What’s Happening in June 2018

Hi all!

It’s time to kick off a new month with a roundup of what’s going on in our area. Also if you have an event you’d like to let our office know about for next month please send it to me and I’ll gladly include it.

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June 1-2- Rock The South in Cullman AL

The biggest party in the south returns for its 7th year June 1 - 2, 2018! Join us in Cullman, Alabama for Rock the South 2018 with the biggest lineup ever.

June 1-2 – Haleyville’s Annual 911 Festival

Festival Headliner - Craig Morgan The festivities get underway at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, when Haleyville's Main Street area is closed off to allow set-up of the many arts/crafts/retail and food vendors. At 5:00 p.m. with local talent "Austin Lewis", followed by perennial favorite "Tremayne", lots of rockin' with "Handshake Promise", and fresh from a top 4 finish on the Voice is Alabama Native "Red Marlow", with headliner Craig Morgan at 9:30 p.m. Saturday morning Is the 7th annual 5K Fun Run. A Classic Car Show and Antique Tractor Show will open at 8:00 a.m. New this year on Saturday is a Cornhole Tournament, as well as a variety of activities that will include a Kids' Zone and something for everyone. Also on Saturday, there will be free entertainment where area artist can showcase their talents. For more information/www.haleyvillechamber.org.

June 7 – Birmingham Art Crawl

Join the Crawl every first Thursday of the month from 5-9 p.m., rain or shine, along 2nd Avenue North surrounding The Pizitz building. Art Crawl is a great way to meet local artists and performers, buy and appreciate their work, and be part of the rapidly growing art scene in Birmingham.

June 8 -10 – Bet I Wont! Spring to Summer Rock Crawl in Tuscumbia, AL

Festivities will begin when the gates open on the 8th. Live music on stage Saturday night from dark to whenever. Also ride to ya can't ride anymore! Park closes Sunday evening at dark. Let’s get back to having fun rock bouncing, trail riding, call in out your buddy. Just a good ol off-road family affair. Also UTV Stadium Series will be on the MX track all day. But trails will be not be interrupted. So be sure to stop by and check out the wheel to wheel racing action!!

June 9- Play It Forward Golf Tournament, Moulton, AL

This tournament benefits the Family Programs of the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Programs include scholarships, camp, publications, travel expenses to attend the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Weekend.

June 16- North Alabama Railroad Museum Father’s Day Special Huntsville, AL

Annual Father's Day train ride is sure to bring a smile to your father's face. Order your tickets now to ensure your dad has a day he will never forget!! 2 departures: 10am & 1pm. Ticket Prices: Adults-$15, children 12 and under-$10; An hour and twenty minute excursion.

June 23^rd- Dirt Therapy Day/Night Ride- Stony Lonesome -Bremen, AL

Dirt Therapy Day is an event dedicated fully to getting muddy and having a blast! There will be a MUD BOG, Donut slingin' Contest, Mud Volley Ball, and so much more!

June 30^th- A&M Ramblers at the Gospel Barn, Dora Alabama

The A&M Ramblers will be playing at The Gospel Barn in Dora, AL along with Eagle's Wings. Come on out and witness these 2 groups bless others using the amazing talents that God has blessed them with.

June 30^th- 3^rd Annual 5K 7 Cornhole Tournament -Arley, AL

We will be hosting the “Written in my Heart” 5k and Cornhole tournament. We want this to be even bigger than last year so please sign up and share with everyone! All proceeds are going for a great cause. Your contributions will help provide food for 7 villages in Leyte Leyte Philippines. We want to thank you in advance and hope to see everyone on June 30th at 7 am at the MHS baseball field. Registration will start at 6:30am on the day of race...however you must register by June 13th in order to receive a t-shirt.

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Thank you,

Wenona Mertens

Taking Care of You

When something really important comes up in our lives, we find a way to fit it in to our schedule—whether that’s a new movie we’re excited to see, or a doctor’s appointment about something that’s really bugging us.
Regular exercise might not be as compelling as those things, but each of us has ultimate control over what goes on our calendar. It’s the rare human being who literally cannot make the time to exercise. Here’s a few tips to help you find where you can schedule in time to take care of you:

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1. Work Out Efficiently

Pick a workout form that you can do almost anywhere, whether you’re traveling or getting home from the office late. Ideally, this will be a form of exercise that doesn’t require much preparation (maybe save the wind surfing for the weekend) and that accomplishes significant physical gains in a short period of time (sorry, golfers). High-intensity interval training, Tabata training, bodyweight exercises, and running are all great choices.

2. Make a Schedule and Commit to It

One of the most cited reasons to skip a workout goes something like this: “I am just too busy at work today; I can’t make my yoga class.” I call BULL! If you unexpectedly had to pick up your child from school and had no back-up plan, how would you deal with the situation? Cancel an internal meeting? Take some work home with you? Do some hard prioritizing? The truth is that when we really need to, we get out of the office at the time that is necessary. Make a schedule (write it down if it helps!), stick to it, and remind yourself that working out is a priority worth keeping.

3. Choose Something Over Nothing

You don’t need an hour—or even 30 minutes—to get a complete, effective workout. And some exercises is virtually always better than none. Heck, even seven minutes can make a difference! We can always find a few free minutes in our day (yes, we can!). With an effective program, and done frequently enough, short and speedy workouts can do wonders to both the body and mind. Squeeze in fitness wherever you are and no matter how much time you have with bodyweight exercises or with the help of apps with pre-programmed short workouts—you can even do some exercises at your desk!

4. Set Your Alarm Early

Becoming an A.M. exerciser means you get to cross your workout off your to-do list ASAP. We're not telling you to skip out on sleep in favor of a sweat session, but there are simple steps you can take to reset your sleep schedule and wake up earlier.

5. Sneak In a Lunch Break Workout

Make use of your precious 60 minutes by hitting the gym or going for a walk. Not only will it keep your waistline in check, you're also proven to be more productive during the day by logging off for an hour than you would be by eating lunch at your desk.
https://www.fitnessmagazine.com/        https://greatist.com/fitness/      https://vitals.lifehacker.com/

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Thank you,

Wenona Mertens

Keep Pests Away While Enjoying the Outdoors

With warmer weather comes the dreaded ticks and mosquitoes. Each year we learn of more and more diseases these little pest are transmitting too!  I’ve personally had a family member from Rainsville, Alabama hospitalized with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever so bad that they called the family in to say our good-byes. Luckily, she pulled through and is healthy now but had she been a young child or elderly we may not have been so lucky. So for this weeks email I thought I’d cover some ways to keep these pest away while enjoying the outdoors.

https://www.consumerreports.org/insect-repellent/how-to-keep-mosquitoes-ticks-away/

https://www.bewell-happy.com/single-post/Five-Essential-Oils-to-Ward-off-Mosquitos-Ticks-and-Other-Insects

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2017/06/buzz_off_11_ways_to_ward_off_ticks_and_mosquitos_t.html

P.S. Chickens are awesome for ticks in your yard 😉

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Around your yard:

Mosquitoes: According to the CDC, the most important thing you can do to keep mosquitoes out of your yard is to eliminate their preferred breeding grounds. Keep your gutters clean, and your birdbaths, old tires, wheelbarrows, and swimming pool covers free of standing water. Clear away ivy and decaying leaves, too. 

Ticks: They like tall grass and lots of shade. So keep your lawn mowed, remove leaves and other debris, and try to let as much sun into your yard as possible. Consider putting up a fence around your property to keep out deer and other large animals that can carry ticks. And don’t forget to check your pets for ticks after they have been romping outside.

                                                      Plant lemon grass

While no mosquito control in the immediate area can say for sure that lemon grass is a tried and true way to deter mosquitos, many people use lemon grass as a natural repellent. Planting lemon grass along walkways, or in large planters than can moved around as needed, has seemed to do the trick for residents as the strong fragrance is rumored to keep the bugs away.

Find the breeze (or a fan)

Mosquitos are weak fliers and studies have shown that breezes and winds make it difficult for the pests to land. Having a fan blowing in the area or setting up camp in a breezy spot is enough to lessen the opportunity for the bugs to bite.

Your Clothes:

Mosquitoes:  Wear long sleeves, long pants, socks, and closed-toe shoes, especially when you're out for longer stretches of time. Avoid tight clothes (mosquitoes can bite through them), dark colors, and perfume or aftershave (both attract mosquitoes). Apply a good repellent to exposed skin and to your clothes, too (but never under them).  
Ticks: When walking through wooded or grassy areas in the summer, wear the same clothes that ward off mosquitoes. Light-colored clothes are best, because that makes it easier to spot ticks. Tuck your shirt into your pants and your pants into your socks. Inspect your skin when you go indoors, and use tweezers to gently remove any attached ticks. (Remove the whole body, including the head.) For extra protection, toss your clothes into a clothes dryer on high heat to kill ticks that might be attached.

Tick checks

The CDC has a recommendation to prevents ticks from finding a way into your home -- perform tick checks on people and pets. After spending time outdoors, whether it be hiking, camping, gardening or just taking the dog for a walk, tick checks can prevent ticks from finding a way into the home. Be sure to give pets a thorough sweep and take a shower after coming in doors. Some places the CDC recommends double checking are under the arms, in and around the ears, inside belly button and around the waist 

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Thank you,

Wenona Mertens

May C2 Employee Spotlight

       

If you've ever sent any loads to C2 Freight there's a good chance Kristi has taken care of your freight. She's been with C2 since July of 2005. Kristi is an excellent carrier coordinator who's always setting the standard for phone time at C2.
Kristi's also very dedicated to her family. She is married, has two daughters, and this past March she welcomed her first grand baby- Easton Brooks Elliott.