Emery Law Office - January 2021

Emery Law Office - January 2021

JANUARY 2021

SENDING HOPE (AND MYSELF!) TO THE PHILIPPINES

MY BIG TRAVEL DREAMS FOR 2022

I f you asked me a few years ago whether I’d miss shuffling through airport security in my socks if the opportunity were taken away from me, I’d have probably said no. But after almost a year of living through the COVID-19 pandemic, I miss everything about traveling. I’d be happy to take my shoes off in public and even dance a jig if it meant I could visit somewhere new. Last month I had an out-of-town workshop to attend, and planning the trip got me thinking about where else I would go if the pandemic weren’t holding me back. It didn’t take long to decide on my dream destination. If I could fly anywhere in the world, I’d visit the Philippines to see Joy, Daniel, and the other kids I sponsor there through Compassion International. As you might remember, I’ve sponsored kids through Compassion International for the last 15 years. It’s my way of giving back and sharing some of my good fortune. All of the kids I’ve helped are special to me, but one family in the Philippines is particularly close to my heart. I started writing letters to Joy, the oldest daughter, in 2010. She was 14 but had to be both a sister and a mother to her younger siblings because her mom worked as a housekeeper in Dubai. She sent money home to Manila to support the family, but day-to-day things were on Joy’s shoulders. As the years went by, Joy graduated from high school and college. Then she lost her dad to long-term health issues. It was a difficult time,

but I was glad I could help her through it. During that period, I tried to convince Compassion International to let me sponsor Joy’s little sister, too. She already had a sponsor, but I started sending her messages on Facebook anyway, just to let her know I was there for her. In 2018, I was in the car on my way home when Joy called me on FaceTime to tell me that tragically, her little sister had passed away. It was one of the hardest calls I’ve ever taken, but I was glad I was there to support Joy until her mom could make it home. After that, I insisted Joy’s brother Daniel join Compassion International as well. I’ve been his sponsor ever since. In the last few years, things have really looked up for Joy and Daniel. Joy’s 24 now. She graduated with her degree in hotel and hospitality work and has a great job at a bank to support her family. She has worked so hard, even getting additional certifications, and I’m really proud of her achievements. She’s also getting married next year! Daniel loves to cook, and Compassion International has helped him get into college, too. The two of us really connect over food. He’s always telling me about what he’s cooking and asking about what my family eats. When I found out he was using just a hot plate for his culinary classes during virtual learning, I worked with Compassion International to get him an oven. He uses it for his studies, shares it with fellow students, and even started a small business selling baked goods.

I’d love to meet Joy and Daniel in person. If money, visas, and COVID-19 didn’t exist, I’d fly them here to Kentucky in a heartbeat! I want to show them an American supermarket and cook with Daniel using all of my kitchen gadgets. Barring that, I hope I can fly to the Philippines for Joy’s wedding in 2022. I’m dreaming about renting a house there, spending a few weeks with the two of them, and then traveling to Cebu to meet the other young Filipino women I sponsor. Maybe Daniel would even agree to be my translator, and I could play a bit of matchmaker! If this story touched you at all, consider looking into Compassion International (Compassion. com) and becoming a sponsor yourself. There are thousands of kids like Joy and Daniel out there who just need a bit of support and encouragement to get through their hardships and achieve their dreams. I’m happy to talk about the sponsorship experience any time — just email me at Melissa@ EmeryLawOffice.com.

Here’s to dreaming big!

-Melissa Emery

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LET THAT FRESH AIR FUEL YOU

4 Tips to Make Getting Outside Easier

Hunkering down and waiting for the dark and chilly winter season to pass sounds pretty nice. But the reality is, if we deprive ourselves of time outside, we do ourselves a big disservice both mentally and physically. Staying indoors all day affects your energy and mood, which makes it hard to get anything done, so here are four easy tips to make it easier to get a little fresh air. 1. MAKE IT A PRIORITY. Getting outside means making the conscious effort to do so. If you want to reap its benefits, you have to decide to make it a priority in your day-to-day schedule. If you make the act important to you, you have more motivation to actually do it.

2. USE MORNINGS EFFECTIVELY. Waking up and getting the day started can be hard. But studies have shown that natural light helps decrease your melatonin production, which means you feel ready to face the day sooner. So, set yourself a second alarm to head outside and take a quick walk around the block just after waking. Don’t even wash your face or grab coffee. Just get out there. 3. TAKE YOUR WORK OUTSIDE. If you’re working from home, take some work outdoors. Phone and virtual meetings are a great outdoor option, especially if you’ll just be an active listener and aren’t required to do any work simultaneously. Attach a note to your meeting

reminders to get yourself set up outside five minutes before you start.

4. CREATE A SCHEDULE. It might feel strange to set reminders throughout the day to step outside, but you easily get wrapped up in activities and overlook breaks, and these reminders are exactly what you need. Start with 10-minute blocks three times a day. If you stick to them, soon you won’t need a schedule to get outside anymore. Winter weather may be cold, but even when you’re bundled up under a jacket and scarf, just 5–10 minutes outside can do wonders for your mood and energy for hours.

OUR TEAM’S GOALS FOR 2021 AND BEYOND DREAM BIG WITH US!

Did you know that Jan. 13 is Make Your Dream Come True Day? Here at Emery Law Offices, we encourage our team to dream big, just like Melissa is doing as she plans her trip to the Philippines (read more about that on Pg. 1). In honor of this wacky holiday, we asked our staff to share their goals and dreams for the New Year. Here’s what they said.

Designs, including housing for the ladies who work within those shops.

countrymen who lack education or the opportunity to acquire education, thus if money were no object, I’d build a school complete from nursery level up to college level. I’d like to admit as many students as possible in order to grant them the opportunity to study and hopefully achieve a brighter future. Moreover, as I see that most of my countrymen lack the proper health care needed, I’d also build a massive tertiary hospital in order to provide quality health care to those less fortunate individuals, and improve their quality of life. LIBBY THORNGATE OPERATIONS MANAGER My personal goal for 2021 is to get outside as much as possible. It looks like we have a lot of globe-trotters on staff! Do your goals and dreams involve travel, too? We’d love to hear them. This month, share your answer to one of the two questions above on our Facebook page, Facebook.com/ EmeryLawOffice/ , or visit us there to see what others are dreaming about.

MADDIE MCCUTCHEON LEGAL ASSISTANT

If I could make any dream of mine a reality, I would travel to the Silfra fissure in Iceland and dive between the two continental plates. The water clarity is supposed to be incredible!

“Which dream would you accomplish if money were no object?”

MARIBEL BELEN, JD LITIGATION PARALEGAL

As someone who lives in a developing country wherein I can see most of my countrymen in poverty, if money were no object, I’d build a school and a tertiary-level hospital. I see lots of my

JOEL FRANKLIN ATTORNEY

If money were no object, I would take my family to travel the world. We could see all of Europe, go to Australia and check out the outback, go on safari in Africa, and more.

KRISTEN HAWTHORNE PARALEGAL

I would love to create more ethical work for women in East Africa, for example, and build more workshops for the ethical company Sseko

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DON’T LET A CAR ACCIDENT KILL YOUR DREAMS! Protect Your Future With the Right Insurance Coverage

SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CASSEROLE

INGREDIENTS

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8 chicken thighs or drumsticks, lightly salted

cut in large chunks 2 garlic cloves, sliced 14 oz chicken stock 1 sprig rosemary

Most people’s New Year’s goals fall into three categories: diet, fitness, and finances. No one sits down and thinks, “Wow, I’d like to be in a car accident in the next 12 months.” That’s more of a nightmare than a dream! But unfortunately, if getting in a crash were one of your resolutions, you’d probably have good odds of keeping it — and it might just ruin your other goals along the way. HOW DO I PAY THESE MEDICAL BILLS? Life-altering car accidents are all too common, and a bad one can stop your dreams in their tracks. That upset can happen because of a serious injury that changes your mobility permanently or because of the huge medical bills from a major injury. Time and again, we’ve seen clients in their early 20s and 30s come to us for help with medical bills bigger than any they’d expected at that point in their lives. WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN? In an ideal world, these bills would be paid by the insurance company of the person who caused the accident. But here in Kentucky, a lot of people who cause crashes either don’t have insurance (even though that’s illegal) or are underinsured. That means much or all of the compensation for medical bills has to come from the person who is at fault, not an insurance company. And they can’t always afford to pay. WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF? The best way to keep your dreams safe from the peril of expensive medical bills is to make sure you have uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage on your auto policy. That way, if the worst happens, you’ll be guaranteed compensation from your insurance company to protect you and your family going forward. If you’re not sure whether you have this coverage in place, call our office today. We’ll look over your policy objectively (unlike an insurance company trying to sell you services) and make sure you have the protection you need.

• • • •

• • • • • • •

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 onion, finely sliced 2 celery sticks, thickly sliced 2 carrots, thickly sliced 1 leek, thickly sliced 1 lb potatoes, peeled and

Finely grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped

•

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large frying pan, heat oil and fry salted chicken on high until brown. 2. Transfer chicken to the slow cooker. Add flour and stir. 3. In the frying pan on high heat, fry the onion, celery, carrots, leeks,

4. Transfer vegetables to the slow cooker and add the stock, rosemary, and lemon zest. 5. Cook on high for 2.5–3 hours or until chicken is tender. 6. Check seasoning and add lemon juice to taste. Top with parsley before serving.

and potatoes until lightly browned. Add garlic and fry for 30 seconds.

Inspired by GoodHousekeeping.com

WE WANT YOU TO THINK OF US AS YOUR LAW FIRM. If you have a legal matter that needs attention, let us know. If we can’t handle the matter, we will refer you to a firm that can. Please feel free to refer us to your friends and family for their legal needs. We welcome the opportunity to help.

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INSIDE

MELISSA SENDS HOPE, AN OVEN, AND HERSELF TO THE PHILIPPINES 1

GIVE YOURSELF THE BOOST OF GETTING OUTSIDE

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF MONEY WERE NO OBJECT? 2 THE INSURANCE YOU NEED TO PROTECT YOUR FUTURE SLOW COOKER CHICKEN CASSEROLE 3

THE FIRST DOG TO WIN A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 4

THE FIRST DOG TO WIN A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

FOXTROT’S HEROICS WITH THE WORLD FOOD PROGRAMME

Just this past October, the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to what can only be described as one the world’s goodest boys — a dog named Foxtrot, known also to his Instagram followers (of which there are nearly 7,000) as humanitarian_pup. While Foxtrot wasn’t responsible for improvements to auction theory (like Paul Milgrom and Robert Wilson, who won the Nobel Prize for economics) or for a standout career in writing poetry (like Louise Glück, who won the Nobel Prize for literature), this incredible canine shared the Nobel Peace Prize with the World Food Programme (WFP) for their work in combating world hunger. As the organization’s official mascot, Foxtrot shared in the win with the thousands of other WFP workers worldwide.

Foxtrot lives in Bangladesh (one of the most densely populated countries in the world) at a WFP outpost that works to supply one of the world’s largest refugee camps. According to an NPR article that spotlighted Foxtrot and the efforts made by his WFP humans, they worked not only to get food to refugees but also to flatten hillsides to make room for shelters for Rohingya refugees fleeing Myanmar. Foxtrot himself became part of the effort to combat world hunger during a WFP beach cleanup in his home country. Workers found him as a 4-week-old pup, and after failing to locate his owners, took him in as one of their own. For the past two years, Foxtrot has helped however he can to further the WFP’s efforts to end hunger in

Bangladesh. This usually includes accompanying his humans while they work, wearing an adorable custom-made WFP cape, and taking to Instagram to raise awareness about how anyone can join in the WFP’s mission. After learning that he and his humans had won the Nobel Peace Prize, Foxtrot didn’t waste the opportunity to share his excitement with his followers. “Woweee,” the pup said. “I … think it would be even more amazing if we didn’t need any peace prizes because peace was the status quo in our world.” If Foxtrot and his humans keep up the good work that won them the Nobel Peace Prize, it seems like that status quo could be within reach.

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