Summer in the City!

If you are like any young family on a tight budget, taking an out-of-town vacation may be out of the question this summer. So what do you do with the kids when the heat is on and that phrase "We're bored" begins to ring in your ears? Summer in the city can be fun and surprisingly cheap if you are willing to be resourceful and creative. Here are some summertime fun activities and ideas for your backyard and beyond...

1. Think about buying a pool. Even a small pool will provide hours of entertainment for children. I don't think there is a kid out there that doesn't love to splash around in the water. Look for one on sale at department or hardware stores (sales often happen on weekends). My parents bought us a second hand above ground pool when we were kids and got more than their money's worth out of it. If a pool is out of the question, try the sprinkler. Toy and department stores carry interesting sprinkler heads too if you need to shake things up a bit.

2. Get a sandbox. This is another great purchase that can provide hours of fun. A sandbox is inexpensive and sand is dirt-cheap. Throw in a pail, shovel and a few plastic molds and you have hours of fun. My sister and I spent hours in our sandbox building elaborate sand cities inhabited by plastic farm animals.

3. Try bike riding. Kids love riding bikes. This is an excellent item to buy second hand through the classified ads, at a sports swap, or a garage sale. If your children are too young to ride their own bike, invest in a bike cart. Again these can be found at a reasonable price second hand. Bike carts are available as single or double child carriers. We bought the stroller conversion kit for our cart so we can use it as a stroller when need be.
Bike rides can be great adventures. Pick up a bike path map in your city (available at outdoor stores or through your Chamber of Commerce) and vary routes. Pack a picnic lunch and stop by a river. Pull over at a park to stretch your legs. Bike riding is great exercise and fun.

4. Check out your local library. There is so much going on at the library these days. Most offer free children's programs such as story time. Libraries have more than just books. There are CD's, videos, talking books, Internet use, and magazines. It's nice to have some good reading material for those lazy afternoons in a lawn chair.

5. Find out when free or discounted days are for indoor attractions. Rainy days can drive everyone crazy if you don't get out for part of the day. Places like the museum, planetarium, movie theater or science center often has discounted or free admission days. Keep a list of these handy so you know where to go when the weather isn't agreeable.

6. Check out community programs in your city. City communities offer day programs for a reasonable fee. If there is financial need, often these programs are subsidized or free. Your local YMCA is a good place to start. There are all sorts of day camps that feature crafts, sports, drama, art, or music. Our city offers free "Stay and Play" programs at community centers where children can play organized sports, games or do a craft.

7. Find out about special events in your city. Most cities will have summer festivals or special events that go throughout July and August. Check your local newspaper or Chamber of Commerce to find out the summer offerings. Street festivals celebrating different cultures are great learning experiences. If you have children who have never seen a play before, some cities have local drama troupes that do plays in the park. Check out outdoor concerts too.

8. Have a barbecue in your backyard or at your local park with family and friends. There's nothing better than getting together with good friends and family, barbecuing traditional summer foods like hotdogs and hamburgers on the grill. Kids love it and so do most adults. Play Frisbee or baseball after dinner or simply relax and watch the sunset. Is there anything better on a balmy summer evening?

P.S. Preferred Sponsors

"Arm Candy" is a new business that sells designer purses and baby bags. They are sold by Diamond Staton, who has a fabolous array of colors, sizes, and styles that are guaranteed to fit any budget! Please contact her at 704-449-7928 or diamond.staton@hotmail.com for more information. Some samples will be available at the networking event so make sure you check them out!

Diversity Thursdays!!!

You do not want to miss this FREE networking each and every Thursday. Change your surroundings and watch your business prosper!!!!

GW Fins

9th and Tryon

Free parking in the Odell building...

5pm until 10pm.................

P.S. We don't just throw parties, we throw events so you can party!!!!!!!!!

A Different World.....

Going green is a relatively new movement that encourages people to protect and preserve our environment. This includes recycling, being energy-efficient, buying organic products, and saving water during the summer months. All of these things help us become more aware that our resources are limited and it also encourages us to find out more about keeping our environment as safe as possible. Read below for some tips on how to “go green” this summer and maybe incorporate some of these practices into your daily lifestyle!

It can be tempting to water plants at the times they seem to need it most, when the sun is directly overhead in mid-morning or early afternoon. But because water evaporates during the day before it has been fully absorbed by plant roots, it's better to water in the evening just as the day cools down for the night. Long stretches of cooler temperatures give the water a chance to permeate the soil and make its way to the roots. Consequently, less water is wasted in evaporation. On the other hand, in very cool climates plants can develop fungal growth if they're damp overnight. Under these conditions, water early in the morning. The more water makes it to plant roots, the less you need to give them.


Along with Labor Day and the Fourth of July, more Americans get a hankering for cookouts and weenie roasts during the summer months of the year. And whether the menu consists of burgers, bratwursts, T-bones or pork butt, Memorial Day is a big day for meat. With the livestock sector responsible for 18 percent of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, more than the combined emissions of all forms of transportation, all those beef burgers add up to extra carbon in the atmosphere.


If you're among the millions of grilling enthusiasts firing up the barbie this summer, consider a meal with a lower eco-impact. Because beef production releases three times more greenhouse gases than the production of chicken or fish, you'll make a big dent in your Memorial Day emissions by skipping the burgers and grilling up more chicken, fish and veggies instead.

Gas prices hit an all-time high of $3.61 on May 1--and then kept climbing! One week into the month, the average price was up to $3.671 a gallon. That's 20 percent more than drivers were paying this time last year. Drivers in New York have been hit even harder, paying an average of $3.813 for a gallon of regular, and in California it's costing drivers $3.921 a gallon to fill the tank! As the cost of oil becomes more and more prohibitive, getting more mileage to the gallon is essential. For those of us who aren't positioned to rush out and buy a hybrid this week, here are a few tips that will help your vehicle run more efficiently.
Replace clogged air filters. A clogged air filter can cut a vehicles fuel efficiency by 10 percent.
Check the air pressure on your tires and inflate any that are lower than the pressure recommended in the owner's manual. AccuTire's Programmable Tire Gauge ($19.95; www.properautocare.com) remembers the proper air pressure for you so can avoid pulling out the manual every time you check. Properly inflated tires can increase fuel efficiency by 3.3 percent.
Slow down. For most vehicles, fuel efficiency begins to drop rapidly at 60 mph. Driving within the speed limit can improve fuel efficiency by up to 23 percent.
Take it easy. Slamming on the brakes and accelerating too quickly can reduce fuel efficiency up to 33 percent.
Get a tune-up. Routine maintenance can up fuel efficiency by 4 percent, while fixing more serious problems can improve efficiency up to 40 percent.
Fueleconomy.gov has even more fuel-saving tips, but the best way to save fuel is to simply avoid using it. If it's an option, consider walking or getting around by bike during these warmer months. Check out Shifting Gears: 12 Tips on Moving From the Fast Lane to the Bike Lane to help get you in gear.

We want to always be a part of making the world a better place for us and for those who come after us. It is our belief that people should always strive to be and do the best they can and to help others whenever possible. And have fun doing it!!!!

The ladies of Professional Swagga present to you “DIVERSITY THURSDAYS”, which is a networking/social event that strives to bring people of all ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds together in one place so we can all benefit…you never know who you might meet!
Please join us this Thursday, June 5th at GW Fins (Odell building at the corner of 9th and Tryon) at 7:00pm until 10:00pm. This diverse networking event is FREE!!!!!!

Drink specials available!!!!!!!

P.S. We don't throw parties, we throw events so you can party!!!!!!!