You can’t hold an RC monster truck rally without an obstacle course of some kind, can you? Why not make a complete project out of your neighborhood monster truck show?

First draw your layout on paper so you know the exact dimensions and look of your finished course. Select an area for the course, and mark it off with flags or string so you know where the boundaries are.

Bring in the radio control excavators. Remove the sod, and haul it away in the dump trucks. Dig the dirt from your course area to form the shape where you’ll place the jumping hills, mud bogs, and target vehicles for the monster trucks to attack. Using the loaders pile the dirt just to the side of your layout so it’s handy. You’ll use that dirt to make your dirt mounds for truck jumping and climbing.

Using the loaders and graders level the area roughly. You won’t want a perfectly smooth surface for this event.

Now it’s time to detail each feature (where each hill goes, the location of the mud bogs, and the position of the vehicles your monster trucks will crush and jump. Use the graders, excavators, and loaders for this operation.

Excavate the dirt to form a pit for the mud bog. Later you’ll fill this with water and make the mud with loose dirt carried back to it with the loaders.

Have the loader operators haul dirt to the hill sites, and start your piles. Fire up the RC crane, and build your hills to your desired height.

The final step here (not necessarily last on your list) is transporting and positioning the vehicles with the loaders.

Upon completion of your remote control monster truck obstacle course you’re ready to hold your big rally.

Let the neighborhood kids know when the big event will happen. Put signs in your yard to inform everyone. Invite all the monster truck owners you know, and challenge them to radio control competitions on your course.

Schedule an all-day neighborhood event with pitch-in cookout and remote control fun. It’s a great way to meet new friends and refresh old friendships.

And the kids will have a fun day too.

Joseph Jackson provides information for learning and pleasure to help improve his reader’s quality of life.

He also searches for, and makes available, products that improve the enjoyment of his playtime activities.

For more stuff on radio control construction equipment visit Joe’s remote control construction website.

Visit radio control trucks for a selection of RC trucks for kids of all ages.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Jackson

But first, let me tell you a little story. I know a single mother who was looking for a house. Her main requirement was that it had to be safe for her children. After months of looking she found the perfect house on a cul-de-sac in a great neighborhood and the price was right, too. After moving in one of her neighbors stopped in to welcome her to the neighborhood. One comment from the neighbor got her attention, though. She said she really admired her bravery.

Naturally my friend was curious what that meant. After pressing the neighbor she told her that her new next door neighbor was registered sex offender. That’s why the house had been priced so low – because nobody wanted to buy it because of the sex offender. And that’s why the previous owner was desperate to sell. And apparently the the offender really liked young children.

Needless to say my friend was frightened. She couldn’t turn right around and sell the house so she ended up installing a new fence and alarm system. And her kids never left the house without her. That’s no way to live. And it’s a shame because it is so easy to perform a sex offender search. And it doesn’t cost anything.

Thanks to the internet and the need for people to be aware of their surroundings the government has made it much easier to find out if offenders are lurking in your neighborhood or wherever you may be moving. And it will tell you exactly where they live and include photos. I know my wife was shocked the first time she did a search to find out how many offenders were near us. Of course this is for information purposes only, it does not give you the right to camp out on their lawn or otherwise harass them. You may want to but it is against the law.

Not all details are included on the sites. It won’t necessarily tell you their exact crime but will give you a good idea of what they may have done. And having this information could have saved my friend a lot of grief and money. So how do you search? It really is easy.

Go to Google or your favorite search engine and search for “Sex offenders in [your state]“. This should show you the state site where you can find everything you need.
Do you really know who’s living next to you?

David Lemon is the owner of TDL People Search. You can visit his site at http://www.tdl-people-search.com where you can search for anyone you’d like to find as well as perform background checks.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Lemon

Well, chances are there are sex offenders in your neighborhood You may be surprised to know how many are living in your area. Chances are great that there are more than one living within a one mile of your home. I can tell you that I live in a nice, middle-class neighborhood, and there are 8 sex offenders in my neighborhood. It doesn’t matter if you live in a wealthy or poor neighborhood, sex offenders live in nearly every city and town. They are everywhere.

The best way to find out if there are sex offenders in your neighborhood is to do your research and keep up-to-date. There is a nationwide database of more than 500,000 registered sex offender records. It can be searched online, with instant results. Search results contain details about the sex offenders in your area, including names, aliases, photos, home addresses, and offense details. The registry provides a mapping system which provides detailed maps of all registered offenders in the area of your search. When new sex offenders move into your area, you will get an email with red alert details about any new offenders that have recently moved into your neighborhood.

Ok, I know where the sex offenders are living in my neighborhood… now what?

You will want to use your information to protect your family and your neighborhood. Now, I’m not saying to take matters into your own hands and confront the offenders. This will only serve to antagonize the offender. But, if you have a neighborhood association it would be a good idea to let them know. Let the association send a letter to the offender letting them know that the neighborhood has been made aware that he/she is living among them. Distributing a picture of the sex offenders to the residents of the neighborhood will let everyone be on alert and aware if the offender is doing anything suspicious in the area. Let the offender know that the neighborhood families will be vigilant in protecting their children. Chances are, if the offender were to commit a repeat offense, they will not chose to commit the offense in an area that they know is being watched and monitored carefully.

Be responsible, be alert and be informed. Knowledge is power. Don’t just asked yourself, “I wonder if there are sex offenders in my neighborhood?” Arm yourself with the knowledge to know exactly where the offenders are living in your neighborhood at all times.

Would you like to check the national database to find out what sex offenders are living in your neighborhood? Visit [http://www.sexoffenderswatch.info] to access the database right now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tracy_Wineberg

MEETING AGENDA

First Meeting Agenda (sample)

The 5 Mobile Watch Commandments:

1. Participants have no police powers.

2. Participants will carry no weapons while on patrol.

3. Participants will always obey laws.

4. Participants will OBSERVE and REPORT.

This is a non-confrontational program.

Hand out Pocket Procedure Manuals that outlines:

1. Do’s and Don’ts

2. When to call 911 vs. when to call non-emergency dispatch

3. What constitutes suspicious circumstances

4. Phone numbers

Explain to participants:

1. How to quickly notice vehicle descriptions, license plates,
and suspect descriptions.

2. Show a video from dispatch that discusses the procedure for calling dispatch.

3. Show videos on gangs, and meth labs.

4. Discuss how to protect a crime scene.

To download my free E-Book and complete Neighborhood Mobile Watch Plan use the web address below:

http://www.lancewinslow.org/nmwp_agenda.shtml

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

We believe that it is important that all members of our communities feel safe and secure. The Neighborhood Mobile Watch Patrol program, created by Lance Winslow, is a low-cost program that anyone can initiate in their own communities. By involving the local Police Department, Chamber of Commerce, and volunteers who are in occupations which require them to travel around many neighborhoods, a neighborhood watch program can be created which will deter criminal activities.

Now more than ever it is important for all Americans to be observant and watch out for each other. You may event want to add special information on arson watch to your neighborhood watch program, as this is going to be a high risk fire season.

The details of this program are outlined in the book “How To Start a Successful Neighborhood Mobile Watch Patrol”, written by Lance Winslow. This book is available online, by clicking on the links below. You can even download the complete 5-part eBook on PDF format.

http://www.lancewinslow.org/nmwp.shtml

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

A neighborhood association is basically a group that organizes crime watches, welcome wagons and special events. A neighborhood yard sale or block party can help people raise money and meet new people. If you are really ambitious you could even start a neighborhood newsletter. It is community efforts like these that help neighborhoods grow closer and give each other the support system that is so important – especially during tough times like these. There is a comfort in knowing who your neighbors are, knowing that they will be there for you during difficult medical or financial times or even just when you need a friendly shoulder to lean on or a cup of sugar.

The first step to starting a neighborhood association is deciding on a place to meet. Usually a community resource like a youth center or school will let you use space for free. You could even use a room in your house if it is large enough to hold a moderate-size group of people.

Next you’ll want to print out flyers announcing your initial neighborhood meeting. It doesn’t have to be fancy or elaborate, just a simple sheet detailing the purpose of the meeting, location, time and date. Hang flyers up in prominent areas in the neighborhood such as churches, grocery stores, schools and recreation centers. It may also be appropriate to leave flyers on people’s doorstops. My neighborhood association set up a refreshment stand during Halloween and offered a sign-up sheet for people interested in joining the association. Later they could use the contact information to get people together for neighborhood meetings. However you get the word out the next step is preparing for the event/meeting. Some planning is a good idea at this time. Write an outline of the points you want to discuss and some plans you have for the future of the neighborhood. Next you’ll want to provide some coffee, fruit punch and maybe some baked goods for the meeting.

At this first meeting you can talk about the different functions that you would like the organization to perform. For example, you’ll need a committee to oversee the neighborhood association. Other possibilities are a welcome wagon which will welcome new families, introduce themselves and provide a basket with neighborhood information, coupons from local businesses, and possibly a little welcoming gift. Or possibly a group of neighbors would like to work together on a neighborhood newsletter to keep the neighbors up to date on the goings on in the area, such as births, deaths, school and church events, weddings, etc. You can also set up a group to act as a crime watch to either patrol the streets at night or at least keep an eye on homes while the residents are out of town.

You won’t believe the feeling of belonging that comes over a neighborhood when the members of it is working on making it a safe, clean, peaceful and friendly place to live.

For more information on becoming active in your community, please visit http://www.lendahandri.com

Jenn Carpenter works as a freelance writer, blogger and internet marketer from her home in Warwick, RI. She is a mother of three as well as an active member of her community. To learn more about her amazing story check out http://www.livingmybigdream.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jennifer_Carpenter

Isolation Results in Unpalatable Choices

Maturing is a daunting prospect for anyone, irrespective what their financial or social circumstance. Many retirees find themselves almost forced to enter into moving from beloved homes that they have spent decades in, particularly when they’re single or don’t have family living close by. The reason most seniors give for moving out is that they’ll be unable to perform the daily errands required to maintain their household.

Growing old implies a loss of independence, and this engenders a resistance to asking for help. No one wants to burden younger relatives and friends with responsibility for their daily existence. An attractive alternative might be to hire someone to perform all these necessary errands for you. Somebody that can take you to the physician or hospital, who buys your groceries, performs simple household repairs, and assists you in bank transactions.

Unfortunately not everyone can pay for to lease a personal assistant. But think about one other option, one that several communities across the United States have adopted. What if you could create an infrastructure that pools the resources of a group of retirees and hire an assistant to provide for all their needs?

Facing the Challenges Together

Communities like Beacon Hill Village in Boston have indicated the way. By pooling the powers of a group of resourceful individuals, they have created a model for transforming a neighborhood into a good place to grow old in. The creation of such a surrounding is not a haphazard affair, and ought to be sustainable to make certain continuing support for member as long as they require it.

The initial step is to create a core group or plank of directors. Someone has to be responsible for running the establishment and overseeing daily pursuits. Creating this foundation is not really as challenging as it seems, but it is essential to get the correct info about the way to start. The first steps ought to be getting facts on how this was done in the other rooms, and asking about local governmental regulations which will or hinder your efforts.

The financial aspect of the establishment has to be solid if it is to last. The most basic funding will naturally come from membership fees. If you are starting from a tiny group, then you’ll have to identify service providers in the region that you can life-partner with. Marketing will be essential in order to attract more members and boost more commercial partners. Locating additional funding, from both private and government entities might be an alternative.

Keeping the Family Together

Of key importance to this procedure is the network of human relationships that it establishes on. A weight for one can be lighter if shared among many. Volunteer aid from younger family or neighbors ought to be encouraged, but foundation should never be entirely contingent upon them. Retirement communities home grown from neighborhoods are no longer an impossible dream, with the specific planning and management, you can stay in the area you love without sacrificing your dignity or security.

Collin has been writing articles online for nearly 5 years now. Not only does this author specialize in weight loss, fitness and diet, you can also check out his latest website on Outdoor Cat Enclosure and Bark Collars for Dogs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Collin_Nixon

PARTICIPANTS

A wide variety of participants is needed to launch a successful Neighborhood Watch program. In this section necessary participants are listed, along with a description of the kind of support needed from each. As many of you know, implementing a community-based project requires the interest, cooperation, and support from many people. But the end result is definitely worthwhile!

Increasing the safety of a neighborhood benefits everyone from children and parents, to local businesses. Not only does reducing crime in an area increase everyone’s quality of life, but it can also help increase property values.

CHAMBER OF COMMERCE:

The local Chamber of Commerce is the ideal organization to coordinate the program. They should be asked to help build interest in the program by announcing the program to its members at meetings, and running press releases in newsletters or membership mailings. (Be sure to check the press release section for samples). The Chamber of Commerce should also be requested to act as liaison between their members and the local Police Department. They will need to schedule with the Community Relations Officer of the Police Department a time to come and talk to their members, (more than one meeting may be necessary). Once the program is started, Chambers collect and keep track of participants and schedule training sessions, and issues certificates of completion to participants (a nice touch!). In addition to training, signage and print material are needed. The Chamber can contract one of their members to make the magnetic signs and order the cling stickers with the imprinted logos, and print flyers. Other tasks that Chambers can perform to increase the success of the program is to create a list of target participants, send flyers to these targeted businesses and individuals, and alert media sources.

POLICE DEPARTMENT:

The Police department will provide a Community Relations person to explain to participants the need to report crimes and what is actually a crime. They will explain that if someone cuts you off on the Highway it is an unfortunate situation but not a crime and to limit phone calls to important things. Most importantly, they will explain that the participants are the eyes and ears of the Police, not vigilantes. The Police will also ask participants to have the police departments phone number programmed into their cellular phones and to only use the 911 feature only for accidents involving injuries and very serious situations. The Police department will also give certificates to participants once they have completed the seminar, which will be signed by police chief or local Community Relations Officer.

CITY HALL:

City Council members will very likely endorse the project at a city council meeting and give a proclamation to the President of the Chamber of Commerce for the Chambers and local businesses service to community. Most cities can allot at least $2,500.00 towards the project for the signage. Donations for the remainder can often be obtained from large companies in the area. By announcing it at a city council meeting the program will receive the publicity it needs to get quality participants.

MEDIA SUPPORT:

Local Radio stations are very supportive of the community. Request that they play public service announcements. Also, you will find that local newspapers will place flyers in the papers to announce the project, local cable stations will film participants driving down the street and interview seminar participants.

ORGANIZING CHAIRPERSON:

This will be the person who keeps all the different groups happy and coordinates the program. It is best to have a prominent volunteer type individual for this, someone who is already known for their community involvement; maybe even sits on a few non-profit boards and municipal committees. Someone everyone likes. The Chairperson will be in charge of making great quotes in the media, organizing participants and volunteers and scheduling meetings. Follow ups, thank you letters and personal invitations. Also keeping track of all the events and making agendas and cooperating with neighboring cities who follow this plan later. Other responsibilities include interfacing with non-profit groups to make sure they can participate, and contacting Board of Realtors, Rotary, Kiwanis, Optimist, Lions, Elks, clubs etc. In short, an ombudsman to council people, Mayor and city manager.

To download my complete Free E-Book on ‘How to Start a Successful Neighborhood Mobile Watch;’ use the web address below and continued success on securing your community.

http://www.lancewinslow.org/nmwp.shtml

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

To help our local police department by becoming the eyes and ears of the community. To establish a power of presence and thus increasing the visibility of our enforcement services. To establish a zone for criminals where the risk of being caught is too high for them to practice their profession. To unite the business community and Chamber of Commerce with the citizens and the local government. To be proactive in law enforcement. To empower people to remain in control of their communities. To lower crime rates and to keep property value high.

People who have jobs which require extensive travel through local communities (like delivery services, real estate agents, and utility companies) are often in positions which they may see crimes in action or suspicious behavior. Sometimes, just by being in a particular area at just the right time, they may even unknowingly act as a deterrent for criminal activity. The Neighborhood Mobile Watch program seeks to enhance a community’s crime prevention strategy by providing concerned citizens, whose professions require extensive driving, with proper training and signage materials to even further deter criminal activity.

Learning how to recognize suspicious behavior and knowing which local authorities to contact is one of the key components of the training. Just knowing the correct phone number, rather than dialing 911, can greatly reduce the amount of time it takes for the proper authorities to respond, and keeps 911 lines open for other emergencies. Another key component of the program is providing magnetic signs on business and service vehicles, and using static cling stickers on other vehicles which read: “We report suspicious behavior to our local police department.” This lets potential criminals know right away that they should not risk any illegal activity; a trained and aware crime watcher is in the area.

Each participant in the program attends a 30-minute seminar at the local Chamber of Commerce with a Community Relations Officer from the Police Department. They will receive a certificate and then be issued two magnetic signs or a set of static cling stickers for their car(s). We will ask participation from Chamber Members to start and as things prove to be effective we will increase participation and education of the process. We will alert the media to this program and give credit to the participants for helping our city or town. The participants will need some sort of two-way communication, such as a cellular phone, two-way radio with a dispatcher or wireless Internet access.

To download or view online our Free E-Book “How to Set Up a Successful Neighborhood Mobile Watch Program go to this web address below:

http://www.lancewinslow.org/nmwp.shtml

“Lance Winslow” – Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; http://www.WorldThinkTank.net/. Lance is an online writer in retirement.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lance_Winslow

On a Sunday morning in November the snow started falling in my hometown of Kalamazoo, Michigan. With our close proximity to Lake Michigan, we are also the beneficiaries of lake effect snow, which occurs when arctic air forms over the Great Lakes, picking up heat and moisture and depositing a “bonus” amount of snow over our region.

Within two days Lake Michigan graced us with a record-breaking total of 24 inches of the white powdery stuff. My 11-year-old son had gone out early that morning to shovel, but by nightfall there was no sign that any dent had ever been made in the snow. With my weak back, and my older daughter sick with a cold, I decided that any more snow removal efforts could wait until morning. We were just finishing dinner when my son Carman heard a noise outside and opened the door to investigate. There at the bottom of our steps, in the freezing cold, was our neighbor from across the street just finishing up from shoveling our driveway, sidewalk and porch. I was barely done with my profuse thank you’s to this young father when another neighbor walked over and began shoveling snow out from behind my car.

It’s rare that I do any baking, but coincidentally this day I had just happened to bake a batch of chocolate chip cookies. I quickly sent my son out with two bags full of cookies for my kindhearted neighbors. Later, while resting on my couch, I had time to reflect, and was filled with a strong feeling of nostalgia. I was musing about how years ago neighbors used to always watch out for each other, bring casseroles when someone was sick, and take turns watching each other’s children.

And then I realized that those days aren’t gone. There are still people helping out their neighbors, like my Shoveling Angels did. However, sometimes now our “neighbors” and friends are those we have met on the Internet, and there is some wonderful, miraculous help being given via this online world. The neighborhoods may have changed, but people’s hearts have not. We have just created a neighborhood unrestricted by sidewalks and street signs.

Our friends and “neighbors” live in all different parts of this country and the world, and they do what neighbors have always done. Our inboxes have become our backyard fence, and we share our lives and laughter with each other, send our prayers, offer encouragement, and provide a virtual shoulder to lean on when needed. I’ve learned that love and friendship can come across a computer cable just as easily as across a shaded street. I am blessed and thankful for all my neighbors – the ones who live next door to me, and the ones online who live next door in my heart.

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