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12 Ways to Spread Kindness

12 Thursday Nov 2020

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What a week it’s been! We’re still awaiting recounts of the 2020 Presidential Election, COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the state as well as the country and it seems like our cold, winter weather has finally arrived. In times like this, it can be difficult to remain optimistic, but there is one anecdote that can always bring a smile – kindness.

As you might recall, this week is National Kindness Week, which gives us all an opportunity to spread kindness wherever we might go. Though we understand that these places may be limited given the current environment, we’d like to help encourage you to partake in random acts of kindness as we round up the week. Here are 12 ideas, courtesy of randomactsofkindness.com.

  1. Write a handwritten letter
  2. Pay a compliment to a friend or co-worker
  3. Buy coffee for the person behind you in the drive-thru
  4. Wheel out in your neighbor’s garbage can
  5. Choose to eat locally
  6. Reach out to a family member you haven’t heard from in a while
  7. Give away an inspirational book
  8. Be a courteous driver
  9. Start a fundraiser for a cause you care about
  10. Leave a positive review for a local business online
  11. Ship a care package to a loved one
  12. Smile when passing a stranger (yes, even behind a mask)

These are only a handful of countless ideas for you to spread kindness to everyone you encounter. We understand that times are challenging, but actively working to promote kindness can help us all get through them together.

Happy National Kindness Week from Lions Pride!

Fast Food Fun Facts

14 Thursday Nov 2019

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plate of fries and burger

Photo by Engin Akyurt on Pexels.com

Do you have meal plans set for Saturday? If not, you might be so inclined to indulge in your favorite fast food. Saturday, November 16, is National Fast Food Day. If you’ve been craving a juicy hamburger with a side of fries, there’s no better time to hop in the car and enjoy a quick meal on the go.

“Fast food,” of course, is a blanket term for any type of food that is made and prepared for a customer in a short amount of time. The phrase first appeared in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary in 1951 but has an extensive history. Read more from the History of Fast Food.

As you know, fast food first began as burgers, fries and shakes, but now includes everything from breakfast sandwiches to Chinese food. Today, we’re celebrating the unofficial holiday with a list of interesting, fun facts:

  • Did you know that Chick-fil-A is famous for its restaurant lemonade? So much so, they’ve become the largest Sunkist lemon buyer. Each year, they sell about 121 million cups of lemonade, which requires them to purchase approximately 250 million lemons.
  • You may be surprised to learn that Subway, not McDonald’s, is the largest fast food chain in the world. Subway has an estimated 24,000 stores in the United States and 42,000 stores worldwide, which is 17% more than its highest competitor, McDonald’s.
  • Before kale became a popular health food item, Pizza Hut was the largest purchaser. The fast food didn’t use the leafy greens for the pizzas but instead to decorate their salad bars.
  • You may have heard that Dunkin Donuts coffee is served fresh, but do you know how fresh? According to the national coffee chain, if coffee doesn’t get used within 18 minutes, the staff will discard and brew a new carafe.
  • Wendy’s is the only fast food chain that sells baked potatoes on the side. Each week, the popular chain sells approximately one million baked potatoes.
  • Did you know the delicious cinnamon scent you experience when strolling through a shopping mall is fabricated? It’s true. Cinnabon entices shoppers by baking empty cookie sheets covered in their exclusive sugar and cinnamon mixture every 30 minutes. Talk about sneaky!

Will you observe National Fast Food Day? If so, where will you go? We’d love to hear in the comments below.

Whether you prefer a burger and fries, fried chicken or pizza, we hope you enjoy this fun concocted holiday. Happy National Fast Food Day from Lions Pride!

Wisconsin’s Gone Fishin’

02 Thursday May 2019

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Pack your fishing rod, tackle box and bait because the fishing season has nearly arrived!

landscape photo of riverand pine trees

Photo by eberhard grossgasteiger on Pexels.com

This Saturday, May 4, is opening day for Wisconsin fishing.

Fishing is one of the most popular recreational activities in the United States. According to the 2018 Outdoor Industry Special Report, more than 49 million Americans enjoyed recreational fishing in 2017. During that year, approximately 16.5 percent of the US population went fishing at least once.

The sport’s popularity has not come by accident. In addition to just being an enjoyable pastime, fishing also brings several important health benefits. If you’re looking for an excellent reason to get out on the water this weekend, we’ll give you five:

  1. Reduce your blood pressure

    Studies have shown that spending time in nature helps to lower blood pressure, but the exact reason is not yet known. Additionally, you don’t have to spend all day outdoors to enjoy these benefits, 30 minutes per week is enough to improve blood pressure and overall health. But remember, the more time outside, the better!

  2. Unplug and unwind

    We live in a noisy world. Let us set the scene to see if you can relate. You start the day with a cup of coffee in front of the morning news, drive to work with the radio blaring, spend the day in front of a computer and constant interruptions before finally heading home to spend the evening watching digital screens. We all need some time away from the modern world and fishing poses as the perfect solution, a time to unplug and appreciate only the sounds of nature.

  3. Stand up

    Too many Americans spend the day sitting. Research has shown that the average person sits about 12 hours each day. This inactivity, which has become known as “the sitting disease,” is the fourth leading risk factor for global mortality. Fortunately, fishing gives anglers an opportunity to stand up.

  4. Keep your brain sharp

    As people age, cognitive abilities will typically decline, and memory problems can take place. The best way to keep your brain healthy is to challenge it with mentally stimulating activities. According to Harvard Health Publications, to stay sharp, people should continue learning, use all of their senses and have confidence in oneself – all of which would fall in line with fishing.

  5. Spend time with family and friends

    Most would agree that there’s no better way to spend time, then with friends and family. Fishing is a great way to pass the morning or spend the day. Of course, you may need to make a few adjustments when fishing with others, especially those who wouldn’t consider themselves to be experienced anglers.

As you may already know, hook and line fishing for many fish species on several Wisconsin waterways begins on opening day, but season dates are often specific to fish species as well as the body of water. The best way to start planning your fishing trip is to download the DNR 2019-2020 fishing season dates.

Before heading out on the water, be sure to purchase your fishing license. Registration is available online, in various sales locations and at one of the DNR Service Centers.

The staff at Lions Pride would like to wish you luck out on the water this season. Happy Fishing!

Make Your Own Luck by Paying It Forward

16 Thursday Mar 2017

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As you know, tomorrow, (St. Patrick’s Day) Garbage Pickupis known as the luckiest day of the year. You
may celebrate the occasion with a green ensemble, a corned beef dinner and a lottery ticket, but where does that leave you today and the rest of the year?

Here at Lions Pride, we are firm believers in the power of making your own luck. The theory of Karma is a fundamental belief in Buddhism, and the law of moral causation.

Simply speaking, karma teaches us that we are accountable for our actions, so the trick is always to be looking for ideas to help others. Consider setting a goal to perform a random act of kindness each day to keep paying it forward:

Here are seven ideas to get you started:

  1. Experience a friendly customer service associate? Be sure to stop and tell their manager.
  2. Pay it backward by buying coffee for the person behind you in line at the coffee shop.
  3. Start spring cleanup early by picking up garbage along the highway or in your neighborhood park.
  4. Compliment the first three people you see today.
  5. Donate to a cause you care about.
  6. Leave a generous tip for a kind server. You can bet that will make their day!
  7. Send ‘Thank You’ cards to your area police officers and firefighters expressing your appreciation for their service.

If you’re not crazy about these ideas, read through 43 more at randomactsofkindess.org. We’re almost certain that you’ll find one that suits your fancy and your good deed will inspire others to repay the favor.

Who needs the luck of the Irish when you can make your own? Don’t forget that what goes around comes around. Remember that you reap what you sow!

Practicing Moderation After the Season of Lent

05 Thursday Mar 2015

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Lent Sacrifices

We are three weeks into Lent; have you have given up something you love to observe this especially religious time of year?

Christians honor Lent as the season of conversion. They acknowledge the many different ways that may have turned them away from God by focusing on the three pillars: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. By giving something up, they are practicing a modern form of fasting.

In general, the sacrifices people give up are considered bad habits. A few of the most common sacrifices include chocolate, soda, fast food and smoking. We have an interesting thought, if you can give up something for 40 days, why do you have to go back to your old ways when Lent is over?

There’s an old myth that says it takes 21 days to form a habit. New studies show that habit-forming actually takes 66 days. If it’s true that 66 is the magic number, then you are more than halfway to the end goal! However, if the idea of giving up your guilty pleasure completely gives you nightmares, maybe it’s time to think about practicing moderation.

Consider this; say you stop at the coffeehouse five times a week on your way to work for an extra large latte. Not only are you consuming an average of 240 calories a day, but you are also spending nearly $4 a day and almost $20 a week on your morning pick-me-up. If you add that up for an entire year, you are spending close to $950. Yikes!

Rather than buying a Latte each day, think about brewing your own coffee at home and using your favorite flavored creamer four days a week then having a latte only day each week. Think about which day you’d like to reward yourself – maybe Friday to get an early start on the weekend or Monday to make that less-than-perfect day a little easier to manage. By reducing the number of lattes you consume each week from five to one, you are likely reducing your weekly calorie intake drastically as well as keeping more money in your wallet. By using our example, you would be saving about $821 each year.

What will you do with all of your savings? If it’s anything close to our scenario, you can do a lot! You could take a mini-vacation, splurge on something you normally wouldn’t or make your sacrifice even more special; make a difference by using those funds to support a charity like Lions Pride.

The Lions Pride Endowment Fund makes it easy with automatic payment options. One Pride Donor has said, “I have a $20 monthly donation coming out of my checking account every month, I don’t even miss it.” There are many ways you can donate to Lions Pride, click here to see all the options available.

By giving up something you care about during Lent, you are showing yourself just how much willpower you really have. Remember, you are more powerful than you think. Continued Success!

5 Things to Do Now That Kids are Back to School

04 Thursday Sep 2014

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Although summer is always fun, we know parents all around the country give a joint sigh of relief when it’s time for the kids to go back to school. It’s time for parents everywhere to get back in the routine and enjoy a little more free time with these fun ideas:

  1. Get some peace and quietPeace & Quet

Do you hear that? It’s the sound of silence. Although this sound may bring you worry when children are around, today and for months to come, it should bring you joy. Use those quiet moments, doing things you enjoy most whether it’s reading a book or having a nice cup of coffee.

  1. Go shopping – for yourself

We all know that shopping with children can be a challenge. But now, the kids have been taken care of – they have already gotten their new Saleclothes and school supplies. Now it’s time to think about you. Take a trip to the mall and buy that purse you’ve been eyeing up. You deserve it!

  1. Take a quick nap

Summertime can be mentally demanding for parents. Start to catch up on those long days with a quick nap. A short nap (20 to 30 minutes) has wonderful benefits for your mind and body. Remember, no one is judging you!

  1. Get organized

With children away for the majority of the day, you will find yourself not tripping over as many toys as you are used to. Take that time to put everything back in its place. Avoid overwhelm by doing one room at a time.

  1. Exercise your cares away

When kids are around, it is next to impossible to find time to exercise. Don’t worry, you spent the summer taking trips and chasing kids, we’re sure you burned plenty of calories! But now, it’s time to take a more planned approach with your favorite workout routine.

What do you plan to do now that the kids are back to school? We hope everyone is enjoying a great, first week back!