Kent Island – Lundberg Builders, Inc.

How to Give Back During Philanthropy Month

November is Philanthropy Month and one of the main philosophies at Lundberg Builders, Inc. is that it is important to give back to the communities in which you live and work. This month, we would like to encourage you to find an organization that means a lot to you and donate your time or resources to help your community. Below is a list of some of our local organizations that consistently give back to our area and need your time and support.

Haven Ministries

Haven Ministries is located in Queen Anne’s County and provides assistance to members of the community through two food pantries and a winter shelter. This non-profit organization is currently building two “Homes of Hope” on Kent Island that will serve individuals and families in need through the Haven Ministries Housing Assistance Program. Those who participate in this program will receive intensive case management services that include connections to healthcare and dental resources, job skills training, budgeting, and more. To help fund their programs, Haven Ministries also runs Hope Warehouse and Our Daily Thread Thrift Store as well as many different fundraisers throughout the year. Interested in helping through volunteering or donating your time? Contact Haven Ministries for more opportunities.

Chesapeake Charities

Chesapeake Charities is a non-profit organization that works with people and organizations that desire to set up local foundations, charities, and scholarships. Additionally, Chesapeake Charities provides resources to help find grants and write grants that are a match for an organization’s mission. You can contribute to any existing fund or contact Chesapeake Charities to start a fund of your own.

Rotary Club of Kent Island

The Rotary Club of Kent Island is committed to “service above self.” Members of the Rotary of Kent Island organize a number of community service opportunities such as food drives, Flags for Our Heroes, Meals of Hope, and fundraisers to fund future projects. The Rotary also donates money to support causes such as “Queen Anne’s Goes Purple” and senior scholarships at local high schools. To join or volunteer, complete the contact form on the website.

Queen Anne’s County Rotaract

Are you a young professional in the Queen Anne’s community looking to join a service organization to make a difference? Rotaract is a great way to contribute and volunteer in a variety of service projects. Through 5k fundraisers, food drives, trash pick-ups, and more. Rotaract members are committed to bettering the community of Queen Anne’s County. Visit their website to find out more about their programs and how to join.

QAC Goes Purple

Queen Anne’s County Goes Purple is an organization through the local sheriff’s office dedicated to helping those suffering from substance abuse. Through advertising, fundraising, and providing resources, the QAC Goes Purple initiative is working to create awareness in the community by providing education about substance abuse, how to find help, and Narcan training. If you are interested in joining the movement, visit their website.

Talisman Therapeutic Riding

Talisman Therapeutic Riding uses horses and the outdoors to serve both children and adults with a variety of challenges. Riding programs work with those who have autism, MS, anxiety, depression, Downs Syndrome, and more. They also have a Heroes on Horses program which serves veterans and first responders. To run these programs, Talisman needs both donations and volunteers. If you are interested in contributing to this cause or volunteering in a program, contact Talisman Therapeutic Riding for available opportunities.

Wreaths Across America

Wreaths Across America works to lay a wreath at the burial site of every veteran across the United States during the holiday season. To help, you can sponsor a wreath, or donate your time volunteering to lay wreaths on Wreaths Across America Day. Please visit the website for more information about how you can help this holiday season!

For more ideas of places to support, please visit http://www.lundbergbuilders.com/giving-back.php for a list of additional organizations and initiatives.

During this season of giving, we hope you will consider supporting one of these organizations or find one that means something to you. Donating to local schools and food pantries can also make a great impact on those in need. Remember that while donating is always needed, so is time as a volunteer. Giving back is one of Lundberg’s core values, and we hope that it is also one of yours.

Ways to save on heating costs this Winter

Although the days have been warmer here in Maryland, they are slowly becoming chillier as we near Christmas. If you are concerned about cranking up the heat because of the increase in your electric bill, check out our easy tips for reducing your energy costs.

Adjust your thermostat at night or during the day when you are away from you home. You can save about 10 percent per year on your heating bills by turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day, according to the US Department of Energy.

Keep your furnace clean and unblocked. Check your furnace filter regularly and replace it when it gets dirty. A dirty filter makes your furnace or heat pump work harder, and leads to higher energy bills.

Plastic wrap your windows. Drafty windows can be major culprits of heat loss, but can easily be fixed by covering them with plastic. DIY window insulation kits start as low as $12 and can even be found at local stores like Target.

Hang thermal curtains. Invest in curtains with thermal lining that will block heat and UV in the summer and keep cold air out in the Winter.

Reverse the ceiling fan. Most ceiling fans have a switch you can flip that will change the direction the fan blades are rotating. This will push hot air that has risen to the ceiling back down into the room.

Decorate for warmth. Put flannel sheets on your bed, warm rugs on your floors and extra throw blankets on the sofas.

Take advantage of free solar heating. Open curtains during the day to allow the sun to warm your home; close curtains at night to trap in the heat.

Close the damper. Sometimes overlooked this can be a major culprit in heat loss. Keep the damper closed when your fireplace isn’t in use to prevent warm air escaping.

Easy ways to Transition your Home from Summer to Fall.

Can you smell that? That’s the comforting scent of all things pumpkins, apple cider and spice. We may still be in the depths of summer and planning beach trips, barbecues, and enjoying warm summer nights, but Fall is almost within our reach! Check out these quick tips to help transition you’re home decor from Summer to Fall.

Layer rugs and pull out the throw blankets
Add warmth to your home by adding a few textured throw blankets and area rugs to your rooms. For an added touch, choose ones that are in rich fall colors: red, orange, dark purple and browns.

Turn to the outdoors for inspiration
Bring the outdoors inside and fill some jars with branches from your yard or your local craft store. Add in fall smelling potpourri for added affect. A bundle of fallen twigs wrapped in a bow could be used in an entry way or as fireplace decor, fallen leaves could be used as a base to fill a jar and pine cones could be used to fill a wooden bowl along with other accents. Bonus because those decorations are all free!

Switch out pillows
This is always a fairly inexpensive way to change your decor. Choose fall colors and textured pillows such as ones with knitted covers or faux fur.

Change our your bedding
Add linens in rich colors, plaids and darker prints. Simply adding darker colors can totally transform your home to feeling more seasonal.

Change out your welcome mat
The best way to say “Hello fall!” is to have a festive welcome mat by your front door!

Create a welcoming autumn feel with scented candles
Scented candles in the season’s vanilla, spice, apple and pumpkin fragrances can easily bring warmth to any space. Try arranging large candles around a centerpiece with faux leaves and pine cones.

Switch your hand towels
Choose darker, bolder, earthy and warm fall colors. You can also bust out new hand soaps in fall scents.

Lawn Mower Safety

Springs here and that means more yard work for many families who are starting to plant gardens and tend to their yards. Did you know that approximately 68,000 people are treated in emergency rooms for lawn mower-related injuries each year (AAOP)? Sadly more than 9,000 of them are children under age 18.

“The overwhelming majority of these injuries result in amputations that require reattachment or reconstructive surgery,” says Rick Redett, M.D.

The majority of lawn mower-related injuries can be prevented by following a few safety guidelines and using common sense. Check out the list below for a few safety precautions you can take to prevent injuries.

Keep all children indoors while a power mower is in operation
Do not allow children under 16 to use ride-on mowers
Do not allow children under 12 to walk behind mowers
Do not allow children to ride as passengers on ride-on mowers
Prevent injuries from flying objects, such as twigs and stones by cleaning the lawn before mowing begins
Use a collection bag for grass clippings or a plate that covers the opening where cut grass is released
Wear protective goggles and close-toed shoes when operating a mower or when near one
Turn off the mower immediately if you see a child running toward you. Children can fall and slip into the blade, especially if the grass is wet
Do not pull the mower backward or mow in reverse unless absolutely necessary
Always turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, or crossing gravel paths, roads, or other areas
Make sure that blade settings (to set the wheel height or dislodge debris) are done by an adult, with the mower off and the spark plug removed or disconnected

Seasons Greetings!

During the holiday season, our thoughts turn gratefully to those who have made our success possible. It is in this spirit that we say thank you and best wishes for the holidays and New Year.The team at Lundberg Builders wishes you peace, joy and prosperity throughout the coming year. Thank you for your continued support and partnership. We look forward to working with you in the new year!

Simple Holiday Decorating

Can you believe it’s already December? If you’re like most of us and have waited to decorate until now check out our list below for ideas that you can do in less time than it takes to hang stockings by the chimney with care.

One of my favorite go to decorations w 0212-ball-cakestand_300 hen I’m in a pinch is using extra ornaments to decorate non traditionally. Place ornaments on a cake stand, in a glass vase or anything else you can
find for an extremely simple, yet stunning centerpiece. You can also use leftover ornaments to decorate windows. Simply tie a ribbon thru and secure to either your curtain rod or a hook affixed to the window.

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For an easy and festive table display gather some doilies (white, silver, red, or gold) and tape them together. Use vases of varying heights filled with ornaments and pine cones. You can even spray paint the pine cones silver, gold or white for an extra special touch. Finish the display off by tying a ribbon around each glass.

Can’t find a wreath this late in the game? Grab a handful of twigs from your yard or the craft store. This simple display makes a wonderful hanging decoration to put on your front door or even above the mantel. To secure this, wrap a wide rubber band around the twig ends. Tuck a sprig of greens, such as rosemary or eucalyptus, inside the rubber band for color. Cover the rubber band with a ribbon.

Have something sitting around that you’re not using or that your child has outgrown? Perhaps an old pair of rain boots? Use those in your front porch display by dressing them up with twigs, greens and ribbon for a welcoming display. You can add weight with rocks to keep the boots from falling over. Here’s just a couple of our favorites.

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If you have a birdbath in your yard dress it up with garland, a large red ball, pine cones or any other left over Christmas decorations you have laying around.

original_melissa-michaels-candle-holiday-walkway_s4x3.jpg.rend.hgtvcom.966.725 — You can use this sweet display to light up your walkways during the upcoming cold wintry nights or even in your window sills (if they’re wide enough). Simply fill mason jars with epsom salt for a snowy look and add votive candles.

If you need a display for your mantel try wrapping empty food boxes in various wrapping papers or fabrics. Finish each package off with a decorative ribbon or flowers. Arrange these on your mantle along with ornaments, pine cones, or candles for a festive display!