A LETTER FROM A HAPPY CUSTOMER

We recently received this letter from a very happy client.  She and her three young girls were at home when a fire started.  Needless to say she was under a lot of stress when Champion arrived to handle the repairs.  Fortunately, we were able to have her home repaired and her family moved back in their home in less than seven months.  She was very happy with the level of service she received and this is what she had to say:

To Whom It May Concern:

My “normal family life was changed by a fire that almost devoured our home on January 19, 2009.  I had no real way of knowing the far reaching effects of losing my home and the displacement of what I took for granted was our way of life for my three girls and me. On that night we were horrified as the fire engulfed our home and there was nothing we could to stop it. It was a wonderful blessing that the four of us were not injured in the fire.

I had no way of knowing what to do next. I am happy that I purchased USAA homeowner insurance. I went to the house wearing the pain from the fire in my soul the day following the fire.

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Wintertime Trivia

1. How big was the largest snowflake ever recorded?
A. 5 inches in diameter
B. 8 inches in diameter
C. 15 inches in diameter
D. 21 inches in diameter

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Zucchini Soup

In this cold and wet weather there is nothing better than a warm and healthy soup. This is one of my favorite soups with Mexican tradition. You can change the amount of jalapeno according to your taste.

Zucchini Patty Soup
2 medium zucchini washed and sliced in circles 1/4 inch thick
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 tomatoes chopped
1/2 jalapeno pepper chopped
1 garlic chopped
2 bouillon cubes
5 cups of water

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How Do I Know If I Have Hail Damage?

I can’t tell you how many times over the past few months I’ve heard that question. With recent strong thunderstorms and associated hail, our area has certainly received more than its fair share of damage, as evidenced by all of the vehicles parading around the streets advertising first one roofer then another. Many of such roofing contractors are referred to in the industry as “storm chasers”. Hail storms are closely followed by their swarm of vehicles, eagerly anticipating a quick surge of easy money. After the initial rush of activity, they disappear as quickly as they came… on to the next affected area. They leave behind them a plethora of customers who have no one to turn to when warranty issues arise. The responsibility, and the financial cost, are then up to the homeowners themselves. I’ve see this happen time and again to families in our coverage area. Alas, I digress. Back to our original question.

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Spotlight on Me (Summer)

I'm really not vain - it's just that no one else is responding to my interview requests and it's my turn to blog.  So here we go...

My name is Summer Bishop and I've been with Champion since 2002. I work in the marketing department and handle all of Champion's graphic design needs including newsletters, vehicle wraps, postcards, ads, websites, brochures, etc.  I also am responsible the "Spotlight" segment on our blog which leads me to my interview:

What is your favorite snack(s)?
Banana chips - especially chocolate covered ones
LifeSavers Wild Berry Sherbert
Blackberries & raspberries
Cupcakes

What is your favorite piece of clothing?

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Georgia Winter Weather Awareness Week November 16th - 20th, 2009

Winter storms are considered “deceptive killers” because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm. Seventy percent of fatalities related to ice and snow occur in automobiles, and approximately twenty-five percent of all winter-related fatalities are people caught off-guard in the storm. Prolonged exposure to extreme cold can cause frostbite or hypothermia. Powerful winter storms can also have thunderstorms associated with them. These storms can dump as much as three inches of snow or one inch of ice in an hour.  So how can you prepare for winter weather?

- Monitor radio/TV or NOAA Weather Radio.

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Winter Fire Safety Quiz

1. Where do most fires start in the home?

A. The bedroom
B. The living room
C. The kitchen
D. The bathroom

The answer is C: 30% of house fires start in the kitchen.

2. In the United States, a home fire claims a life every _________.

A. 2 hours
B. 3 hours
C. 6 hours
D. 8 hours

The answer is B: In the United States, a home fire claims a life every 3 hours.

3. TRUE OR FALSE: Use a fire extinguisher if you have a grease fire on your stove.

The answer is FALSE: Never pour water or use a fire extinguisher on a grease fire.

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Water Damaged Furniture?

With the recent catastrophe that has hit the Greater Atlanta Area, it has undoubtedly left some with furniture that they just could not bring themselves to throw away. Any item in question would need to be dried as soon as possible assessing items that are upholstered to see if they could be stripped down to the items skeleton to accommodate the drying process. Once dried the extent of damage will be evident. If there are areas of splitting or cracking it would be recommended to have the item professionally evaluated.  The following link is for a company that I would recommend to anyone: www.furniture-clinic.com. The item should be cleaned with a mild detergent and warm water and dried immediately with a clean towel. Evaluate to verify the presence of any water staining or clouding. There are many manufacturers who have products for water staining, i.e. Gaurdsman, Murphy's Oil Soap, or Old English. Be sure to test in an inconspicuous area to observe the effect on the finish and color. Any item in need of reupholstering could also be assessed by The Furniture Clinic. www.furniture-clinic.com

Peter Kanavas - Contents Supervisor

Fire Roasted Vegetable Salsa

I know we are a restoration company but we are also great eaters and to continue with the fire theme I have added a recipe that includes roasted tomatoes and peppers. There are thousands of ways to prepare salsa, and different dishes are better with different salsas. There are sweet salsas, hot salsas, green salsas, red salsas.  I would like to share with you the salsa I use to put in chicken or beef soup.  This salsa is also good just on plain chips. 

Ingredients
6 Tomatoes ( I use roma since that is what we planted this year)
2 Jalapeno peppers
1/2 onion
1 tablespoon of cilantro
1 garlic clove
1/2 teaspoon of salt

Turn your broiler to high. Place some aluminim paper on your broiler pan so you dont have to wash it. Wash the tomatoes and the peppers and cut them in half and place them on the broiler pan. Peel the garlic clove slice it and place it next to the tomatoes and peppers. When they are browned, turn them over and let it cook on the other side. Place the tomatoes, peppers, garlic and salt in the blender, press the pulse button about 4 or 5 times depending on how chopped you want it. Chop the onion and the cilantro and mix in or you can arrrange the chopped onion on top and the cilantro on top of the onion.

Pearla Jimenez - Job Data Processing

Office Email Etiquette

Within the last couple of years Champion has grown to a significantly large construction company.  This calls for more office personnel to handle all the task involved with insurance company adjusters, vendors, sub-contractors, and homeowners. With that being said, a certain amount of office etiquette should be displayed by all. Below are a few tips.

Ninety two percent of Internet users in the United States use email. That's a huge number since 73% of those living in the U.S. use the Internet (Information Please® Database, Pearson Education, Inc., 2008). Many people use email for business communications, which stresses the importance of knowing proper email etiquette. While a lot of people understand the importance of following certain rules when writing a business letter, they often forget these rules when composing an email message. Here's a refresher.

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