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Protection Team News LOOKING BACK WHILE MOVING FORWARD THE NEW YEAR BRINGS GROWTH FOR MY FAMILY AND FIRM
Celebrating the Power of a New Year of Growth Page 1 Meaningful Mindsets for 2025 Resolutions Page 2 Retain Top Talent With Competitive Group Benefits Packages Page 2 6 State Laws You Won’t Believe Exist! Page 3 The Curious Case of Mailing Children in the Early 1900s Page 3 VOL 17, ISSUE 1
As we leave 2024 behind, I can’t help but reflect on a year marked by resilience and challenges. The two hurricanes that tore through our area tested us all, leaving scars that will linger in memories for years to come. While the storms have passed, their lessons remain: Preparedness is key! Though it may feel early to talk about hurricane planning, I encourage you to take steps now to ensure you’re ready when the time comes. As I often remind our clients, i t only takes one storm to ruin a year , and after experiencing two storms within three weeks, we understand that statement all too well. Now, let’s look forward with hope and anticipation for 2025. Both professionally and personally, it promises to be an exciting and transformative year. Professionally, our team is preparing to launch a custom software program designed specifically for our Probate and Guardianship clients. This innovative tool will streamline processes, making it faster and easier to serve you. We’re also updating our websites, enhancing our social media presence, and rolling out other improvements to better support your needs. Change is on the horizon, and we’re excited about the opportunities it brings. On a personal note, 2025 will be a milestone year for my family. I’m celebrating a BIG birthday (yes, one with a zero at the end), and my daughter Ainsley will graduate in May with a master’s degree in Accounting. She plans to sit for the multiple CPA exams and then begin her career. It’s a busy and proud time for us, filled with change and achievement. Turning to our local teams, here’s hoping for a great year of sports! We’re cheering on the Buccaneers as they aim for another playoff run under Baker Mayfield’s leadership. The Lightning, with their roster changes, seem poised to hit their stride, hopefully avoiding late-game struggles as they contend for the Stanley
Shopping at “World’s Largest Christmas Store” in Frankenmuth, MI
Referral Winner Page 4 Wacky January Holidays Page 5
Cup. Unfortunately, the Rays’ future in Tampa Bay looks uncertain, but their spirit remains a source of pride. Let’s not forget Florida’s incredible college teams, always thrilling to watch as they represent our state. With 2024 over now and 2025 beginning in full force, I want to thank you — our incredible clients — for your trust and support. Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a joyous New Year. Here’s to a wonderful 2025! Until next year,
Puzzle Time! Page 5
One-Pot Chicken Noodle Soup Page 5 November Referrals and December Puzzle Winner! Page 6
–Darren
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Toll free (800) 828-2226 Fax (727) 577-4991
www.vermost.com newsletter@vermost.com
INVEST IN YOUR TEAM’S FUTURE THE POWER OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS Insurance and group benefits are likely on your radar if you’re an employer or planning to become one soon. At Vermost Insurance Agency, we provide comprehensive solutions and serve as your trusted resource to help you attract and retain top talent. After all, investing time and money in building your dream team is only worthwhile if you can keep them from leaving for competitors offering better benefits. Employee benefits play an important role in your company’s success. They demonstrate you care about your team’s well- being and future. A strong benefits package helps to attract top candidates and encourages long-term loyalty and job satisfaction among your employees. This is where Vermost Insurance Agency comes in. We’ll help you create a customized benefits program tailored to your company’s unique needs, ensuring you stay competitive in today’s job market. We offer a full range of group insurance products and services, including:
New Year, New Intentions Rethinking ‘Big Goals’ for Lasting Change Have you created your New Year’s resolutions yet? If so, do you feel your goals are attainable? And how does that list serve you? Let’s be honest about our New Year’s resolutions. Based on our 2024 goals, we should all be in the best shape of our lives. We would have beaten our smoking habit, have zero debt, and knocked two destinations off our bucket list by now! Unfortunately, many of us deviate from the commitments we set for ourselves in January. If you can truthfully say your life is better now than last year, then celebrate to your heart’s content. However, if your life hasn’t changed much since last year, it may be worthwhile to revisit your list and consider the following additions. MAKE AN IMPACT ON SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE. We’ve all got “stuff” going on in our lives, but maybe it’s time to pause and think about how to make someone else’s day. It can be as small as smiling at a stranger at the grocery store or sending “thinking of you” cards to friends and family. You’ll be surprised how doing for others will impact your own life. ADOPT AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE. While we have so many things we could complain about, think about everything we have to be thankful for. The next time you start to complain about your job, be grateful you have one. Of course, gratitude isn’t always easy, but is it supposed to be? Even the slightest effort to adopt this mindset will change your life forever. EMBRACE WHAT’S MEANINGFUL TO YOU. There’s no better time than the present to lean into what matters most to you. Tell someone you love them the moment you feel it, apologize quickly, and hug them often. The time is now; we don’t know how long we have on this Earth. These resolutions aren’t exactly fitness-focused, but they center on self-improvement for the long game. Be intentional with your resolutions. Remember, if you don’t put much thought into them, you will just as easily neglect them. Let’s be intentional in 2025!
• Group Life Insurance • Group Vision Insurance • Group Health Insurance • Group Dental Insurance • Group Disability Insurance • Group Long Term Care (LTC) Insurance
• 401(k) Retirement Plans • Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) • Health Savings Accounts (HSA) • Health Reimbursement Arrangements
By partnering with us, you can design a benefits package that minimizes employee turnover, attracts strong candidates, and boosts employee morale and productivity. We’ll guide you every step of the way, ensuring that your business has the right tools to succeed. If you have any questions or are ready to set up your custom insurance and group benefits package, contact Vermost Insurance Agency today. We’re here to help you support your team and build a thriving business. Let’s get started!
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1200 Belcher Rd. S., Suite 1 Largo, FL 33771-3315
Phone: (727) 748-2886
Every state has its own bizarre laws, and while they make for a fun read, the fact is that these rules were once created to address some specific “problem!” From unusual dress codes for hot dog vendors in Florida to bizarre regulations about fighting birds in Indiana, every state has its share of head-scratchers. Let’s take a stroll through six of the wackiest laws — you can’t make this stuff up! QUIET HOURS FOR SANDWICH LOVERS In Arkansas, think twice before honking your horn at a sandwich shop after 9 p.m. This law might have stemmed from one too many late-night sandwich cravings disturbing the peace. So, keep your sandwich enthusiasm to a respectable volume! DRESS CODE FOR HOT DOG VENDORS In Florida, hot dog vendors must think twice about skimpy wardrobes as a marketing tactic. Dressing provocatively is a no- go, as it’s considered a serious traffic hazard. So, those planning to sell hot dogs should keep their attire conservative to avoid In Indiana, you can only throw a rock at a bird if you’re defending yourself. Hopefully, you’ll never find yourself in such a peculiar predicament (or Hitchcockian nightmare), but it’s good to know the law’s got your back — just in case. NO CLAIRVOYANCE IN CEDAR RAPIDS Fancy yourself a fortune teller in Cedar Rapids, Iowa? Think again. Practices like palm reading or phrenology are off limits, preserving the town’s focus on the tangible here and now rather than the mystical future. GREASE IS THE WORD IN NORTH CAROLINA In North Carolina, stealing over $1,000 of used restaurant grease is a felony. Yes, used grease! As biodiesel’s popularity rises, so does the value of this slippery commodity — so keep your hands stirring up more than just appetites. FIGHT BACK BIRDS IN INDIANA And finally, in Oklahoma, you’d better not find yourself tripping a horse or wrestling a bear. Engaging in or even promoting these dangerous and unusual animal antics is illegal. It’s all fun and games until someone gets a bear hug they didn’t ask for! So, next time you think you’ve heard it all, remember: The law books might have a few more surprises waiting for you. away from the grimy fryer vats. OKLAHOMA’S ANIMAL ANTICS Unpack America’s Quirkiest State Laws From Forbidden Fortune Telling to Sandwich Shop Silence
Oh, the good old days of 1913, when the U.S. Post Office decided to let just about anything — and we mean anything — go through the mail. Imagine a time when sending eggs, bricks, and even your college laundry via post was the norm. When the U.S. Post Office first began offering parcel service, one of the first packages sent was a brindle English bulldog! But of course, it gets stranger. The initial days of the Parcel Post service saw creative shipping solutions, including more than one instance of a surprise opossum delivery in Flushing, Queens. Then, parents short on cash or time decided to do something truly questionable: shipping their own children. In those early days, some parents took the phrase “special delivery” to a new level by mailing their kids! Just a few weeks after the service began, one Ohio couple decided their 8-month-old son, James, needed to visit Grandma and figured the mail was the best way to get him there. Weighing in just under the 11-pound limit, baby James cost a mere 15 cents to mail. Talk about a budget-friendly travel option! If it’s any consolation, parents didn’t hand off these pint-sized parcels to strangers. In most cases, the local mail carriers in these rural communities were well-known to the families and trusted with these precious deliveries. Take 5-year-old May Pierstorff, who was mailed about 75 miles to her grandparents. Or 3-year- old Maude Smith, who traveled from Caney to Jackson, Kentucky, with snacks in hand and a shipping label sewn to her dress. It wasn’t until after several instances and a good deal of head- scratching by the postal authorities that regulations tightened up. Parents could no longer avoid train ticket costs by handing their kids to the local postal carrier. Today, thankfully, we have more sensible travel options for our kids. The days of slapping stamps on their clothing and waving as they disappear with the mail are long gone. But the stories we have from those early days of mail mischief are sure to remind us that thrifty parents will go to any lengths to save a few dimes! BABIES DELIVERED VIA MAIL? How America’s Youngest Were Once Mailed to Grandma’s
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Toll free (800) 828-2226
Fax (727) 577-4991
www.vermost.com
newsletter@vermost.com
BE A LIFESAVER We want to thank everyone who referred their friends, family, and coworkers to Vermost Insurance throughout 2024. When you refer someone to us, you receive rewards for each referral and are entered into 2023 REFERRAL WINNER! 2025 REFERRAL PROGRAM
monthly and annual drawings for additional, even bigger prizes. Your referrals mean a lot to us, and we want to reward you for helping us grow our Vermost Insurance family. The annual grand prize winner of our 2023 referral program was Paul Burns. He received a 55-inch 4K TV plus a $250 donation to the charity of his choice. If you want a shot at the 2025 prize, keep sending referrals our way. Your referrals make us happy, and we hope our referral program makes you happy, too!
Paul Burns was our 2023 referral winner of the 55-inch 4K TV plus a $250 donation to a charity of his choice.
• EACH Referral • $5 Starbucks Gift Certificate • 3 FL Lottery Scratch-Off Tickets • A chance to win prizes! • $5 donation to our spotlight charity: Boys & Girls Club of Tampa
• A $50 GIFT CARD
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1200 Belcher Rd. S. Suite 1 ● Largo, FL 33771-3315 ● Phone: (727) 748-2886 Largo, FL 33771-3315 Phone: (727) 748-2886 1200 Belcher Rd. S., Suite 1
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Wacky January Holidays
• January 2 — National Cream Puff Day • January 3 — National Drinking Straw Day • January 4 — National Spaghetti Day • January 5 — National Whipped Cream Day • January 6 — National Cuddle Up Day • January 7 — National Bobblehead Day • January 8 — National Bubble Bath Day • January 9 — National Static Electricity Day • January 10 — National Bittersweet Chocolate Day • January 11 — National Step in a Puddle and Splash Your Friends Day • January 13 — National Sticker Day • January 14 — National Dress Up Your Pet Day • January 15 — National Strawberry Ice Cream Day
• January 16 — National Fig Newton Day • January 18 — National Winnie The Pooh Day • January 20 — National Cheese Lovers Day • January 21 — National Granola Bar Day • January 22 — National Polka Dot Day • January 24 — National Peanut Butter Day • January 25 — National Irish Coffee Day • January 26 — National Green Juice Day • January 27 — National Chocolate Cake Day • January 28 — National Blueberry Pancake Day • January 29 — National Puzzle Day • January 30 — National Croissant Day • January 31 — National Hot Chocolate Day
ONE-POT CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP
SUDOKU
Inspired by TasteOfHome.com
Ingredients
• 2 1/2 lbs skinless, bone- in chicken thighs • 1 tsp salt • 1 tsp pepper • 2 tbsp olive oil • 1 large onion, chopped • 3 garlic cloves, minced • 10 cups chicken broth • 4 celery ribs, chopped
• 4 medium carrots, chopped • 2 bay leaves • 1 tsp dried thyme • 3 cups uncooked egg noodles (about 8 oz) • 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley • 1 tbsp lemon juice
Directions 1. Season chicken with salt and pepper. In an 8-quart stockpot over medium-high heat, add oil and chicken and cook until golden brown, 3–4 minutes. Remove chicken and set aside. 2. Add onion to drippings; cook over medium-high heat for 4–5 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Return chicken to pot. Add celery, carrots, bay leaves, and thyme. Reduce heat and cover; simmer until chicken is tender, 25–30 minutes. 3. Turn off heat. Remove chicken to a plate. Add noodles and let stand, covered, until noodles are tender, 20–22 minutes. 4. Shred chicken meat into bite-size pieces, and return to pot. Stir in parsley and lemon juice, and discard bay leaves.
SOLUTION ON PG. 6
You can fax, email, or mail your completed puzzle for a chance to win our monthly prize!
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Toll free (800) 828-2226
Fax (727) 577-4991 www.vermost.com newsletter@vermost.com
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1200 Belcher Road South, Suite 1 Largo, FL 33771 www.vermost.com (727) 748-2886
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
You Make Us Happy
We Insure More Than Just Cars and Homes Here’s a list of some of our lines of protection:
People who referred clients to us in November:
• Eric Drews • Dana Kelley • Deborah & Michael Valentine • Anita Herman • Joni Mann
• Cheryl Sienko • N. Russell Shenk • Robert Louden • Carol Borgeson • Sara Huot • Lori Bergeon
› Antique vehicles › Annuities › Auto › Boat/RV › Bonds › Builder’s risk › Commercial auto › Commercial property › Condo › Disability
› Flood › General liability › Home › ID theft › Life › Mobile home › Motorcycle/Jet Ski › Notary public
December Puzzle Winner: Shirley Harrison November Referral Winner: Sara Huot
› Umbrella › Workers’
compensation
... and more!
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1200 Belcher Rd. S., Suite 1 Largo, FL 33771-3315
Phone: (727) 748-2886
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