Tuesday, November 01, 2005 

November 2005 Newsletter

UNATTENDED SHOPPING CARTS

As I waited in line at my local grocery store pharmacy, the woman ahead of me advanced to the counter. She left her cart in line in front of me. She also left her purse in the child seat of the cart wide-open.

I backed away from the cart, but was prepared to defend the open purse from any would-be thieves. I watched the cart. I watched the woman and the pharmacist have a very long and enjoyable conversation. The woman never once looked back at her purse.

When their conversation lulled, I spoke up. “Ladies, if I was a bad guy, your purse would be gone.” The purse's owner, the pharmacist and I had a short but important safety conversation on identity theft.

Colorado is now 5th in our nation for Identity Theft.

Do you know what is in your purse? What would you do if your purse was stolen? Do we really need to carry all the things we do in our purses?

We have a strong program on Identity Theft.

Key points include:
  • Be aware of your surroundings.
  • Never leave your purse sitting in a grocery cart unattended.
  • Consider wearing a fanny pack for shopping, or only carry the credit cards you plan on using.
  • Go to a copy shop and empty out your purse. Photocopy all your cards – front and back. Line them all up to print onto two 8 x 10 pages – print fronts and then flip them all over and copy the backs. Make several copies. Lock one set away. Consider having a trusted friend or family member lock up the other photocopied set.
  • Only take what you need to take in your purse for shopping.
  • Purse stolen? Immediately call the police. Tell them that your wallet/purse has been stolen and you may be a victim of Identity Theft. Your credit cards will probably be in use within minutes. Call your friend/relative that locked up the copy of your purse contents and have them help you start calling and notifying authorities of the thefts immediately.
  • The thief has your keys to your car and home. They have your check book which gives them your address. It will take you a while to get home. Call someone to watch out for your home.

    Your identity is you. It's up to you to protect it.

    Upcoming Classes:
    Behavioral Safety & Personal Security
    Date Rape & Date Rape Drugs
    Holiday Safety Awareness & Identity Theft Prevention
    Safety for Travelers
    Wheelchair Self-Defense & Techniques

    News & Updates:
    Colorado Safety Educators has teamed up with Five Star Seminars to present Public Awareness Campaigns to help boost community awareness.

    Safety Tip of the Month:
  • Do you have jumper cables?
  • Do you know how to use them?
  • Do you keep spare cash for gas?
  • If you had a flat, would you know how to change your tire?
  • Do you have the proper tools in your car to do this?
  • Do you have a spare tire on your car?

  • Please, don't become a victim by being unprepared or uneducated. Opening your trunk for strangers, or putting full trust in them will get you into a bigger fix. Many of you say,"but I've got a cell phone". Cell phones go out of range at times, and cannot be relied on solely. Practice changing a tire. Practice using jumper cables. Knowledge is power that you control.

    Schedule Seminars that reinforce National Observances:
    American Diabetes Month: November 2005
    National Family Caregivers Month: November 2005
    National Hospice Month: November 2005

    For more information on scheduling a Public Awareness Campaign:


    Recipe of the Month: Pumpkin Roll

    INGREDIENTS:

    3 eggs
    1 cup white sugar
    2/3 cup solid pack pumpkin puree (canned pumpkin)
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    3/4 cup all-purpose flour
    1 teaspoon baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
    1 teaspoon ground ginger
    1 cup chopped pecans
    confectioners' sugar for dusting (powdered sugar)

    1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
    4 tablespoons butter
    1 cup confectioners' sugar
    1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
    confectioners' sugar for dusting

    DIRECTIONS:
    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10x15 inch jellyroll pan.
    In a large bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for five minutes. Gradually mix in pumpkin and lemon juice. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and ginger; stir into the pumpkin mixture. Spread batter evenly into the prepared pan. Sprinkle pecans over the top of the batter.
    Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the center springs back when touched. Loosen edges with a knife. Turn out on two dishtowels that have been dusted with confectioners' sugar. Roll up cake using towels, and let cool for about 20 minutes.
    In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Unroll pumpkin cake when cool, spread with filling, and roll up. Place pumpkin roll on a long sheet of waxed paper, and dust with confectioners' sugar. Wrap cake in waxed paper, and twist ends of waxed paper like a candy wrapper. Refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled; before slicing, dust with additional confectioners' sugar.

    Barbara Scott
    Founder of Colorado Safety Educators