CONTACT MAINCOR

December 2003

Take a Holiday Inventory

You probably do regular inventories at work. The holiday season is a good time to update or create a home inventory. Take photos or make videos of items and write down the descriptions and serial numbers. If your home is burglarized, having a detailed inventory can help identify and recover the stolen items and make insurance claims easier to file.

Have a Safe Holiday

Criminals love the holidays because often people are busy thinking about many things other than their safety. Officer Diane Soligo, Central Patrol Division recently shared the following tips for a safe holiday season:

If you are out for the evening:

• Turn on lights and a radio or TV so it looks like someone is home
• Be sure to lock your doors and windows when you leave your residence, even it only for a few minutes
• Don't display gifts where they can be seen from the outside, especially under the tree

Speaking of trees:

• Fresh needles are hard to pull from branches. When bent between your fingers, fresh needles do not break.
• Place tree away from fireplaces, radiators and other heat sources.
• Many artificial trees are fire resistant. If you buy one, look for a statement specifying this protection.

Voter Registration Site

The Midtown FOCUS Center at MainCor is now a permanent voter registration site. Diane Burnette has been deputized and can register you or your employees from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Friday (except holidays) at the Midtown FOCUS Center, 3215 Main, Ste. 200. Please give us a call before you come.

If you are not already registered, you must have proof of identification such as a driver's license. If you have a name change or moved, you need to re-register and Diane can take care of that as well.

For more information, go to the Kansas City Election Board website at www.kceb.org.

The next official election day (for the Presidential Primary) is Feb. 3, 2004. You must be registered by Jan. 7.

Thanks for a great year and happy holidays from the MainCor staff

Volume 8, Issue 10

If you are shopping:

• Stay alert and be aware of your surroundings
• Park in a well-lighted space, and be sure to lock the car, close the windows and hide the shopping bags and gifts in the trunk
• If you come out of the mall from shopping and plan to return to continue shopping, put the gifts in the trunk and re-park your vehicle. That will make anyone watching, think you are leaving Avoid carrying large amounts of cash; pay with check or credit card wherever possible
• Deter pickpockets and purse-snatchers. Carry your purse close to your body and keep it zipped and secure. Put a wallet in an inside coat or front pants pocket.
• Use ATM machines in populated places and during daylight hours. If someone is loitering, leave.
• Have your keys in hand as you approach your vehicle
• Use the "buddy systems" when shopping, especially after dark. It's more fun, anyway!

Redemptorist Center Food Drive

Well, we can't have a holiday issue of the Corridor without giving you information about how you can really spread the holiday spirit.

Redemptorist Center, 207 W. Linwood, is experiencing a CRITICAL food shortage. Holiday needs include small canned hams, canned yams or sweet potatoes, canned vegetables (please, not mixed veggies), canned fruit, jello, potato flakes, gravy, stuffing mix, cranberry sauce, cooking oil, soup, coffee, cocoa and tea. Basically, if you like to eat it, so will someone else!

Redemptorist Center will provide barrels for anyone who would like to hold a food drive at your business. You can also drop off food at the Center from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Call Paula at 931-9942 for more details.

December Business Lunch is cancelled.