July Newsletter

Pet Safety Tips for Summer

We all love spending the long, sunny days of summer outdoors with our furry companions, but doing too much in hot weather can spell danger. To prevent your pet from overheating, take these simple precautions provided by ASPCA experts:

• Visit the vet for a early-summer checkup. Make sure your pets get tested for heart worm if they aren’t on year-round preventative medication.
• Pets can get dehydrated quickly, so give them plenty of fresh, clean water when it’s hot or humid outdoors. Make sure your pets have a shady place to get out of the sun, be careful not to over-exercise them, and keep them indoors when it’s extremely hot.
• Know the symptoms of overheating in pets, which include excessive panting or difficulty breathing, increased heart and respiratory rate, drooling, mild weakness, stupor or even collapse.
• Never leave your animals alone in a parked vehicle. It cant lead to fatal heat stroke.
• Do not leave pets unsupervised around a pool—not all dogs are good swimmers. Introduce your pets to water gradually and make sure they wear flotation devices when on boats. Rinse your dog off after swimming to remove chlorine or salt from his fur and try to keep your dog from drinking pool water, which contains chlorine and other chemicals.
• When the temperature is very high, don’t let your dog linger on hot asphalt. Being so close to the ground, your pooch’s body can heat up quickly, and sensitive paw pads can burn. Keep walks during these times to a minimum.

Please leave pets at home when you head out to Fourth of July celebrations, and never use fireworks around pets. Many pets are also fearful of loud noises and can become lost, scared or disoriented, so it’s best to keep your little guys safe from the noise in a quiet, sheltered and escape-proof area of your home.

Backpack Drive for Chino Neighborhood House

Every July Apollo purchases needed school supplies and we assemble fully equipped backpacks to help underserved students prepare for the school year.

Some of the supplies we purchase include colored pencils, glue, pencil boxes, notebooks, rulers, binders, paper, scissors, erasers, markers, pencils and pens and of course backpacks.

We’re planning to donate our fully assembled backpacks to the Chino Neighborhood House. Since 1945 the Chino Neighborhood House has worked to ensure that families in the Chino community have food on their tables as well as enabling students to be more successful in school and allowing seniors to live a healthy lifestyle.

Last year we donated 32 backpacks, this year we’re striving to donate 40 fully assembled backpacks! We also help this organization throughout the year by donating clothing and food to them.

If you’re interested in learning more about the Backpack drive, or to donate any supplies, please send an email to info@apolloins.net.

How to Pack a Car Safely

Summer is here and so are thoughts of hitting the road for a family vacation. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, nine out of 10 Americans drive to their travel destination.

If you’re among those planning to hit the road, remember that safe driving starts before you even leave the driveway. Securing luggage, maintaining vehicle balance and keeping clear lines of sight from the driver’s seat are key elements in packing your car safely for the long drive.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you load up your luggage, coolers and other vacation necessities:

• Load heavier items such as suitcases first, and toward the center. Lighter items, such as coolers, beach bags and groceries, can be packed on top of and to the sides of the heavier items.
• Make sure the weight is distributed evenly. Uneven weight can cause instability and increase the chance of the car tipping in the event of an accident.
• Don’t pack things too high—items packed too high may obstruct the driver’s view through the rear-view mirror. Also, items packed too high could shift forward and injure those in the back seat if you should stop suddenly.
• If you’re doing any rooftop or auxiliary cargo loading, make sure all cargo is fully secured. The wind created while driving could exceed 75 mph, which is equivalent to a Category 1 hurricane.
  • Be aware of the height of your cargo so you do not inadvertently drive into a low overhang.
  • If you use a detachable cargo platform on the back of your car, do not forget that it’s there when you back up.
  • Check the manufacturer’s instruction sheet to confirm that you don’t exceed the load rating of the roof-top or cargo platform.
• If you tow a trailer, make sure it’s in good condition (lights, tires, wheels, etc.), and check the trailer periodically during your trip.
• Pack only what you need since heavy cars can take longer to stop.

Your friends at Apollo Insurances wish you safe summer travels!

Bring summer into your home

Looking for a way to add some summer flair to your home décor? A vibrant splash of color is a simple, yet incredibly effective way of bringing the feel of summer into your home. This season, summer home decor is all about bright, saturated colors and you can achieve a summery decor look without having to spend serious amounts of time and money.

It could be a new set of bold, patterned throw cushions to liven up your chairs and sofas, some colorful books, or a new piece of artwork on the wall. However you choose to add a splash of color to your summer home decor trends, make sure it’s bright and cheerful. But if riotous color won’t look right in your home, consider more sober pastels and matte finishes to keep the look laid back yet energizing. And intriguing color combinations that pair a sensible neutral shade peppered with hits of color or animal prints also makes for a sound design direction, without having to take too much of a risk.

Adding a fresh coat of paint will also brighten up a room. For a more dramatic effect try having one main accent wall as your focal point.

Fresh summertime blooms will bring the outside in. Gather flowers from your garden and make a colorful arrangement as a centerpiece on your coffee or dining room table.

Have fun with it and you’ll enjoy summer that much more.