GUNS

Do you know how many people died in US wars since the Revolutionary War? It is around 1.4 million. That is fewer than Americans killed by guns in the last 45 years. Including accidents, murders, and suicides more than 1.5 million lives have been lost to guns since 1975. 

A gun is not inherently bad. They become bad when used improperly or in emotional settings. Guns for hunting are generally safe in the hands of experienced users and when locked up away from children when not in use. The same is true of handguns used for target practice. Automatic rifles like those used by mass murderers belong only in the hands of the military. 

I’m not a gun expert, but I know guns kill about 80 children under four years of age annually and that is more than police officers killed in the line of duty. Those statistics don’t require an expert.

The United States has to do better. We have more guns (~400 million) than people (330 million). It is not about CONTROL. It is about the SAFETY of innocent people. 

Citizens need to rise up and speak up. Call your state and federal legislators, protest, be a voice for gun safety today!

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Motorcycles

May Is Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month

Now that warm spring weather is here we see more motorcycles. We also hear them revving up beside us. I used to find that loud sound intimidating but now I know that for the most part they are loud so that we know they are there. Too often motorcycles are overlooked on the streets and highways. Car and motorcycle drivers must be more alert to one another to prevent accidents.

Drivers

• Always check mirrors and blind spots for motorcycles
• Signal before changing lanes or merging with traffic
• Increase following distance behind motorcycles
• Never try to share a lane with a motorcycle. They have the same right to lanes as other vehicles.

Motorcyclists

• Before you ride check tires, brakes, headlights and turn signals
• Be sure cargo is secure
• Always ride with a helmet and other safety attire. Helmets are 67% effective in preventing a brain injury and 37% effective in preventing death. When I see a cyclist without a helmet I immediately think, “Organ donor.”
• Make yourself visible. Keep your lights on and wear bright colors. Position yourself in the lane where other drivers can see you.

Both cyclists and other drivers must always follow traffic laws. Each should respect the rights of the other. Never ride or drive impaired.

 

Some information from “AAA Traveler” May 2020

Photo from Pixabay

Haven House Needs Met

Specific needs identified at Haven House Homeless Shelter https://crookedcreek.live/2019/07/10/haven-house-needs/  have been met by volunteers who learned what needed to be done and stepped up to do them. Some of those who worked on these projects are Allison and Stan Puckett of Stan’s Home Improvement, LLC, Bob Fred of Bob Fred’s Welding and Elizabeth Puckett, IUPUI senior.

In addition employees and residents of Haven House planted flowers and rosebushes at the entrance and prepared a small garden area inviting guests to enjoy the out of doors and nature. Here are photos of that area:

 

 

Lighting has been installed in a dark stairway.

 

 

The church rehabbed into a homeless shelter has three entrances with steps and none had handrails for safety. Now they do. Below are photos of the two rear entrances:

 

 

Installing the handrail for the front entrance steps was more of a challenge but was accomplished after four hours of work in the hot sun.

 

 

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A big THANK  YOU to all who helped with these projects!

Stan Puckett of Stan’s Home Improvement, LLC

Allison Puckett, LMHC

Elizabeth Clay Puckett

Bob Fred of Bob Fred’s Welding who contributed his time and labor to weld the handrails.

https://crookedcreek.live/2019/07/07/haven-house/

NOTE: These are my observations and opinions. I do not represent nor speak for Haven House. 

Haven House Needs

Haven House Homeless Shelter  https://crookedcreek.live/2019/07/07/haven-house/   has many needs but used clothing is not one of them. After having taken clothes numerous times, I recently learned that clothes seem to be the easiest items for folks to donate therefore the supply is endless. According to the Executive Director, Barbara Anderson, staples for the kitchen are very much in need. Other needs are harder to meet.

Some of the obvious needs I identified on my visits are handrails and lighting for safety, replacement of damaged and stained ceiling tiles, paint and drywall patching. A handicapped ramp is in need of repair and these are just the obvious.

Handicap Ramp at the side of Haven House

Anderson states that many people do volunteer their time to help out Haven House. For instance, one person does maintenance work for free. Another group planted and is helping to tend a garden to provide fresh vegetables for the kitchen. See photos of the garden below: 

 

As stated before https://crookedcreek.live/2019/04/02/people-are-good/ people are good and often willing to help others if they know what needs to be done. 

NOTE: These are my observations and opinions. I do not represent nor speak for Haven House.