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Around the Sound bus“Early is on time, on time is late, and late is not acceptable.”  Around the Sound non-emergency transportation is not like your cable company who gives you a four-hour window.  Around The Sound gives you a 15-minute window for pick up.  Getting where you need to be has never been so simple, timely and pleasurable.
Steve Hutchins has operated this business since 2003 and bought the company late in 2006 with his partners.  The goal is to build Around the Sound into the Nordstom of senior transportation.  Hutchins has been in the transportation business since graduating from college in 1977.  The things learned over those years have given him an advantage in customer service.  He knows what his customers expect and need.  Around the Sound has the cleanest vans with polite, uniformed drivers who address their passengers by “Mr.” or “Mrs.”
The office for Around the Sound hums with efficiency.  Office employees answer the telephone and schedule rides on a sophisticated computer system.  Looking at the computer screen tells the Around the Sound staff where each of their 20 vans are at any time.  The office is staffed Monday through Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. for information or to schedule transportation or contact them online at www.around-the-sound.net.
When the van arrives to pick you up, you’ll be greeted by a courteous driver.  With a minimum of 80 hours of training, the drivers have, not only a squeaky clean driving record with no criminal background, they are, most importantly, trained to provide exceptional customer service.  The majority of the trips consist of just you and your driver, so expect one-on-one attention, an easy smile, and the comfortable service you deserve for your trip. Each driver is trained for accommodating passengers with special needs, including wheelchairs and scooters, crutches and walkers, and Alzheimer’s and dementia, as well as ambulatory passengers.
Around the Sound has expanded to serve Pierce, Kitsap, Mason, Clallam, Jefferson and South King Counties.  With all of the driving they do, it is imperative that each of their 20 vehicles is in top working order.  Brian Reid, “their personal, in house mechanic” keeps every van in tip top shape.  Preventative maintenance is the rule of order for all vehicles.
This transportation service is so popular that repeat business is normal for them. One of their long-time customers, Eugene Hudspeth, says the drivers are like family.  They know just how to handle him and what vehicles suit him best.
Frequent travelers like Hudspeth can get discounts off the regular rates.  Packages of 10, 25, 50 and 100 rides receive these discounts.
Around the Sound is your local shuttle specialist in transporting you to and from appointments, weddings, parties, church and special events. Transportation is offered seven days a week from 4 a.m. to midnight.  You may schedule a pick up any day of the week online or you can schedule a trip via the office staff Monday through Saturday.  It is recommended that you make your reservations ahead of time, especially for Sunday.  Whether it’s a doctor’s appointment, or a special event, Around the Sound will be there for you.  Costs start at $36 for wheelchair riders, 10 miles or less.  Non-wheelchair riders pay $21 plus mileage.  Call 253-858-7088 or 360-874-0055.  You may also visit them online at www.around-the-sound.net.

Contributing Author by — May 23, 2012 in Everything Else

Spring is here and so are uninvited guests—lurking under the leaves, dining at night, and sleeping during the day: SLUGS. What to do about the pesky mollusk is a topic of discussion at many garden clubs, especially for gardeners who want to go green. So here are a few ideas.

  1. Grind eggshells in a blender with some water and spread the slurry on the tops of the soil to create a scratchy barrier.
  2. Take apart copper Brillo pads (Yes, you can still find them) and put the pieces around the plants. Contact gives slugs a shock.
  3. Mix one part old coffee and 10 parts water and spray it on plant leaves and surrounding soil. It gives the slimy invader a heart attack on contact.
  4. Spraying with a mixture of two cups water and two teaspoons dish washing detergent will not only dry them up, it will also help eliminate aphids, lace bugs, bronze orange bugs, whitefly and scale.
  5. Send slugs to their maker with a smile by putting the dregs of beer in pans short enough for them to ooze into.
  6. Human hair on the soil’s surface tangles them up.
  7. Slugs are attracted to lemon, orange and grapefruit rinds. Put them out at night and pick them up in the morning.
  8. Slugs will also hide under old boards if you have the fortitude to scrape them off the wood every morning.
  9. Buy a duck!

 Karla Stover belongs to the Root & Bloom Garden Club and the Hill and Dale District of Garden Clubs.

Karla Stover by — May 22, 2012 in Everything Else

Buying a nice gift for your mother’s birthday is always a good idea. But people across the nation are discovering that the best gifts are often free.   You can show Mom how to save an estimated $4,000 a year on her Medicare prescription drug costs. Here’s how.

If your mother is covered by Medicare and has limited income and resources, she may be eligible for Extra Help — available through Social Security — to pay part of her monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments. The Extra Help is estimated to be worth about $4,000 per year.

To figure out whether your mother is eligible, Social Security needs to know her income and the value of her savings, investments and real estate (other than the home she lives in). To qualify for the extra help, she must be receiving Medicare and have:

•   Income limited to $16,755 for an individual or $22,695 for a married couple living together. Even if her annual income is higher, she still may be able to get some help with monthly premiums, annual deductibles, and prescription co-payments. Some examples where income may be higher include if she and, if married, her husband:

—Support other family members who live with them;

—Have earnings from work; or

—Live in Alaska or Hawaii.

•   Resources limited to $13,070 for an individual or $26,120 for a married couple living together. Resources include such things as bank accounts, stocks, and bonds. We do not count her house or car as resources.

Social Security has an easy-to-use online application that you can help complete for your mom. You can find it at www.socialsecurity.gov/prescriptionhelp. To apply by phone or have an application mailed to you, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) and ask for the Application for Help with Medicare Prescription Drug Plan Costs (SSA-1020). Or go to the nearest Social Security office.

To learn more about the Medicare prescription drug plans and special enrollment periods, visit www.medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227; TTY 1-877-486-2048).

Mom will be grateful when you give her a useful gift this year: help her save an estimated $4,000 a year on Medicare prescription drugs. It won’t cost you anything more than a little bit of quality time with her — something you and Mom both want anyway. And don’t forget, these rules apply to Dad as well.

Press Release by — May 12, 2012 in Everything Else
AAA survey finds nearly half of senior drivers worry about no longer driving

Nearly half of senior drivers worry about losing their independence and mobility when it’s time to give up their car keys, according to a recent survey by the AAA.  As 10,000 Americans turn 65 years old every day, AAA is actively working to preserve the safe mobility of seniors across America.

“Planning, skills assessment and education are key steps to maintaining the safe mobility of senior drivers,” said AAA Washington spokesperson Jennifer Cook. “The good news is that a little effort now can really help seniors extend their safe driving years.”

These issues led AAA to create a comprehensive online resource to provide expert advice and helpful resources for older adults and their families—working to support them as they tackle the challenge of balancing safety and mobility.  SeniorDriving.AAA.com provides convenient, online access to a wealth of interactive material designed to assess and improve driving skills and reduce driving risks. These free resources include:

· AAA Roadwise Review – A computer-based screening tool that allows older drivers to measure changes in their functional abilities scientifically linked to crash risk.

· Drivers 65+: Check Your Performance –A self-rating form of questions, facts and suggestions for safe driving.

· Smart Features for Mature Drivers – A guide to help identify vehicle features that can assist drivers with the visual, physical and mental changes that are frequently encountered as they age.

To view results from AAA’s survey of older drivers visit NewsRoom.AAA.com.  For more information on AAA’s free resources for senior drivers and their families, visit SeniorDriving.AAA.com

Press Release by — May 7, 2012 in Everything Else