Lynnpro - October 2020

Lynnpro - October 2020

Live Life

MEET MY ANCIENT PIT BULL, MACI LIFE LESSONS FROM AN OLD DOG

In last month’s newsletter, our customer service representative Liz told you all about the many, many dogs and cats she has running around her place. The number of pets she owns blew my mind when I first heard about it, and I bet it surprised you, too. I don’t have nearly as many animals in my house (who does?), but Cheri and I do rescue pets from time to time. Every time we bring in a new one, I tell Cheri, “Nope, we’re not doing this anymore!” but that never sticks. Our house is like a revolving door of rescues. This summer, we picked up three kittens that had been abandoned in a truck next door. Their eyes weren’t even open yet, so Cheri had to bottle-feed them like babies. Personally, I’m a dog guy, and the thing about my dogs is that they all live until they’re creaky old-timers. This summer we had to put down my 12-year-old mutt, Molly, but my 15-year-old pit bull, Maci, is still kicking. Since October is National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month, I figured this was as good a time as any to introduce you to her. Maci is an old lady, but you’d never know by looking at her that she’ll turn 16 in January. She’s practically deaf now (you can pretty much only get through to her by clapping really loudly), but that doesn’t stop her from begging me to play fetch with her and give her a protein bar every morning. When Molly passed, I figured Maci wouldn’t make it much longer, but she actually decided she wanted to be a puppy again. Lately, she’s had more energy than ever! Every day she’s up bright and early at the door with her ball. You’d think she was a 5-year-old. Honestly, I think we can learn a lot from dogs. One thing I love about Maci is that she’s still enthusiastic about life, even at 15. Cheri and I are planning to keep up that same zest. Like our mutt, we aren’t retirement people. We plan to keep working and playing until we don’t feel like it anymore, and I’d bet that’s quite a few years away. In the meantime, we’ll keep living below our means and socking money away for the day we feel like hanging it up.

Another thing I have to give Maci props for is that she gets excited every morning to do the stuff that makes her happy. She’s into protein bars and fetch, and that’s cool with me. I try to have a similar philosophy. As I’ve mentioned before, I only give myself a few must-do tasks every day, and the rest of the time is for me to do whatever I enjoy. Sometimes that’s working out, and sometimes it’s hiking or eating some good food. I used to think that doing only a few productive things each day was lazy. I constantly compared myself to other people and then beat myself up if I wasn’t doing as well as they were or making as much money. What I didn’t realize until much later in life is that those comparisons weren’t fair. I was like a puppy comparing myself to a dog. At the time, I was just starting out in businesses, and those people I was envying were in an entirely different bracket — they’d already learned the lessons and conquered the challenges that I was working on. Of course they were doing better than I was! Now, I don’t let the envy game get to me. The only thing that motivates me is making sure my family is healthy, has enough, enjoys what they do with their time off, and isn’t under the gun trying to survive. Once that’s accomplished, everything else is icing. That’s why I don’t feel guilty on nights when Cheri and I do nothing but eat pot pie and binge-watch five episodes of “The Handmaid’s Tale” on Hulu. Those simple things make me happy, just like Maci’s ball never fails to make her wag her tail.

–Jeff Saxby

“Like our mutt, we aren’t retirement people. We plan to keep working and playing until we don’t feel like it anymore, and I’d bet that’s quite a few years away.”

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FALL ANDWINTER SPORTS AREONTHEHORIZON

tempted to skip it, but making these decisions can help you save money. If you have equipment or athletic wear that’s still in good condition but you no longer need, find a consignment shop where you can sell or trade it. After all, your gear might be perfect for someone else and still give you some money to get a great upgrade for yourself. As you sort through your gear, see if any equipment is damaged and requires repair or replacement. Test flashlights and headlamps to make sure they work and inspect gear that’s been stored and forgotten, like backpacks and tents, that you might not notice the wear and tear on while out in the wild. You don’t want any equipment to malfunction when you’re in the middle of an excursion.

Now that you know what gear you want to replace, it is time for the fun part.

Decide what outdoor activities you want to do in the upcoming months and in the next year. Adjust your inventory to your new needs and research which brands have the best ratings and reviews. Then, find which retailers tend to have the best prices. Shopping smart takes a little bit of preparation, but it can save you hundreds of dollars and lots of stress during those busy holiday weeks. So, dig through your closet or garage, take note of your current gear, and prepare to find some awesome deals for the whole family on new gear for the coming year.

When was the last time you bought new ski pants or hiking boots? Now that you’re thinking about it, you might be realizing it’s been many years since you updated your most used athletic gear, which might explain why you’ve been colder than usual on the ski hill or why your feet ache after a short hike. If this sounds familiar, it might be time to consider investing in new gear. It can be very expensive, but you’re in luck — the holidays are just around the corner, which means so are the sales!

Before you drop cash on new gear, sort through your current inventory and decide what to keep, sell, and toss. This might be hard and you may be

FROM THE ROOF LINE TO THE DRUM LINE LYNNPRO HELPS DIANA PETERSEN OUTFIT HER CREWS — NO MATTER THEIR SPECIALTY CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT:

Seven years ago, Diana Petersen was running in a California 5K when something unique caught her eye. It wasn’t an obstacle on the course or a kid dashing for the finish line — it was the race shirts.

“Every employee, spouse, and child gets a hoodie and a T-shirt,” Diana says. “When all is said and done, there will be 500 or 600 people in our shirts. To walk through a park and see your sweatshirts everywhere is a great thing.” When she isn’t at Red Pointe, Diana is pursuing her other passion: drumming. She works with Pulse Percussion, Inc. and the Pacific Crest Drum and Bugle Corps, two nonprofits that give young musicians the opportunity to play around the country. Recently, both nonprofits were looking for someone to print their T-shirts and merchandise, and Diana recommended Lynnpro. “With Lynnpro there are never any hidden surprises. The price is what it is, and the order arrives when they say it will arrive. It’s just very straightforward, which is something that I can appreciate,” she explains, adding, “They’re a great business partner, and that’s how I look at them — as a partner, not just a vendor. “ The feeling is mutual! Diana is more than just a customer to us — she’s a friend, and we treat her like one. We’ll do the same for you. If you need to order a big batch of T-shirts, hoodies, or masks for your crew, call us today and put our word to the test.

“They were affordable but still of good quality,” Diana remembers.

She asked the organizers about the shirts and found Lynnpro’s information in her goody bag. It was love at first sight, and we’ve been supplying the company she works for, Red Pointe Roofing, with T-shirts, hoodies, backpacks, and gator-style face coverings ever since! “For the regular T-shirts, we probably order 300 or 400 at a time,” Diana says. “Each employee on any given day has five T-shirts at minimum, and we have 100 employees so we need to keep a pretty decent supply.” Red Pointe doesn’t only put our shirts to the test on the job site — they take them to amusement parks, too! Every year around Christmas, Red Pointe treats its staff and their families to a free day of roller coasters, and our T-shirts and hoodies are perks they pass out.

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MEETOURNEWEST TEAMMEMBER! COURTNEY MARR JOINS THE LYNNPRO FAMILY

Our family is growing! After the chaos and struggle of the pandemic this spring, we’re thrilled to announce that late this summer, we added a brand- new sales expert to our Lynnpro team. Her name is Courtney Marr, and she’s already doing a fantastic job introducing our products to business owners, race coordinators, and foundation heads across the country. “I love getting to know new people and finding out about new companies and places,” Courtney says. “My favorite part of my job is learning about the fundraising that many of our clients do. I like to know how and why they’re holding their races or events.” Courtney is a single mom to two beautiful daughters, 4-year-old Oaklee and 5-month-old Malori. They keep her busy running back and forth when she’s not at work. “Mostly I just chase Oaklee around at her events. She does gymnastics, swimming, cheerleading, dancing, and all of that,” Courtney says. “When I’m not working, I turn into The Mom!”

Courtney was born and raised here in Clinton, Iowa, where Lynnpro is headquartered, and spends a lot of time with her extended family. They’re a tightknit group, and she’s already looking forward to their atypical Thanksgiving celebration. “We don’t really celebrate Thanksgiving the way most families do,” Courtney explains. “My birthday is Nov. 25 and my dad and my daughter, Oaklee, both have birthdays on Dec. 4, so we just have a big birthday party. We usually do a sit-down dinner, but it doesn’t always have to be turkey — it depends on what we’re all feeling in the mood for.” Our team has enjoyed getting to know Courtney over these last few months, and we’re looking forward to many more together. Keep an eye out for an update on her journey with Lynnpro in a future newsletter!

Classic Pumpkin Soup

Word Search

INGREDIENTS

Inspired by MinimalistBaker.com

• 1 tbsp olive oil • 2 shallots, diced • 3 cloves garlic, minced • 2 1/4 cups pumpkin purée (homemade or canned) • 2 cups vegetable broth

• 1 cup canned light coconut milk • 2 tbsp honey

• 1/4 tsp sea salt • 1/4 tsp pepper • 1/4 tsp cinnamon • 1/4 tsp nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, sauté olive oil, shallots, and garlic for 2–3 minutes.

2. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a simmer.

3. Transfer the soup to a blender and purée. Pour the blended soup back into the pan. 4. Cook over medium-low heat for 5–10 minutes. Taste and add additional seasoning as desired, then serve!

APPLES CALENDULA CANDY HALLOWEEN

HORROR MASKS OPAL POPCORN

SCARY SCREAM

TREAT TRICK

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1625 13TH AVENUE SOUTH CLINTON, IA 52732

PHONE: 563-243-6459 LYNNPRO.COM

inside this issue

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Life Lessons From an Old Dog

Tips for Buying New Outdoor Gear!

Customer Spotlight!

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Meet Courtney, Our New Sales Expert!

Classic Pumpkin Soup

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False Halloween Myths Perpetuated by the Media

THC

For many people, Halloween is the time of year when certain spooky myths and superstitions come alive. It’s when we hear stories of black cats and bad luck or ghosts in the attic. But there are some recent myths that often get perpetuated by both mainstream and social media — stories that frighten parents and create an anxious, fearful atmosphere.

THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) is the primary psychoactive compound found in cannabis, and it’s the chemical that makes people high. In more recent years, there have been an increasing number of stories spread on social media about THC-laced candy or edibles being found in kids’ candy bags. There are also news stories of THC-laced candy being found during warranted searches. However, that’s as far as the story goes, at least when it comes to Halloween. In 2019, police in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, warned parents to be on the lookout for THC-laced candies after they found some in a bust. While the warning was certainly valid, nothing ever came of it. Should you check your child’s candy? Most definitely! It’s always good to check just in case, though the danger is negligible. That said, kids should never take unwrapped or homemade treats while trick-or-treating. This has less to do with hidden razors and more to do with simply not knowing what’s in those items, such as potential allergens.

RAZOR BLADES AND POISON

For a long time, the “razor blades in candy” has been a go-to media story. Every year around Halloween, you’re sure to see your local news running a segment that encourages parents to check their kids’ candy for tampering so their children don’t swallow razor blades or poison. There have been zero substantiated cases of any child or parent finding a razor blade hidden in the chocolate and nougat. There has, however, been one lone case of a child being poisoned. In 1974, a father hid cyanide in his son’s candy in Texas, leading to the child’s death. It was discovered that the father was attempting to collect life insurance to ease his $100,000 debt.

RAZOR BLADES ANDPOT?

HALLOWEEN MYTHS THE

MEDIA LOVES TO SCARE US WITH

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