Across from the East Library
5527 N Union Blvd, Ste 101,
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
719-597-0004 

*Travel Specialists On-Site to answer all your questions
*Receive a $20.00 travel certificate for attending
*Family fun includes Children's Coloring contest 
*Hot Dogs & Refreshments from 11:30 ~ 1:00 
*Many Door prizes including 2 prizes of 1 Roundtrip ticket on Frontier
                            (restrictions apply, must be 18 years or older)

*Each quarter Travel Leaders is supporting one nonprofit organization. This quarter we are  supporting “Orphanos” who has 4 orphanages, 2 in Brazil, one in Korea, and on in  Columbia. We are supporting the orphanage in Latica Columbia as here they have a new kitchen and are in need of quality kitchen supplies. Your order through  Pampered Chef will help them obtain kitchen supplies from their wish list.       
                           
                           
From all of us at
High Plains Travel Co. / imtravel ~ Divisions of Travel League Inc.
Your Travel Leaders ~ We can't wait to see you!

  
www.travelleaders.com/cos/282128

The State Department says that the increased security and anti-fraud measures added to passports in recent years come at a cost, which must be reflected in passport fees. Passport fees also cover the costs of providing emergency services for American citizens overseas who are in crisis situations.

The State Department has also expanded its staff and infrastructure to respond to increased demand for passports. Demand has increased because passports are now required for most travel outside the country, even to Canada or Mexico. There are some exceptions, including travel to U.S. territories, which technically is considered as traveling within the United States.

If you plan to travel outside the U.S., apply for your passport or passport renewal as far in advance as possible. It usually takes four to six weeks for an application to be processed, but a sudden increase in applicants can cause a backlog.

If you already have a passport, check the expiration date – some governments require that visitors have at least six months left on their passports. You may also want to check to see how many visa pages you have left. Since many countries require you to have at least three visa pages upon entry, you may need to apply with the State Department for supplemental pages to be added. While there is currently no cost for the added pages, if the proposed fee increases go into effect, there will be a charge of $82, so it’s best to send your passport and additional visa page application in now to avoid the new fee.

If you need to obtain or renew a passport quickly, there are services that provide expedited processing for a fee. Our travel professionals can give you more details.

www.travelleaders.com/cos/aboutus/285317

Join us for a bodacious time at Beth's
Beautiful, Bountiful, Boutique 
where you can 
do Business, Barter, Banter, 
Bask and Believe 

We have done some serious spring cleaning! New Products to see, Great Bargains on Sale and a Dollar table for closeouts.

ENJOY product samples, sip mimosas, massage, essential oils, shopping

MEET and CONNECT! We have joined forces and lists to ensure a fabulous, eclectic mix of attendees.

ADMISSION: requested but not required... "new or gently used basket to recycle"
We would like for everyone who attends to bring a basket or any clean reusable container and enjoy FREE CONTAINERS FOR LIFE. That's right, you will never pay for your container at Cachet Basket Co. ! Reduce, Reuse, Renew! Learn about our recycling program! and earn Basket Bucks.

Other items we recycle (good for admission): Packing Materials (no peanuts), boxes, newspaper,floral vases and ANY silk floral/greenery, Broken Pottery (yes broken pottery!) for use in sculpture...wine bottles.

REWARD: BIZaar Bucks
In exchange for your basket or recycled materials, we will be giving out BIZaar Bucks for you to spend with any of our our featured businesses~
~Cachet Basket Co., Video Web Marketing, Sweet Celebrations, Pineapple Daisy, High Mountain Desserts, Personality Portaits, Mickey Baxter-Artistic Voyage, Kathy Wallace -Make Art or Die! Chocoholic, Art and Style Baking, Morning Glory Face and Body, BeYoung Essential Oils, Heide M. Collister Massage and Jewelry, Casabelle Design and more!

Check out our event and RSVP on Facebook!

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=370617781203&index=1

Business success does not occur unless a systematic approach toward this goal exists.  Too many business owners assume if they offer a good product or service at a reasonable cost to the consumer, success will follow.  In today's market place it is no longer sufficient to rely just on price and product to realize business growth.

Three important strategies in a business operation will markedly affect the level of success realized in any enterprise.  Having specific practices that can actualize positive results for each one of these variables will greatly increase the level of success realized in a business.

A. Acquisition of Customers

First, who is the customer you want to attract to become a part of your client base.  Can you define who they are, and where you are most likely to find them?  What is your value statement you want to deliver to this group?  How do you differentiate your business from others within your industry?  Have you developed marketing and advertising that will capture your desired customer's attention?  What programs for a new customer are in place that are a call to action for them to do business with you?

R. Retention of Clients

Once a customer has become a member of your client base, what do you do to keep them?  Providing just a good product and price is no longer enough to have a client continue to vote for you with their checkbook.  They expect this at minimum - what you do beyond this is what will separate you from your competitors - good is not enough...exceptional, ah-hah experiences of your clients is needed to not only keep them, but to turn them into advocates for your business.  You have already invested in acquiring them as a client - you need to continue reinvesting in your client base so that with each interaction they leave knowing they are still convinced their best interest remains in doing business with you.  Your client cannot be taken for granted - remember they are the new customer a competitor is trying to acquire.

M. Managing Relationships

How a customer feels about doing business with you - what's the relationship they have with you- will determine how long they continue as a client than what your product or price is.  People are simply human and want to feel important with those they give their money to, treated well, and given efficiency as a resepctful reminder of their time.  The most important word in the human language is two letters long  - "Me" -  and every person has this internal value of themself within.  The successful business will connect to the "me" in their clients by developing a relationship that demonstrates a real appreciation for their customer, an understanding of their needs, and endeavor to continue nurturing this relationship far into the future.

The economic downturn may have sparked the increase, where victims lost upwards of $54 billion, a 12.5 percent increase. The number of consumers hit by fraud jumped for the second year in a row, to 11.1 million adults, the highest level since records were compiled since 2003.

The defrauders, many working out of Eastern European crime rings, are using more sophisticated methods. But criminals are still targeting wallets, checkbooks, credit cards and other physical identification carriers twice as often as they use computer viruses, phishing scams or other digital tricks.

The information is then used by thieves for in-person or online purchases, and use the data to shop over the phone or through mail. Some obtain health care or buy prepaid cards with the stolen names, birthdates or Social Security numbers; Cash from ATMs or writing checks are other avenues.

Last year, the number of new credit card accounts that were opened fraudulently shot up nearly 40 percent. Many victims said their stolen data had also been used to open cell phone accounts.

Identity theft can be as close as what you have in your wallet - leaving it unattended may result in the loss of your personal informtion being much more costly than any money stolen.

Does your auto insurance extend coverage to an accident in a vehicle with recalled parts?

The short answer to the most asked question is "yes," you will be covered if you drive a recalled model and you're in an accident. The wrinkle is that your insurer likely will go after the vehicle's manufacturer to pay the damage if the wreck was caused by a recalled part.

What's the insurance industry's current position on covering drivers of recalled vehicles?

Auto insurers say if a recalled part causes an accident, your car's liability or collision insurance will cover you.

If insurance investigators determine a faulty accelerator caused the crash, the insurer will pay the claim and turn to the manufacturer for reimbursement. If the insurer gets paid by the manufacturer, customers may get all or part of their deductible returned.

Recalled parts in and of themselves do not raise premiums.  How often the particular vehicle make & model is involved in accidents, the cost to repair and vehicle's repair location are determinants in a vehicle's base premium rating.

Most companies perform a cost analysis when they examine the expense of employing a person.  However, there are some companies that don't and they automatically believe that working a temporary or temporary-to-hire person is more expensive.  Factor in, on top of the wage/salary, the Workers Compensation, Unemployment Insurance and taxes.  Using an employee from a Staffing firm could cost less or approximately the same  as it is for a permanent employee.  Also, consider the money, and time, that is dedicated to advertising, recruitment and screening for an open position.  This adds on to the financial burden and delay when hiring someone.  You can expedite the hiring proccess by simply allowing a Staffing firm to find and screen qualified candidates.  Some companies do not have the personnel to handle the task of reviewing applications and resumes'.  A local manufacturing firm advertised for 3 open positions.  Over 1,000 people applied for these positions.  I recently heard of a Janitorial service that needed "experienced" Janitors.  Many of the applicants were cooks, landscapers, and others with no janitorial experience. 

As you can see, there are many advantages to using a Staffing firm.  Stop wasting time and money when you need qualified/screened candidates.

More than 22 million Americans suffer from cataracts and age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the two leading causes of visual loss and blindness. Because cataracts require costly surgery and treatment options for AMD are currently limited, preventive measures play a particularly important role in maintaining good eye health.

Based on research by the National Eye Institute, in addition to countless clinical trials, studies and surveys, there is a positive correlation between good nutrition and the prevention of AMD and cataracts. Studies have suggested that by eating foods rich in six nutrients -- antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin, beta carotene, vitamins C and E, and zinc -- you can protect your eyes from disease. In other words, healthy eating habits can mean healthy eyes.

So, what type of foods are EYE HEALTHY? If you are familiar with the link between carrots and good eye health, then you have done some homework. Let’s explore other foods that can benefit your eyes. These are foods that contain the six key nutrients for eye health.

Most fruits and vegetables are great sources of vitamin C, including oranges, grapefruit, strawberries, papaya, green peppers and tomatoes.

Vitamin E is more difficult to obtain from food sources, since it is found in very small quantities. However, good food sources include vegetable oils (safflower and corn oil), almonds, pecans, wheat germ and sunflower seeds.

Beta-carotene is present in dark green leafy vegetables (spinach!), deep orange or yellow fruits (carrots, mangos, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe, apricots, and peaches), vegetables and fortified cereals.

Lutein and zeaxanthin are found together in many food sources. Dark green leafy vegetables are the primary sources of lutein and zeaxanthin (kale, collard greens and spinach), but they are also present in lesser amount in other colorful fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, orange peppers, corn, peas, persimmons and tangerines.

Good food sources of zinc include meat, liver, shellfish, milk, whole grains and wheat germ.

Eating healthy for your eyes could be the most promising means of protecting your eyes from AMD and cataracts. In addition, planning menus rich in the nutrients described above can mean better overall health for you and your family. Consider eating eye healthy foods and gain benefits for your whole body.

Jerry Hendricks, O.D.

Rockrimmon Vision Source, 1910 Vindicator Drive #104, Colorado Springs, CO  80919

719/522-9393

www.rockrimmonvision.com