Does
anyone have a crystal ball I could borrow? Because wouldn’t it be nice to know
what our future looks like so we could be better prepared – but on the other
hand maybe not? Well, I’ll leave that discussion for another day.
But we
don’t know what unexpected events may come our way; what’s going to slap us
across the face. We’d like to consider what we would do if we won the Power
Ball jackpot (And when you do, the Center, Meals-on-Wheels and other
non-profits are always looking for donations!) rather than what we would do if
there was a train derailment or a threatening forest fire. So, we don’t prepare
believing it won’t happen to us until the unexpected happens and it does.
Let’s take
a minute then to think about this situation. If there was an emergency and you had
to leave your home immediately with all your important documents, what documents
would you take?
Here is
a list of documents from an article Donnamae Grannemann emailed me titled “Key
Documents You Need to Take with You in an Emergency” that the author suggests putting
together in an easily accessible Go-To-File.
1.) Important
contacts such as family members, doctors, dentist, lawyer, insurance broker and
other key resources.
2.) Cash
because if the power goes down and the ATM’s and other machines no longer work
you won’t have time to find all your extra cash you have hidden around the
house.
3.) Identification
records such as original documents of your birth certificate, passport and Social
Security card. (I am assuming you are always caring your driver’s license, bank
and credit cards, and health insurance identification cards.)
4.) A
video of your residence and possessions which you can easily record using your
cell phone camera.
5.) Copies
of your insurance policies, especially for home and auto insurance, to contact your
insurer if you need to start a claim.
6.) Recent
financial statements such as your most recent statements from your credit card
companies, banks, brokerage firm, retirement accounts, car loan and company in
case you also need to contact them.
7.) Tax
returns - at least the last three years.
8.) Legal
documents such as your car registration and car title; your property deed and
mortgage papers; as well as your will, power of attorney, and other legal
documents.
And
let me add one more item that wasn’t mentioned in the article, but I would be
up a deep creek if I lost them – my passwords! How many times have I forgotten my
Apple or Google password and had to go to my little black book to find it? As we
do more of our business online, knowing our passwords is essential.
Having
these important documents in a Go-To-File is not only helpful in emergencies,
it is just a good idea for any unexpected situation. If you and your spouse or
loved ones know where to find the information, it can save you and your family
from additional stress that you don’t need during difficult times. If you want
to learn more, you can find the complete article on the Center’s website at www.midcolumbiaseniorcenter.com.
The
baseball coach who led the New York Yankees to nine World Series during the 1950’s
and returned to coach the expansion team New York Mets in 1962 (who won only
forty games and lost 120 games that first season) was Casey Stengel. I received
correct answers from Rhonda Spies, Jim Ayres, Mike Carrico, Jess Birge, Tiiu
Vahtel, Jack Lorts, Doug Bloomdahl and Rhonda Austin who wins a free quilt raffle
ticket for her persistence.
Let’s dial
the time machine back to the 1950‘s again, but this time looking at the fast growing
medium: television. From 1957 through 1964, the Danny Thomas Show was usually
one of the top ten shows on television. For this week’s “Remember When”
question what was the original title for the show when it first aired in 1954?
Email your answer to mcseniorcenter@gmail.com, leave a message at 541-296-4788
or return your answer on the back of a picture of Angela Cartwright who played
Danny’s adopted daughter.
Well,
it’s been another week, dodging arrows that keep coming. Until we meet again, you
discover at a certain age modesty is no longer something you can afford so
you might as well wrap it up and mail it to your 18-year-old granddaughter who could
probably use it.
“Life
literally abounds in comedy if you just look around you.” Mel Brooks
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