"Walk-a-Mile" Event for the Rescue Mission (Sat, Feb 18)

Saturday, February 18, 2012 is the 7th Annual "Walk-a-Mile" event in Marion.  The purpose of the event is to raise awareness of homelessness in our community, and also to raise money for the Rescue Mission, which provides shelter, food, clothing, counseling, and educational opportunities to help people get back on their feet.  The goal of the walk is to raise money, so walkers are asked to make a donation and/or solicit donations from family/friends/co-workers, but even if you aren't able to contribute money you can still join the walk to help raise awareness!

To register for the event, go to their website:
www.grantcountyrescuemission.com
Phone: 765.662.0988 (Debra Ballard, Coordinator)

Registration deadline is Feb 13, 2012.  The walk is Saturday, Feb 18  - check-in is at 9:15am and the walk starts at 10am.  It starts and ends at the YMCA, there is hot chocolate and coffee served along the way and a free lunch served after the event.  I've done this event the past two years with my family and will be doing it again this year - hope to see you there!

My favorite FREEBIE of the week... 3 Greeting Cards from CVS

I'm a dork and I always get a little giddy about getting free things, so thought I'd share my favorite freebie of the week with you.  

If you use your CVS Extra Care Cards, you can make money on greeting cards this week (thru Saturday).  This week, when you purchase 3 American Greetings cards (which start as low as $.99 - look for section of $.99 cards), you get $3 back in Extra Care Bucks.  But, before you head to CVS, click HERE to "clip" the coupon from CVS's site (above), and get this $2 off 3 cards coupon, and use it in conjunction with getting $3 Extra Care Bucks Back!

So, use the coupon when you purchase the cards, and you'll get...
3 cards at $.99 each = $2.97, with $2 off coupon you'll PAY $.97 out of pocket, and when the receipt prints out you'll get $3 in Extra Care Bucks, which you can use for something else.

Stock up on birthday cards for the year now! :)

Starbucks Free Coffee Tasting Event (Jan 12-14)

 This week Starbucks is having a free coffee tasting event, Thurs, Jan 12 - Sat, Jan 14.  Stop by your local Starbucks to try all their blends... and for a freebee.  I've been hearing about their new Blond Roast, and am NOT a fan of their regular roast (tastes burned to me!), so am hoping their Blond Roast is a nice mild blend... I'll find out!   

 

Below is from the following site: http://roast.starbucks.com/en-us/

 

Taste the Starbucks Roast Spectrum

Come to Starbucks for a free coffee tasting and vote for the roast you love most. We'll even send you home with a little something as a thank you.

US Event - Thursday Jan. 12 - Saturday Jan. 14
Canada Event - Thursday Feb. 9 - Saturday Feb. 11

Click to view video

The Starbucks Roast Spectrum

 

Watch the video or go to starbucks.com/coffee to learn more about all of our coffees.

Free Entrance Days in the National Parks (Next Free Date is Jan 14-16)

Looking for something to do Martin Luther King Jr. weekend?  Get out and enjoy some fresh (albeit cool) air!


Info below directly from: http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm

Free Entrance Days in the National Parks

                    Yosemite Falls

America's Best Idea - the national parks - gets even better with several fee-free days at more than 100 national parks that usually charge entrance fees.*
Mark your calendar for these fee-free dates in 2012:

• January 14-16
  Martin Luther King Jr. weekend
  
• April 21-29
  National Park Week
  
• June 9
  Get Outdoors Day
  
• September 29
  National Public Lands Day
  
• November 10-12
  Veterans Day weekend

To make the fun even more affordable, check out these discounts and special offers from park partners and neighboring businesses:

• National Park Hospitality Association
• National Parks Promotions Council

Here's a tip - many of your 397 national parks NEVER charge an entrance fee. So start Planning Your Visit!

*Fee waiver includes: entrance fees, commercial tour fees, and transportation entrance fees. Other fees such as reservation, camping, tours, concession and fees collected by third parties are not included unless stated otherwise.

Keeley's Flooring in Marion - WOW!

My husband and I always hated the carpet in our upstairs, so when water soaked the carpet and capet pad underneath, we weren't too sad about pulling up the carpet and were trying to decide whether to put in new carpeting or do laminate floors, when low and behold we discovered our 100+ year old home had the original hardwood floors underneath the yucky carpet!  We spent 2 months pulling up the carpet & pads in each room of our upstairs, and had a couple of different vendors our to give us quotes/opinions on redoing our hardwood floors (my dream).  We decided to go with Keeley's Flooring, based on a recommendation from some friends who'd had them do work, and also based on the fact that they were $1/square foot cheaper than Stanley Steamer's Quote.  Jay Keeley came out twice personally to walk us through the process, and by the time we were ready to have the floors done, we were very excited to have it done and confident in who was doing it!

If you're thinking of having new flooring for your home - new carpet, laminate, hardwoods, or hardwood restoration, I highly recommend Keeley's Flooring! Jay Keeley was great to work with, and he and his crew did a wonderful job - see below for yourself!

Keeley Flooring

4510 S CR 700 E

Marion IN 46953

Ph # 765-748-1702, 765-733-0580

Email:  keeleyflooring@aol.com, http://www.keeleyflooring.net/index.html

Before...

After....

SO AWESOME!  I LOVE THEM!

Disposal of your Christmas Tree in Marion...

Have you taken down all your Christmas decorations yet?  I'm not 100% there, but thanks to my husband, the tree is down!  Not sure what to do with your tree?  Call the Street Dept in Marion - (765) 668-4451 -give them your address, and they'll pick it up within a day or two from your house!

How easy is that? :)

YMCA in 2012 - Joiner Fee Reduced in January!

My husband and I joined the YMCA in October after spending a few months thinking about it & deciding how to budget the monthly fee.  Two months later, and a few pounds lighter, we are happy to say we are SO glad we did.

Our favorite thing about the YMCA is the free childcare, which is included in your membership.  It has made getting daily exercise in MUCH easier/less complicated.  Their "Childwatch" (which is their childcare area) is Mon - Fri from 8:30am - 11:30am, Sat 9am - noon, and Mon - Fri 4:30pm - 8pm.  Our kids love going & playing, and we have no excuse not to go exercise!  And, on Saturdays after we workout our kids know they get to go & swim with mommy & daddy & they love it!  As an added bonus, having a membership at the YMCA allows our kids to do the Bitty Sports (ages 3-5) for a reduced fee, so our oldest son has had his first introduction to soccer & basketball.  Lastly, as a girlfriend recently pointed out, it is good for our kids to see that getting exercise daily is important to us.  

If you're thinking of joining the YMCA, this is the month to do it!  For the entire month of January, the Joiner Fee (normally $85 to join) is the same as the date of the month you join.  i.e. if you join on January 3rd, your joiner fee is only $3!  The sooner you join, the more you save!  

Want more info?  #657.664.0544