Weely Challenge and Assignment (Week of October 31st)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

A new month is shortly upon us. November is a time to be more grateful than usual. It is time to reflect on our gratitude for all we have been blessed with. I am so grateful for our church leaders who have given us the wonderful program of Provident Living, which will greatly bless our lives if we follow the plan and your general authorities.

Congratulations to Myra Albao for winning the October FREE Monthly Giveaway!She won a portable toilet with black trash bags, cat litter and Enzymes 300. This Emergency Preparedness item is a must for each family. This is how you prepare the portable toilet for use:

1. Place a black trash bag in the portable toilet. Best to use a double strength biodegradeable one.
2. Place about 2-3 inches of the cat litter in the bottom.
3. Sprinkle a small amount of the Enzymes 300 over the cat litter.

You can do this process several times before replacing the trash bag. If you are able to stay in your you can also use this proces for your home toilet if not usuable. In an Emergency situation you can bury the waste in the plastic trash bag. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly afterwards or wear surgerical gloves while handling the waste material.

The portable toilet (bucket and lid--on sale right now for $15, and comes with 2 Enzymes 300) and the Enzymes 300 ($.60 a package) at BePrepared.com (Emergency Essentials). Shipping is $6. The cat litter and trash bags can be purchased at any grocery store, Sam's Club or Costco. Major Survival & Discount Store in Gardening also sell the portable buckets and lids, not sure about the Enzymes 300. You will need several bags of cat litter and a large box of double strength black trash bags, biodegradeable one are best.

Quote:

"...when we really get into hard times, where food is scarce or there is none at all, and so with clothing and shelter, money may be no good for there may be nothing to buy, and you cannot eat money, you cannot get enough of it together to burn to keep you warm, and you cannot wear it." (President J. Reuben Clark, Jr. - Church News, November 21, 1953, p.4.)

Weekley Assignment:

72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit:

This week we are finishing up the 72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit. Please add the following items this week. One for each house hold memeber in your family, or 72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit.

1. Roll of toilet paper
2. Fenine hygiene items as needed. (if babies in your family, diapers for 3 days)
3. Perscription medications and vitamins (If you take perscription medications or vitamins add enough for 3-4 days to your kit for each person in your house hold that uses them. Some doctors will perscribe extra for this.)
4. Sun screen (You will only need one bottle for the entire family. Put it in the family bag we will talk about later or go to the posting "72 Hour Emergency Kits" for more information. If you have a kit at work you should have one in your kit.)

Congratulations! We are done with the 72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kits. You should have the following items in your kit. Place all the items below in a large zip lock plastic bag and put it in your backpack with your 72 Hour Food Kit.

1. tooth brush
2. small tube of tooth paste
3. comb and/or brush
4. small bottle of shampoo and rinse, or non-water type (great if water is limited)
5. small bar of soap in a small baggie or small bottle of liquid soap
6. small bottle of hand lotion
7. hand sanitizer
8. heavy work gloves
9. deodorant (only for those that need it)
10. small container of baby wipes (found this at the 99 Cent Store)
11. respirator masks
12. emergency (reflecting) blanket
13. plastic rain poncho
14. roll of toilet paper
15. fenine hygiene items or diapers for the baby
15. perscription medications and/or vitamins
16. sun screen (only one per family in the family bag or one in your work 72 Hour Emergency Kit)

Next week we will start on the 72 Hour Stressor Kit. These kits do not have many items in them, only 7-8 items. This kit helps you and your family members to deal with the stress of an emergency situation.

Weekly Challlenge:

Review all your insurance policies (health, car, home/renters/earthquake, life) and with your insurance agent. Make sure everything is up to date, you understand your coverages and you have enough coverages to protect you, your family and your home. Make copies of your insurance policies and insurance cards, keep a copy or make a list of your policy numbers. Keep the copies or list in your purse/wallet, at work, with a family member outside of the area (may be seal in an envelope). We will also place a list in your 72 Hour Stressor Kit next week (only the adult ones), or you can put it in there now in a samll plastic zip lock bag, and then put that bag in a large plastic zip lock bag which we will add items too.

Emergency Preperations Progress Chart:

Thank you Myra Albao for letting us know about a great chart you can order online from the church distrubion center. It is a great chart that helps you chart your emergency preparedness items like food, water, shelter equipment, first-aid needs, etc. You can order the chart, 2 sizes (22"x 15" or 8.5" x 11") for $2.50 each. Go to their website: http://ldsposters.com/

Remember: Post your name and comment (if you want) at the end of this posting so your name can be put into the November Monthly FREE Giveaway Drawing the end of November. Once again, it will be a great prize, something every house hold can use for Emergency Preparedness.

Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of October 24th)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

This is the last week to post your comment and name for our Monthly FREE Giveaway Drawing for October, to be held this Thursday, October 28th at our Ward Halloween Party. How do you post your name?

Go the bottom of this Weekly Challenge and Assignment posting
Click on "Comments"
Go to the bottom of any already posted comments
Go to the white box, put in your name and comment (if you would like to leave one)
Click on the drop down arrow "Select Profile"
Click on "Anonymously"
Click on "Submit"
Your name and comment have been posted

The item for this month's drawing is something every family should have as part of their Emergency Preparedness items. You will be grateful you have this if an Emergency situation strikes.

Important: I have set up an easier way to get to each Emergency Preparedness posting in this blog. See the right hand side and scroll down until you see "Postings". If you click on the subject you need help with or want to learn more about, just click on it and it will take you directly to the posting. We will be continually adding new subjects and updating the postings as new or more information is discovered.

Quote:

“Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their . . . supply of food . . . and were debt-free. Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse:they have at least a year’s supply of debt and are food-free.” President Thomas S. Monson

Weekly Assignment:

We are continuing our 72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit. Please add the following this week. One for each Personal Hygiene Kit.

1) Respirator Mask (I found really good ones on http://www.bepreapred.com/ "Emergency Essentials" 10 for $11.99. You will only need 1-2 per person. I think you can also get them at WalMart.)

2) Emergency (reflector) Blanket (I also found these at http://www.beprepared.com/ for $1.25 each.)

Note: The above items are on sale at the website mentioned. Great time to buy them. Their shipping is very reasonable. These are light weight items so the shipping should not be more than $6-$9 depending on how many you order. Their highest shipping amount no matter how much to buy or how heavy is $12.

3) Plastic rain poncho: If you order the above items from them you might want to include their plastic yellow or orange rain ponchos at the same time to save on shipping. They are $0.75 & $2.95 each.

So far you should have the following items in your 72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit (one for each kit):

1. tooth brush

2. small tube of tooth paste

3. comb and/or brush

4. small bottle of shampoo and rinse, or non-water type (great if water is limited)

5. small bar of soap or bottle of liquid soap

6. small bottle hand lotion

7. hand sanitizer

8 heavy work gloves

9. deodorant (only for those that need it)

10. small container of baby wipes

This week:

11. respirator masks

12. emergency (reflecting) blanket

13. plastic rain poncho

Only 3 more items to go next week.

Weekly Challenge:

This is the last week of Earthquake Preparedness Month:

Go to the posting "Before, During and After an Earthquake". Review the posting and make a list of things you and your family need to do to be as earthquake safe as possible. Discuss these with your family and make a plan to accomplish them. Have earthquake drills in your home once a month if there are young children, older children quarterly.

3 Month Food Supply:

Continue to add items each week, even if only one can or one package of food, to your 3 Month Food Supply. It does add up over the weeks!

It is so great to hear from each of you and how you are working on setting up your 72 Hour Emergency Kits, your home food storage and water and working on the weekly challenges. As long as you are trying, Heavenly Father will bless you with what you will need. Keep up the great work! If you have any questions you can post a comment below or email me at theark.carsonward@gmail.com. If I do not have your email please email it to me. Sister Nancy Cuppett

Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of October 17th)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

How prepared is your family for an emergency? The most important thing you can do for yourself and your family is start, no matter how small, just start.

Quote:

“There is a portent of stormy weather ahead to which we had better give heed…No one knows when emergencies will strike…Set your houses in order. If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wife and children and peace in your hearts. That’s all I have to say about it, but I wish to say it with all the emphasis of which I am capable” Gordon B. Hinckley

Weekly Assignment:

72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit (one item per kit, adjust according to the age of your house hold members):

1) deodorant
2) baby wipes (in small container)

So far you should have the following items in your 72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit:

1. tooth brush
2. small tube of tooth paste
3. comb and/or brush
4. small bar of soap or liquid soap
5. small bottle of shampoo and rinse, or non-water type
6. small bottle of hand lotion
7. hand sanitizer
8. heavy work gloves
this week:
9. deodorant
10. baby wipes

Weekly Challenge:

Earthquake preparedness (October is Earthquake Emergency Preparedness Month):

This week continue to correct and secure things in your home to make it earthquake safe. Make sure all hazardous liquids are secure and will not fall and break open, causing danger to your family and the possibility of fires. See the "Before, During and After an Earthquake" posting for ideas.

Make sure everyone in your family has a contact number for out of state or the area. Put in wallets, purses, backpacks, at work, school, home and in your car. Instruct each family member when there is an emergency situation to call that contact number to report how they are and where they are. Also have this number in your children's school records.

3 Month Food Supply:

Continue to add items to your 3 Month Food Supply, even if it is just 1-2 cans of vegetables/fruit, a bag of rice or pasta. If you have not done the monthly chart to determine what your family eats in one month check out the 3 Month Food Supply posting to see how to do this.

Emergency Preparedness food and items:

I found a great company, Emergency Essentials at BePrepared.com, I really like. I have ordered #10 cans of dehydrated foods that keep for 25 years if stored properly and other emergency preparedness items. They have great sales items. Order their catalogue or go to their website. I find their prices are usually better than other companies and their shipping prices are low. Their shipping prices are either $6, $9 or $12, depending on how much you order. I order some things that came in 3 large boxes the total shipping was $12. Here are some great sales I found for the month of October:

Respirator Mask (box of 10)--$11.99 (regularly $12.95) (you need these for your 3 Hour Personal Hygiene Kits)

or, they have Particulate Respirator Mask (box of 20)--$14.95 (regularly $29.99)

Tote-able Toilet with 2 Enzyme Packets--$14.95 (regularly $19.99)

Emergency Gas Wrench (to turn off gas at your main meter)--$4.95 (regularly $10)

High Uinta Gear Multifunction Tool--$4.95 (regularly $9.99)

5-in-1 Survival Whistle--$1.50 (regularly $2.95) I bought several of these or our 72 Hour Kit, the Stressor Kit, I love them. Has a whistle, compass, flint fire starter, waterproof matches, and signal mirror.

Mylar Emergency Blanket--$1.25 (regularly $1.95) They also have other types. You need these for your 72 Hour Kits

Emergency Rain Poncho--$0.75 (regularly $0.99) You need these for your 72 Hour Kits.

Many varieties of dehydrated #10 cans of vegetables, fruit, milk, grains, meats, etc on sale. Check out their website.

Remember: Post your name at the end of this posting for our Monthly Free Giveaway Drawing that will be held at our Ward Halloween Party on Thursday, October 28th. The item for the drawing this month is something everyone will need in an emergency situation.

Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of October 10th)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

Hope everyone enjoyed General Conference. Wasn't it great?

Congratulations to the Levi and Marie Lei family--They won the September monthly Free Giveaway drawing today. They won 2 72 Hour Food Kits with water. We were a little late with the drawing due to conference.

Since this month is still Earthquake Preparedness Awareness Month our Challenge will be focused around what to do before, during and after an earthquake. Please check out the Blog Posting section. There are some really great ideas there that will help protect you and your family. See the challenge after this weeks Assignment.

Also, see the great find at the bottom!

Remember: Post your name in the comment section below for our October Free Monthly Giveaway drawing. This time we will have the drawing at our Ward Halloween Party. If you are not sure how to do this please all Nancy Cuppett (310-835-0902) and she will talk you through it. The next Free Monthly Giveaway item will be very important to you and your family in an emergency situation.

Quote:

“Maintain a year's supply. The Lord has urged that his people save for the rainy days, prepare for the difficult times, and put away for emergencies, a year's supply or more of bare necessities so that when comes the flood, the earthquake, the famine, the hurricane, the storms of life, our families can be sustained through the dark days. How many of us have complied with this? We strive with the Lord, finding many excuses: We do not have room for storage. The food spoils. We do not have the funds to do it. We do not like these common foods. It is not needed -- there will always be someone to help in trouble. The government will come to the rescue. And some intend to obey but procrastinate.” The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p.375

Weekly Assignment:

72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit:

This week add the following items per house hold kit:

1. Small bottle of hand sanitizer (I found these at Carson Target on Sepulveda for $.98 in the travel size bins along the wall . There are all kings of small personal hygiene items there for 98 cents. The 99 Cent and Dollar Tree may also have them.)

2. Heavy work gloves (These will protect your hands if you need to move objects. I found them at the 99 Cent store, get the gray ones, they are heavier. Even your children need them.)

So far you should have the following in your 72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit:

1. tooth brush
2. small tube of tooth paste
3. comb and/or brush
4. small bar of soap (in a plastic zip lock bag, this may not be practical since water will limited, the small bottle of hand sanitizer may be better)
5. small bottle of shampoo and rinse, or non-water type
6. small bottle of hand lotion
the week:
7. Hand sanitizer
8. Heavy work gloves

Note: Regarding the hand bar soap. Myra Alboa made a comment about this on this posting. It is really up to you which you want to use, bar hand soap or liquid soap. I am just concerned about rinsing it off since your water will be limited to drinking and preparing some of your food in the 72 Hour Food Kit. I would have both, the bar hand soap or liquid soap (which ever kind you prefer) and the hand sanitizer soap.

Weekly Challenge:

Go through your house to make it is earthquake safe. Make a list of items that need your attention and make a plan to correct them as soon as possible this month and check off the items you have completed. See the blog posting "What to do before, during and after an earthquake". See what things you need to do to make your home earthquake safe for you and your family. Get the whole family involved.

If you do not already have one, you can purchase an Earthquake Gas Value Shut-off tool to turn off your gas at the main line by Googling "Earthquake Survival Tool". Make sure you get the one that has the shut-off tool attached to a yellow cardboard and says "Earthquake Survival Tool" on it. This one handles both sizes of values. Go to:
Amazon.com has a Quake Hold Gas Shut-off Tool for $6.25. (Top right corner on their home page.)
safetycentra.com has one for $7.97.

**********Great find!************

Water Filtration Bottles (28 oz bottle):

I just found the ones that are offered through Seychelle, mentioned on the Water Storage blog posting, for a lot less money. Our church bought a lot of them and is offering them for the following price on the "store.lds.org" website. (Some of you may have received the Family Resources cataloge in the mail with your Ensign about the Temples this month, they are listed in there.) :

With one filter $16.50
With two filters $22.00

They filter out 99.99% of the bad things in the water, no matter how bad the water is, 100 gallons per filter.

Weekly Challenge and Assignment (Week of October 3rd)

Hi Carson Ward Family,

This month is Earthquake Awareness/Preparedness Month! Our October Weekly Challenges will be focused around this. Please see the Weekly Challenge after the Weekly Assignment.

Quote:

"The wise in heart shall be called prudent, . . . ." Proverbs 16:21

Are we planning for the future or are we excepting others to provide for our needs?

Weekly Assignment:

72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit:

This week add the following per house hold kit:

1. Small bottle of shampoo and rinse ( I found these at the 99 Cent Store and Dollar Tree. A great one to have is the type that does not require water. Water will be limited at this time.)
2. Small bottle of hand lotion

Many years ago a dam broke in Idaho flooding the area and homes. I read where one woman said she would have given anything for some shampoo and hand lotion.

If you have been following the 72 Hour Personal Hygiene Kit you should have the following, one item of each for each family member's kit (remember to keep these items in a separate large zip lock bag from the 72 Hour Food Kit:

1. tooth brush
2. small tube of tooth paste
3. comb and/or brush
4. small bar of soap (in pastic zip lock bag)
this week:
5. small bottle of shampoo and rise, or non-water type
6. small bottle of hand lotion

Weekly Challenge:

Get together with your family this coming week (either FHE or some other time) and discuss what to do during an earthquake. Check out the blog posting "What to do before, during and after an earthquake". Go to the section about what to do during an earthquake, discuss with your family, show them what to do and have an earthquake drill.

Google the California Shake Out and click on Drop, Cover and Hold On in the middle of the website. There is great information there.

Remember: This is the last week to post a comment for next Sunday, October 10th monthly Free Giveaway Emergency Preparedness drawing. If you post your name on all the September Weekly Challenge and Assignment postings you will have 4 changes to win. Call me if you do not know how to do this.

Sister Nancy Cuppett (310-835-0902)