President’s Column
One of the most interesting (and certainly relevant) facets of Tod’s presentation was when he shared Myths vs. Facts in regards to Tornado Awareness. Therefore, I thought I’d share this information as part of my column:
Myth vs. Fact
When a tornado is approaching your house you should go to the southwest corner of your basement. MYTH: The corner doesn’t matter. Instead, get under a table, sturdy furniture or the staircase to protect yourself from falling debris.
Windows should be opened before a tornado approaches to equalize pressure and minimize damage. MYTH: Leave windows alone. The most important action is to immediately get away from windows and go to a safe shelter.
People caught in the open should seek shelter under a highway overpass. MYTH: Take shelter in a sturdy, reinforced building if possible. The winds of a tornado may actually increase in the tight space of an overpass increasing the chance of injury.
Areas near lakes, rivers and hills are safe from tornadoes. MYTH: No place is safe. The tornado that struck Door County in August 1998 formed on the waters of Green Bay and moved onshore causing more than $5 million in damages.
Speaking of Lions, for nearly the past 20 years, every April I take a vacation day to deliver flowers as part of a fundraiser for my Lions Club. I deliver with my fellow Lion (and friend) Jodi. She’s the driver and I’m the runner. This works well for us as part of our route tends to be downtown Madison and also the UW-Madison campus, whereby she can park illegally – while I run the flowers to the (mostly) very grateful recipients.
I liken it to the book Chicken Soup for the Soul. It’s one of those things where, ahead of time, I find myself thinking, “I don’t have time to fit this into my schedule”. However, at the end of the day, I could not be more happy that I spent the day delivering flowers as I always realize what a fresh perspective it gives me.
A few of this year’s deliveries in particular stand out in my mind:
• A delivery from an anonymous sender to the Front Desk at the VA Hospital just to say thank you for all they do. I have to admit, I had a hard time getting thru that delivery without tearing up – as it reminded me of the times I had visited my dad there (he was a WWII Veteran).
• Delivering to the wondrous maze of the UW-Hospital, where I ended up (accidentally) in the Surgical Unit. Let me tell you… some of what I saw there REALLY put everything in perspective. It’s amazing how lucky I suddenly felt and my previous anxiety from my “To Do List” seemed to rapidly diminish.
• And…the one final incident, which I should not admit to, but has caused us many a laugh in the WBA office, when I accidentally hopped into the wrong black SUV – after a delivery to Edgewood High School – surprising both the driver in the car who was certainly NOT Jodi – and myself – as well as a few highly amused onlookers. Thankfully, this gentleman happened to have a wonderful sense of humor.
We all need a little humor in our lives – and….sometimes we need to hit our own “Refresh Button” and focus on whatever the particular Chicken Soup for OUR Soul is.
On that note – don’t forget to enjoy the Soup! And…thank you, as always, for your time & support.
