approximately 530 men are expected to die from breast cancer in 2024. While the incidence and mortality rates are significantly lower in men, the disease is no less serious, and early detection is equally vital.
Breast cancer rates and outcomes vary widely among different ethnicities and age groups. For example, African-American women are more likely to be diagnosed with aggressive forms of breast cancer, such as triple-negative breast cancer, which is harder to treat. Younger women, particularly those of African-American descent, are also more likely to be affected by inflammatory breast cancer, a rare but aggressive form of the disease.
OctOber is breast cancer awareness M Understanding the Impact on Men and Women
By Patricia Smith
In contrast, Caucasian women are more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer overall, but they also have higher survival rates, partly due to earlier detection and better access to healthcare. Hispanic, Asian, and Native American women tend to have lower incidence rates but may face unique challenges in terms of healthcare access and cultural barriers to screening.
Since 2010, the Affordable Care Act has required health insurance plans in the U.S. to cover screening mammograms for women aged 50 and older, as well as for women aged 40 to 49 when recommended by a healthcare professional. The most common warning signs for women include changes in breast size or shape, nipple changes or discharge, and any skin changes such as redness, inflammation, or dimpling.
For men, the warning signs of breast cancer typically involve a lump or tumor that can be felt around the nipple, within the breast tissue, or under the arm (axillary region). It is crucial for both men and women to be aware of these signs and to consult a healthcare provider immediately if they notice any changes. Breast cancer can take many forms, each with its own characteristics and treatment challenges:
• Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS): A noninvasive breast cancer where abnormal cells are contained within the milk ducts. It is highly treatable if detected early.
• Invasive Breast Cancer: Occurs when cancer cells from inside the milk ducts or lobules invade nearby breast tissue and potentially spread to other parts of the body.
• Inflammatory Breast Cancer: A rare and aggressive form of breast cancer that causes swelling and redness in the breast. It is more likely to affect younger women, particularly those who are African-American or obese.
• Paget’s Disease of the Breast: A rare cancer that affects the skin of the nipple and
the surrounding area. Warning signs include redness, scaling, and discharge from the nipple.
• Metaplastic Breast Cancer: A very rare type, accounting for less than 1% of all invasive breast cancers. It often presents with larger tumors and is more likely to be triple-negative, meaning it does not have estrogen, progesterone, or HER2 receptors.
• Metastatic Breast Cancer: Also known as stage four or advanced breast cancer, this is the most advanced stage, where the cancer has spread beyond the breast and nearby lymph nodes to other parts of the body.
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is a time to encourage all women aged 40 and above to undergo regular mammograms and ultrasounds if necessary. Both men and women should perform monthly self-breast exams to become familiar with their bodies and detect any abnormalities as early as possible.
If you or someone you know has been affected by breast cancer or is a survivor, sharing your story can be a powerful way to raise awareness and encourage others to seek early detection and treatment. Proactive health measures can save lives, making awareness and education crucial components in the fight against breast cancer.
Health Care Expert
Patricia Smith MSN, APRN-CNP Bee Well Family Healthcare 918-490-9034 beewellfamilyhealthcare.com
By Kristina Gonzalez
Meet the McQuays
this month, it is my pleasure to introduce the McQuay family! Zach and Angela McQuay have three kiddos, Gracie (17), Rylan (14), and Alex (6). The family has a red lab named Fury, who is two years old, and a one-year-old GoldenDoodle rescue named Moose. The McQuays live on 200+ acres west of Eufaula on the lake with other McQuay family members on the land.
Gracie is a junior at Eufaula High School. She has been class president since the 8th grade and is student council president as well. Gracie plays golf on her high school’s team and went to state as both a freshman and sophomore. She is in her first year
as a varsity cheerleader and is taking college classes at Connors State College concurrently with her high school courses. Gracie intends to attend Oklahoma State University when she graduates.
Rylan is in the 8th grade at Oktaha Public Schools. He is active in 4-H and FFA, and shows cattle. He recently won grand champion with his steer at the Muskogee Junior Regional Livestock show, in addition to having won grand champion in 2020 with his steer. He has ‘made the sale’ at the Oklahoma Youth Expo Livestock show two times, and recently placed 17th overall with his steer. Additionally, Rylan plays baseball and is trying his hand at golf this year.
Alex is in the first grade this year at Eufaula Elementary. He spends most of his free time swimming or playing Roblox with his friends. In the picture of Zach and Alex on the next page, Alex was the crown bearer at the Eufaula High School Basketball Homecoming!
Zach graduated from Hanna Public Schools and attended Connors State College for a bit, but ultimately he received his education from the “school of hard knocks,” persevering by not being afraid to work hard. He is a third generation concrete finisher. As his family taught him the ways of concrete, Zach saw the need to be more efficient and wanted to have more control over his pours. He first purchased a laser screed machine, and
fast forward to 2020 where he first used volumetric concrete trucks and learned the efficiency behind them. That led the couple to purchase a current total of 12 volumetric trucks. They can now mass produce their own concrete and finish it. Zach has helped numerous concrete businesses throughout the US start up with volumetric concrete trucks. They have been showcased at World of Concrete in Las Vegas twice and have had several magazine interviews over their concrete operation. One article won article of the year!
Angela graduated from Quinton Public Schools and received her Bachelor’s Degree from East Central University. She holds a teaching certificate in early childhood and elementary education. The couple has built several businesses in Eufaula over the past decade, to include:
B & J Insurance – Sold December 2023, Ragz Car Wash – Sold October 2021, Ragz Roll Offs & Hauling, Ragz Properties, Stites Home Furnishings, and McQuay Construction.
“We have a motorhome and love traveling every summer with our friends, the Neills. We’ve been to places like the Smoky Mountains, Rocky Mountains, South Dakota, Florida, South Carolina, Colorado... We also have a boat and spend most of our weekends on lake eufaula during the summer months,” Angela says. “We love supporting the Eufaula Ironheads and the OSU Cowboys,” she adds.
by Shawn O'Brien
The couple feels they make a great team, “Zach is the muscle, out in the field slaving in the heat, and I’m behind a desk, shuffling paperwork,” Angela says.
The family is very involved in the community: Zach has been in the Chamber of Commerce for 10 years, and the entire family helps with the Whole Hawg Weekend annually. Recently, the family helped with Eufaula’s first National Night Out (an annual communitybuilding campaign that promotes police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make communities safer, more caring places to live). They’re very involved in Team Up to Clean Up and received the Business Award from Keep Oklahoma Beautiful in OKC. The McQuays also donated and finished the concrete for the splash pad in Eufaula!
From The Best Life team, thank you to the McQuays for allowing us to write your story this month, and thank you for your contributions to the community. Happy Fall, y’all!
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rOnnie Lee wOOds
By Kristina Gonzalez
this month’s veteran spotlight is on Ronnie Lee Woods. Ronnie Lee goes by R.L., and was born and raised in Fort Worth, TX. He has a twin brother who currently lives in Mississippi. R.L. grew up with six brothers and one sister. His hero was his father, “a cool guy who taught [R.L.] everything he knew.” Since the draft was done by birthdate, R.L. and his twin were drafted at the same time in 1969-1970. He laughingly says that’s where their similarities end. His brother was in the military for 21 years and retired an E-7 Master Sergeant.
When I inquired about the dreams he had for his future before the military drafted him, R.L. says he didn’t have the time for dreams…he had just gotten out of high school at 18, and spent a month visiting friends on the coast. R.L. came home one day and the draft notice was waiting for him. He went to the Army the next day. “That’s how fast it was,” he drawls.
His twin and older brother were a week ahead of him reporting for duty, but they ended up at the same place, Fort Bliss, for training. Here, however, it would happen R.L. was training basic in the desert and his brothers were training basic in the mountains. “Tromping through that deep sand really kicks your butt,” he says, relating that he’d rather have been in the mountains.
R.L. was in the Army for two years, got out for a year and joined the Marine Corps for four years, serving in combat in Vietnam as a Forward Observer. The USMC did not make him redo the basic training portion due to his Army experience, he only had to “hang out” through basic until he graduated, to his relief. After six years in the military, despite thoughts of making a career out of it, he decided to retire.
During his service, he went out in the jungle in Vietnam - as a forward observer they needed him to go high to be able to call in artillery. The mountain he was on was like a saddle, with a high point, a dip, and a higher point. The dip had a bunker set back, with three guys in it for ‘react’–in case they needed more men for backup. One day, he heard them yelling and he went to see what was up only to find them fighting an enormous orangutan. He ran up to help with an M79, but knew the M79 could harm the men he was trying to save. Instead, he picked up a big rock and hit it on the head, realizing that he was in big trouble as the orangutan dropped the men it had been attacking and turned to him.
On the mountain, there were some slanted rocks he could use to spot, some which looked over cliffs and some which looked over a drop four or five stories to a boulder. When the orangutan took off after him, he ran down the wrong one, to the five story drop. When he turned back, the primate was coming for him, so he took his only option and jumped, barely making it to that boulder with his elbows and knees taking the impact. He turned after the painful landing and saw the orangutan was going to jump. He still had his M79, so he used it while the primate was mid-jump. After the concussion of the artillery, he felt impacts all over him. R.L. opened his eyes and saw he was covered in red, mistakenly believing he had been opened up somehow. But the gore wasn’t from him, he realized, and when the adrenaline subsided he was able to call in a helicopter to get him off the boulder.
R.L. was Field Artillery, a Forward Observer (F.O.) with 4th and 42nd Artillery Group. R.L. had an E-7, Sergeant Tom, who was fixing to ETS in 4 months (he was getting out), and Sgt. Tom
thiS Page iS SPonSored by Sean mCaLLiSter, State Farm
needed an F.O. to call in artillery strikes. R.L. would go in and observe villages, and if the village was Viet Cong, they took it out with an artillery strike. If, however, the villages were clear of Viet Cong, he would go in and meet the people, and give them little gifts from the U.S. Upon R.L.’s arrival to Vietnam, they were still eating WW2 C-rations. He said the food he got from the Vietnamese was so hot he’d have tears coming out of his eyes and the Vietnamese ladies would just laugh.
Such laughter was the exception in the horrors of Vietnam. R.L. caught Malaria in Vietnam and was in and out of consciousness for eight days. He woke up strapped down and covered in ice, got up and went back to the field. During our talk, R.L. reflected on the loss of life in Vietnam which just broke his heart, but the circumstances at the time didn’t allow for grief; the war wasn’t over. R.L. retired after serving his drafted two years in the Army and four years voluntarily in the Marines. Today, R.L. wants to tell the residents of Eufaula: “We did what we had to do and we appreciate what the city and the counties around us do for the veterans.”
He’d like to thank everyone for their support of the VFW.
From The Best Life team, we thank R.L. from the bottom of our hearts for his service and many thanks to Sean McAllister for sponsoring this page! Many of us have friends and family who have served, and none of us are untouched by the effects of the wars our veterans have been sent to fight in. It is our honor to tell the stories of our veterans.
real estate Food For thought
there is a lot to think about in reference to the real estate market around Lake Eufaula, OK. It is an election year, REALTORS®, buyers and sellers are adjusting to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Settlement requirements, it is the 4 th Quarter of the year, and everyone is wondering how far down interest rates will go down.
Juggling all of these subjects in our minds is causing some buyers and sellers to sit out on the side lines until the dust settles so they can see the road map more clearly. However, it is important to keep in mind that while some buyers pause and sit on the side lines in an election year causing the market to soften a bit, the election really does not affect home prices that much.
The thing to watch right now are the dropping interest rates. With more inventory and lowered interest rates, the housing market should finish the year strong.
The real adjustment for both buyers and sellers are the NAR requirements imposed upon them as a result of the NAR Settlement Agreement. The changes went into effect on August 17, 2024. The effects of these changes included the following: If you are a buyer and your real estate agent is using an MLS, you will need to sign a written agreement with your agent BEFORE touring a home so you understand exactly what services will be provided, and for how much. These are called Buyer Broker Service Agreements.
Written agreements are required for both in-person and live virtual home tours. You do not need a written agreement if you are just speaking to an agent at an open house or asking them about their services.
Agent compensation for home buyers and sellers continues to be fully negotiable.
Karen Weldin
Feel free to ask me questions about my services, compensation and these written agreements.
After all this “food for thought,” remember, fall is a good time to list your home and a good time to purchase property. If you are interested in either, please give me, Karen Weldin Broker/Owner, Eufaula Lakeshore Realty a call at 918.605.7405. Check out all of our listings at www.EufaulaLakeshoreRealty.com
Chocolate Pie
Submitted by Chuck, Owner of Dawn’s Place
ingredients:
• 4TB unsalted butter, melted
• 4 lg eggs
• 1 ½ C sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ C Dutch process cocoa powder
• 2 TB espresso or strong coffee
• 1 TB heavy cream
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 2 TB cornmeal
• 2/3 C semisweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1 prebaked 9 inch pie crust
instructions:
1. Whisk eggs until smooth.
2. Add to eggs, the sugar, salt, cocoa, coffee, milk, vanilla and cornmeal and whisk
3. Add melted chocolate and whisk
4. Add melted butter and whisk until smooth
5. Pour into prebaked pie shell and bake at 350F for 45 minutes or until set. There should be a little wiggle in the middle of the pie when cooked. Overcooking will lead to a dry and cracked pie.
6. Let pie cool down and then refrigerate for best results.
7. Keep covered and refrigerated for up to a week.
8. Enjoy!
did You Know?
let’s talk life! We all know that we’re not invincible and/or when that day will come that we part this earth. Protecting our loved ones to ensure they’re financially sound following a loss of a family member, or business partner is important to make sure that any liens are fulfilled, final expenses paid, as well as income replacement for paying bills to help with operating costs and/or raising kiddos, or simply having enough funds to carry someone through retirement, even pay for college. The choice doesn’t have to complicated. Simply put, there are two basic types of life insurance plans, whole life and term life.
Whole life plans have a level premium and guaranteed death benefit for as long as the insured is living and upholds the premium commitment to keep the policy in place. At age 100 the plan is completely owned and no additional premium payments would be collect while continuing to provide a death
benefit to the beneficiary for the named incurred. Whole life plans earn interest on the premiums paid into the plan and grow cash value with premiums paid into the plan and interest accrued on those premium payments. The death benefits could start from $10,000 and increase from there, depending on the life needs.
There are several options for a whole life plans available, like an Guaranteed Issue Final Expense (GIFE) starting at $10,000 - $15,000 that have little to no underwriting as long as the applicant is between 50 and 80 years of age then he/she would be eligible for a GIFE plan. A basic Whole Life Plan will have a guaranteed level premium to the age of 100, or until the plan is terminated and provide a guaranteed death benefit until the named insured passes, or the plan is terminated for the cash position. These plans start at $25,000 death benefit and can be increased from there depending on the life needs. A whole
By Sean McAllister
life plan will collect the monthly/annual premium payments and draw interest. This is known as the “Cash Value” on a whole life policy.
A term plan is simply just that, it’s for a specific period of time that the owner basically pays a flat level premium in exchange for the death benefit for a specific period of time, either for 10 year, 20 year, or 30 year period. These plans will not accumulate a cash value position, nor earn interest, and will only provide a death benefit for the face amount of the policy for that specific period of time. A term plan may be converted to a whole life plan before the policy expires but it will convert at the current attained age of the named insured.
Call our office to schedule an appointment to learn more about how we can help meet your needs with one of State Farm’s life insurance plans!
hrob roy rV
By Rob Stone
ello, Rob “Roy” Stone with Rob Roy RV Services here. My family and I have recently relocated to the Eufaula Lake area. Our family has been coming to the area since we were children to fish, camp and escape the craziness of the city life. Now, we are excited to call it home! I’m still in awe some mornings as I drive around the area and take in its beauty.
I own and operate a mobile RV service company specializing in RV appliances, electrical, plumbing, roof maintenance and repair/replacement. I’ve been unofficially working on RV’s since 2018 when we decided to move into full-time RV living with my family of 6. I formally started the business in 2023 after taking classes to be a technician at the end of 2022.
We had what we thought was “The American Dream” in Edmond Oklahoma and it wasn’t an easy decision to ditch the traditional lifestyle and move into full-time RV life. If you would have told me in 2016 or before that I would spend 6 years of my life living in an RV with my wife and 4 kids, I would have said you were crazy!
We lived in a nice neighborhood with good schools and my business office within walking distance. I owned a digital marketing agency that was growing. We had just hired two new staff members and then came the news: my best friend and business partner crumbled as he shared that his wife had been
diagnosed with cancer. She was also a part of the business. She was an amazing content writer with an unmatched work ethic. My friend and his wife both took time to research and work out her health plan, but in 2018 she tragically passed. After feeling invincible for a season, we all were humbly reminded that we are from the dust and to the dust we will return. Things that were important no longer seemed important. As I worked hard to build the business, I realized how I had put the real important things in life on the back burner. Family and loving your neighbor as yourself became the focal point of our lives. I won’t go into the details here, but in that time of reflection life goals changed. I no longer wanted to build a large business. I wanted to simply help others. This desire eventually led my family and I on an amazing journey. We put the house up for sale, we gave away what we could. We bought an RV and I ran the business remotely as we traveled across the US. We weren’t vacationing. We were just going and living life where we felt led. In that time we were able to stay close to old friends of the past and help them with life for a few weeks or a month and then we would move on. We would go and see family that we had not spent time with in years. It was a much needed experience to shake us from what we had thought was the “American Dream.” Everywhere we went was a mission, not a vacation. Our goal was to help those we felt God had placed on our path. There are so many amazing stories on how our family became a conduit of love to the world around us.
In 2019, we had some life changes that had us in a difficult transition. Since being on the road, I had not been gaining new customers and it was time for the business to shut down. It was hard. My success and identity had been from my business. Now it was time to start the process of reinventing myself. My grandmother passed in December that year and we decided it was time to come back to Oklahoma. We transitioned from traveling to a more stationary RV life. From 2019-2021 we focused on helping our aging family in Oklahoma. That’s what took us from the OKC metro area down to Sulphur, Oklahoma. We were trying to help family with their RV issues all the while having our own issues with our RV. A family of 6 can sure put some wear and tear on an RV. While traveling and now being stationary, dealing with issues on the RV was a never ending ordeal. I had learned how to fix or replace several appliances, toilets, etc. Some issues were still beyond my understanding. This led to our search to find help fixing some of our RV problems. That experience was an eye opener for sure! There wasn’t an RV tech anywhere near us. The closest place was 45 minutes away and had a 6 week wait time! It was also much more than we could afford at the time. This sparked an idea. I had already learned how to fix quite a bit, just from our own experiences living in the RV. What would it take for me to learn how to be an RV technician?
In the fall of 2022, I decided to bite the bullet and take the classwork needed to truly understand how to fix RV’s. I kicked myself for not doing this earlier. After 5 years of RV living, I learned maintenance routines that should have been done on our appliances annually that had been neglected all this time due to our own ignorance. Our RV got some much needed repairs after that! The AC’s worked better, cleaned out large calcium chunks from our water heater and the list goes on.
From there, I began to hand out business cards and fliers at the RV parks in the area. It was like stepping into a vacuum: as soon as I made it known there was an RV tech in the area, my phone blew up! Since then, I have only continued to get busier. With that said, I am now looking to build a team of RV technicians in the area to keep up with the workload. I used to own a digital marketing agency, so I know how to build websites and manage social media and ads, etc. I don’t have a website, no social media. I have only invested in a few signs and local opportunities such as “The Best Life” to keep me busy with just me. I need the team to grow before doing any big marketing campaigns.
I’m grateful to be doing what I’m doing. Knowing what it’s like to live and travel in an RV has given me the insight and compassion to help my fellow RV patrons. The best part about what I do is seeing the results of helping someone fix a problem that has been causing stress and frustration and helping them regain their peace. It’s a hard situation to have RV problems that complicate life or even make it impossible to function. I’ve been there myself. I am so grateful to the “Angels” that were put in our lives that came to help us when we needed it most. It’s been a blessing to be able to be on the other side of that equation now. I always approach each issue as if it were my RV. What would I want if this was my issue, my family, my situation. It’s always led me to the right solution. Love your neighbor as yourself.
I don’t have a set creed or motto…yet, but I have some good foundations I use to guide me in how I do business. These are not things I made up, but I read in a book: “The Go-Giver” by Bob Burg and Jonathan David Mann. It’s a fictional book, with some amazing truth in the principles it showcases. Here are the 5 principles:
1. My true value is determined by how much more I give in value than receive in payment. I strive to always do more than the minimum. I ask myself, what more can I do to add more value for the customer.
2. My income is determined by how many people I serve and how well I serve them. Right now, I am limited here in some regards. I can control how well I serve my customers and I do strive for excellence there. I can’t complain. God has blessed us. I just know I could help more people if I had a team. The goal going forward is to develop a team that resonates with these 5 principles.
3. My influence is determined by how abundantly I put the needs of others ahead of my own. There have been countless late nights, early mornings, and long drives in order to help my customers. I set boundaries for my family and I, but my heart goes out to those living in RV’s full time who have an emergency; the vacationer with his family stuck in a difficult situation; the widow who no longer has someone there to reach a switch or lightbulb, or an elderly gentleman dealing with the humble reality that they just can’t do what they used to and they need my help.
4. Be authentic. The best gift we can give is our true self. I never put on a front for my customers. I’m upfront and honest about everything I do, Even if it’s not going to be what the customer wants to hear. They have all been appreciative of me just being me. It’s a great feeling to not have to pretend to be a certain way to get by. It also allows me to be genuine and truly show that I care about the customer and am not just looking for a paycheck.
5. In order to continue giving to others, you have to be open to receiving. Oddly enough, this one can be hard. Especially when what’s given is a compliment. We tend to be overly critical about our own performance. We often don’t feel worthy of the compliment or feel odd about asking for payment when the job is done. (At least for me) I’ve had to grow in this area the most.
I often rejected help, money, etc from others in many areas of life. It not only robbed me of a blessing, but it disallowed someone else the blessing of being a blessing. It truly is better to be able to give than receive so it seems, but we need to receive in order to be able
to give. It’s a cycle that will feed itself continually when in balance.
I’ve kept these 5 principles in the forefront of everything I’ve been involved in for over 10 years now and I’ve yet to see them fail me.
In May of this year we celebrated 6 years of full-time RV living, and then moved out! We still have our RV. It’s parked at our place in Sulphur still and I stay there when serving customers in the Arbuckle Lake region, but we are now back in the “Stick and Brick” life here by Lake Eufaula. It’s where we have planted and plan to stay. After being nomads for so long, it’s all surreal having a place to call home… that doesn’t move! We love “The Best Life” at Lake Eufaula and plan on being a fixture here for decades to come. My 3 boys have already started working with me and I’m working now with the local vocational schools to see about offering RV tech classes. There are so many RV’s in this area that go neglected due to the fact that there’s not enough RV techs to fix all the issues out there. I hope I can change that here in the near future.
Thank you to all the kind folks in the area! If you see my red truck around town be sure to wave and say hi! If you have an RV, the one piece of advice I have to give is: have annual maintenance done on your RV! An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure. My heart sinks when I have to tell the customer that the fix for the problem is an expensive replacement that could have been prevented with regular maintenance. I have a yearly plan I offer to address these issues. Be proactive.
If you are in the market to buy a used RV, check for water damage on the roof, walls and floors. Unless you are looking for a project, don’t walk away, RUN if you see water damage! I have seen so many good people get taken advantage of by others and lose their entire investment. If you don’t know what to look for when buying an RV, give me a call and I can come take a look with you! Be safe when driving, parking and camping. Safety first. Then go make some amazing memories!
- Rob “Roy” Stone
what’s More important GPa or character
By Jim Fay
are you more interested in your child’s GPA or his/her character and sense responsibility?
Give yourself a big pat on the back if you answered character and responsibility! Children who grow up in a home where character and responsibility are modeled, valued, and enforced often have little trouble being successful in school and in their adult lives.
Even so, many parents find themselves in situations where the answer seems less than obvious. I recently had a call from a parent who was concerned about her teenager’s behavior. After some discussion, mom admitted the teen had stolen a credit card and purchased items through the Internet. However, mom’s major concern was about her daughter lying about the purchases, not the criminal behavior itself.
Several times the mother said, “I just don’t want her to have a record.” In desperation, I finally asked, “Are you saying you don’t mind that she is a criminal, as long as she doesn’t look like a criminal?”
“Well, no,” she replied. “But this is going to be so hard for her. What do I do?”
After spending more than 30 years as an educator and a parent, it was clear to me this mother needed to treat her teenager’s mistake as an opportunity for her daughter to learn how to face the consequences of her choices. While it will cause some short-term pain, the long-term benefits will be a stronger, healthier sense of personal responsibility, the foundation of a solid character.
Of course, it’s much easier to know what other parents should do about their misbehaving children. This mother is struggling with a trap many of us have fallen into. We love our children. When they are uncomfortable or hurting, we hurt even more. We want to protect them; it’s only natural. However, our attempts to save children from the consequences of
their mistakes have a great deal to do with comforting ourselves, instead of solving the problem.
Mom has fallen into another trap. She has bought into the belief that a child’s selfconcept is damaged when kids experience the consequences of their mistakes. Nothing could be further from reality. In fact, the opposite is true: Self-concept is reduced every time a parent excuses bad behavior.
The Love and Logic® philosophy gives us a great solution for this dilemma. There is a way of holding kids responsible for their actions without appearing mean or authoritarian. This wonderful technique leaves kids thinking, “My parent is not the problem. My problem is my bad decision.” Give children a heavy dose of empathy or compassion before laying down any punishment or logical consequences. This opens their minds and hearts to learn from
their mistakes without blaming you. Then hold the line in a loving way to allow the consequences to teach an important life lesson.
In the case of the stolen credit cards, let’s see how this teenager’s mom might help her daughter face the natural consequences of making illegal purchases. Mom needs to resist the temptation to react in anger, which will only make her youngster defensive.
A Heavy Dose of Empathy
• Mom: “Oh, sweety, what a bummer. My heart goes out to you. What a problem. I bet you feel awful. Would it help if I went to the police with you and held your hand while you explain this?”
• Daughter: “But, mom, it’s not fair! Can’t you just get me a lawyer?”
Hold the Line In a Loving Way
Mom: “Sweety, I love you too much to let you pass up this opportunity to learn about how the real world works.” (Mom needs to repeat this statement for each new argument the child tries.)
This is a sad story about a mother and a daughter who are paying a huge price. Neither of these people would be in this situation had mom started early handling the little problems and misbehaviors in this way.
Life provides a limited number of opportunities for children to build character and learn how the real world works. Make the most of them!
Jim Fay is one of America’s most soughtafter presenters and authors in the area of parenting and school discipline. His background includes 31 years as a teacher and administrator, over three decades as a professional consultant, and many years as the parent of three children. Jim’s sense of humor and infectious spirit have made his interviews, audios, videos, and books popular with educators and parents as well as the national news media. Jim has discovered that fun stories are the most powerful way of helping people learn. He often comments, “People seem to learn best when they giggle.” You will find this delightful quality in many of our Love and Logic products.
the FriendLY FactOr –How Full of it Are You
how important is friendly? To me, if there are 100 qualities of a successful customer service person or salesperson friendly is in the top three, and may be the top one.
Friendly makes sales and friendly generates repeat business.
Friendly is a quality, and like all qualities, there are varying levels of competency.
Friendly is a degree. What’s the temperature of friendly in your place of business? Is it warm or cold where you work?
And hey, if the degree of friendly in your place of business is somewhere between medium and un (friendly), here’s a question
that will make you squirm What’s the relationship between friendly staff and loyal customers? answer: one breeds the other.
Well, if friendly is so important, Jeffrey, then why isn’t everyone friendly? Good question. It seems so easy. One reason is that people are too serious about everything especially bosses, and they set the tone for the rest of the people. Do friendly businesses make it? Microsoft is friendly. Ask them.
The secret is for the corporation bigwigs (or small business owner) to create a friendly environment AND to train people to be friendly, AND to be (act) friendly all the time. Friendly has to be “on purpose.”
Written By Jeffrey Gitomer
Here’s a 3.5 step plan that will make everyone so friendly, you’ll feel like work is Disney world, Wally world:
1. Create Friendly… Select and document every friendly way, manner and response then benchmark it (write it down), then empower your people to say ONLY that.
Success Strategy: Have a benchmarking party for your employees, and let them participate in the solutions. They think they know more about the business than the boss does anyway, let them have a say in the solution.
• Let your people develop “best responses” to repeat customer problems (late delivery, out of stock, error in billing).
• Let your people create “consistent friendly welcomes” to your customers (initial phone greeting, guests visiting the office).
• Let your people develop “best practices” for repeat customer interactions (phone messages, receiving an order, transferring a call).
Friendly is at the epicenter of your business, but it’s only a seed that must be germinated, and then nurtured every day.
2. Train Friendly… To some degree friendly can be taught. If you have grumpy people (or want to avoid attracting them), Here’s a few methods and strategies to remedy the situation:
• Train people in the fundamental skills that build themselves first, and your company second. Most employers train about their own stuff and their own policies and procedures, but neglect the person carrying out the tasks. Why try to teach algebra to someone who can’t add?
• Train your people what to do in the top 25 real world situations that occur when a customer calls or visit. Train them to ask questions that can close a sale.
• When interacting with a customer, concentrate on the person not the personality. Concentrate on the caller not the call. Your first job is to help them not yourself.
• Hire happy people. I have a quicker solution just institute this policy If you’re grumpy, you’re fired simple enough no, no, wait better to get them a job at your biggest competitor that way when they chase business away, it will come to you.
3. Create a friendly atmosphere on the inside and outside. Live Friendly. Be a friendly person on the inside. Have the attitude it takes to be smiling internally first.
Major Clue for employee: Poor attitude can come from places other than work.
Major Clue for employer: You can’t change people’s home life, but it’s to every employers best advantage to make the atmosphere inside the workplace a fun one.
Creating a positive workplace atmosphere not only boosts morale but also enhances productivity. When employees feel valued and supported, they are more likely to be engaged and motivated.
One effective way to foster this environment is through regular peer reviews. Here, peer
review examples to get you started can be a great tool for encouraging constructive feedback and recognizing individual contributions.
These reviews should focus on growth and development, ensuring that feedback is delivered in a supportive and encouraging manner.
Be a friendly person to your coworkers. Say nice things to them. Help them when they least expect it.
Create a happy work environment: flowers, posters, banners.
Start with yes.
Have parties.
Tell jokes.
3.5 Measure your “friendly factor.”
Survey your people, survey your customers, survey your vendors get a monthly (without name) feedback. Ask questions that get to the truth about happiness. Get the pulse from the heart.
The value of friendly is beyond measure it costs nothing, yet it’s worth a fortune. And it’s the most contagious disease known to man catch it.
@GITOMER
KING OF SALES, The author of seventeen bestselling books including The Sales Bible, The Little Red Book of Selling, and The Little Gold Book of Yes! Attitude. His live coaching program, Sales Mastery, is available at gitomer.me. © 2023Jeffrey Gitomer - Buy Gitomer - GitGo LLC - All Rights Reserved.
the Future OF hOMe water heatinG:
How heat pump technology is changing the game
(bPt) – The Department of Energy (DOE) recently released higher energyefficiency standards for water heaters that will go into effect in 2029. Focusing on decarbonization, the new standards emphasize how highly efficient water heaters, especially heat pump water heaters, will result in lower energy consumption and in turn, potentially save Americans billions in household energy costs.
Ultimately, the new regulation aims to improve performance and increase energy efficiency in the home, while decreasing overall household emissions.
Since RheemВ®, a leading manufacturer of water heaters, launched its first heat pump water heater in 2009, its technology and efficiency has continued to evolve. This cutting-ed ge technology relies on moving heat from outside the unit to warm the water within. In fact, some units can be up to four times more efficient than traditional models.
Growing in popularity, it is estimated that by 2029, the majority of electric water heaters installed in the U.S. will be heat pump water
Installing a heat pump water heater can make a home more sustainable, while providing a high-performing, reliable hot water solution.
Tax incentives for energy-efficient home upgrades
To help encourage adoption of the heat pump water heaters, tax programs such as the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) include incentives for homeowners to upgrade and install environmentally friendly equipment and appliances throughout the home. Since going into effect in 2023, the IRA set aside $8.8 billion for consumer rebates on high-efficiency products to cover the cost of the appliance and the associated installation costs.
heaters.
By taking advantage of the tax credit, homeowners can reduce their tax bill between $2,000 and $3,200, offsetting some of the upfront costs of making energy-efficient home improvements. Specifically, the tax credit for a heat pump water heater is 30% of the unit cost, plus installation up to $2,000. Additional tax credits are available if electric panel upgrades are necessary.
There are also long-term savings to consider. Designed to heat water in a more efficient manner, heat pump water heaters reduce energy usage, which can save consumers hundreds of dollars annually on their utility bills. In the end, these savings add up and can potentially help cover the cost for a heat pump water heater within less than two years of a unit’s installation.
Advancing convenience: Smart features and innovations
Heat pump water heaters address a major consumer ask: the ability to have control of home equipment from anywhere. As heat pump technology continues to evolve, manufacturers are integrating smart technology into heat pump water heater systems.
It’s now common to include temperature control via a wireless mobile app, leak detection tools, automatic water shut-off and more, making heat pump water heaters among the most intelligent and controllable pieces of technology in a home.
Energy efficiency is a key driver for heat pump technology. The Rheem ProTerraВ® Hybrid heat pump water heater allows homeowners to benefit from energy efficiency and participate in available demand response programs. Benefits include monitoring energy usage of the water heater and additional utility savings.
Rheem continues to find ways to innovate on this technology, recently adding to the ProTerra line with a 120V Plug-in model, making it simple for homeowners to replace a gas unit with a heat pump water heater. The plug-in units are easy to install with little to no electrical work, no venting or gas line requirements and Wi-Fi capabilities.
Installing a heat pump water heater can make a home more sustainable and energy efficient, while also providing a customizable and controllable hot water solution.
