Name: Alliance Financial & Insurance
Address: 423 W Main St, Lowell, MI, 49331
Telephone: 616-897-1515

5 Tips for Preparing Your Car for Winter

Posted on October 17, 2018October 23, 2018 by Phalesha Kyes

Fall is just about here and that means the hardest season for your vehicle is around the corner. Winter takes its toll on many drivers, particularly if you haven’t taken the time to do some basic maintenance on your vehicle.

Here’s what you need to know to reduce your risks of getting into an accident in slippery conditions and to help you get more life out of your vehicle.

1. Check Your Tires. First, you’ll need to check the tread-wear on your tires. Take a penny and place it in between your tread, with Lincoln’s head facing up. If you can see Lincoln’s hair, you need new tires. You’ll also need to check your tire pressure to make sure it’s at the optimum level for your particular vehicle. If you live in an area with chronically bad winter weather, you may want to consider purchasing snow tires for the winter season.

Prepared for Winter — Is your Car ready for Winter?

2. Replace Your Windshield Wipers. This is one thing that many car owners miss, and it can have serious consequences. The elements are hard on your wipers, and they should be changed twice a year, in spring and fall. Don’t forget to change the wiper on your back window if you have one!

3. Change Your Oil. As the weather cools down, you’ll need to make sure you’re using the right viscosity of oil. If you change your own oil, check your owner’s manual to make sure you’re using the recommended oil. If you’re having it done for you, just ask the shop to provide you with oil that’s right for winter.

4. Check Your Battery. The last thing you need when it’s cold is to end up stranded somewhere. Take your battery to a shop and have it checked to make sure it’s got enough power to get you through winter. If you’re getting your oil changed, many shops will even throw in a battery check for free.

5. Check Your Antifreeze. After the long, hot summer season, you’ll also need to make sure you’ve got the right levels of water and antifreeze in your car. The ideal mix is 50/50. It’s best to have the professionals take care of this one for you, unless you have experience in checking your antifreeze.

These five simple steps will help keep your car running smoothly all winter and reduce the risk of getting into an accident or needing a tow.

Have more questions on your options for vehicle insurance and what you can do to lower your premiums and reduce your claims? Give us a call today at 616-897-1515

Alliance Insurance

10 Insurance Claims You Didn’t Know Existed

Posted on October 11, 2018October 18, 2018 by admin

10 Claims You Didn’t Know Existed

When we ask people about Umbrella policies, they almost never know what we’re talking about. The thing about Umbrella policies is that they cover a TON of intriguing and unusual scenarios. For your own amusement, we’ve provided some surprising claim examples that are 100% REAL.

Example 1: A babysitter left a 5 month old infant unattended in a walker. The infant toppled the walker, struck her head on the floor, and suffered brain damage. The parents of the infant sued the teenage babysitter AND her parents. The court awarded the infant’s parents $11,000,000.

Example 2: An insured’s daughter hated math class as well as the teacher. The daughter made several disparaging and false remarks about her teacher online. The teacher sued the parents for personal injury and $750,000 was paid.

Example 3: The insured’s 18 year old son was driving the insured’s car on a short trip to the store with his girlfriend. He lost control of the car and struck a tree. The insured’s son told the police that a vehicle cut him off, but there were no witnesses and no evidence of any impact with another car. His girlfriend, a 19 year old college student, was hospitalized for over a month with multiple fractures and internal injuries. She was in a wheelchair but is now able to walk with crutches and continues with physical therapy. She has a right drop foot as a result of the injuries. The insured’s personal umbrella policy limit was paid.

Example 4: A 28 year old engineer dove into a friend’s above ground swimming pool, struck his head on the bottom and, as a result became a quadriplegic. He sued both the homeowner and the pool manufacturer. The court found the homeowner to be 60% responsible and the pool manufacture to be 40% responsible, and awarded $10,000,000.

Example 5: The insured’s tenant claims she became ill from carbon monoxide poisoning resulting from a faulty furnace. The tenant claimed permanent brain damage and demanded $750,000.

Example 6: A teenager, who was destined for greatness as a softball player, filed a $700,000 lawsuit against her former coach, alleging his “incorrect” teaching style ruined her chances for an athletic scholarship.

Example 7: A hillside on the insured’s property was covered with concrete to prevent erosion. The concrete had been installed before the insured purchased the property. Approximately 5 feet of the concrete fell to the neighboring property knocking the claimant’s home from its foundation. The resulting claim was settled for $970,000.

Example 8: The insured permitted several of her children and their friends to play paintball in her large back yard. The children were experienced and advised of all the safety rules including the use of headgear at all times. A participant removed her headgear as she was leaving the field in order to better hear someone calling her name. The minor claimant was his in the eye resulting in a $475,000 settlement.

Example 9: The insured hosted a beach party for their daughter. One of the attendees found what was believed to be an empty and discarded propane tank. The tank was thrown into a beach bonfire and subsequently exploded resulting in severe injuries to several guests. A $20,000,000 claim was filed alleging the insured failed to properly supervise the party.

Example 10: A couple hosted a party for their teenage children. They did not provide any alcohol, but it was brought by some of the guests and was available. After leaving the party, one of the guests was severely injured in an auto accident, and the injury was attributed to his consumption of alcohol. This case went to the State Supreme Court which decided that anyone who sells or furnishes alcohol to a minor is responsible for the minor’s injuries as well as any injuries caused by the minor. The opinion of the court was that the homeowners should have prevented the consumption of alcohol by minors on their premises. Both the homeowners and personal umbrella policies responded to this claim.

After reading through these different scenarios you’re probably slightly shocked and what some of these people have gotten sued for and who was truly at fault for the situations. Most of these sound “totally unfair”. These are EXACTLY why it’s so important to have an umbrella policy.

Umbrella Policy: An umbrella policy is an excess liability policy. This means that it offers additional coverage for property you already have covered. So in the case of a lawsuit, if the underlying policy’s liability coverage is exhausted, the umbrella coverage will kick in. Umbrella coverage often includes a wider array of scenarios as well. Umbrella policies can be purchased by the million. So you can have a $1 million, $2 million or $3 million. You can sometimes go even higher with this coverage as well.

Umbrella policies are usually about $20-$25 per month and can add a multi policy discount onto your underlying policies as well so if you’re interested in getting a quote for this then be sure to give us a call!

616-897-1515.

Medicare Open Enrollment

Posted on October 4, 2018October 23, 2018 by admin

Medicare open enrollment begins ‎10‎/‎15‎/‎2018

What is the annual Open Enrollment Period (OEP)??

It is the time of year that every person over the age of 65 receives lots of extra mail and hears many confusing radio and TV commercials. Such an exciting time of year! Oh, but there is an actual purpose to this event people refer to as Medicare season. The Open Enrollment Period runs from October 15^th through December 7^th.

What Changes Can You Make During the 2019 Medicare Open Enrollment?

Do nothing and your current Medicare coverage will automatically renew in 201
Enroll in, leave or change your Medicare Part D drug plan
Switch from Traditional Medicare to a Medicare Advantage plan
Switch from a Medicare Advantage Plan back to Traditional Medicare
Change from one Medicare Advantage Plan to another

Good Reasons to Change Your Plan

You may be wondering: what would be a good reason to change your Part D plan or Medicare Advantage plan in 2019? Here are some of the most common reasons that plans change during Medicare Open Enrollment:

Your plan is dropping one of your important medications next year. Your Annual Notice of Change letter will specifically list any changes to its drug formulary for next year. The plan must disclose if they are dropping any medications. They must also tell you if a medication is moving to a more expensive tier for next year. If you take a brand name medication now that won’t be covered the next year, you may want to change during the OEP to another drug plan that will.

Your Medicare Advantage plan is dropping your doctor from its network. Unlike Medigap plans, Medicare Advantage plans have a network of doctors. If one of your doctors is leaving the plan’s network, you can use the Medicare OEP to switch to another plan that your doctor still participates in.

Your plan has a drastic change in premium. Please note that the key word here is “drastic.” Inflation happens to medical insurance plans just like it does to auto insurance plans. If your auto insurance goes up $3/month next year, would you go to the hassle of changing it? Probably not. Likewise, if the only thing changing on your drug plan is a small increase in premium, you probably won’t have to switch. But if your drug plan goes up $20/month, you might look to see if any other plan is cost effective.

Here is a handy checklist of things to think about during this OEP:

During open enrollment we have extended our hours to ensure we help each customer. If you want to set up a time to meet, we are available for standard business hours of 8:30am to 5:00 pm, evening and Saturday times are available by appointment only.

Do you have a Medicare Advantage Plan?
Are you aware of the changes for 2019?
Do you want to switch plans or carriers?
Do you need to re-enroll for 2019?
Are you happy with your prescription drug coverage?
Do you need extra coverage?

Have you heard from your Medicare insurance agent this year? Do you have a Medicare insurance agent?

You might be wondering why is have a Medicare insurance agent important; it is important, so you always have an advocate working on your side. Medicare insurance agents go through training each year to be able to compare many different products, so they can help advise their clients accurately about changes and new benefit offerings.

You might think it is completely normal to never hear from your agent since they originally signed you up; Sadly, that is how most agents operate. We at Alliance Financial & Insurance are not like most agents. We communicate with our clients throughout the year and send out letters announcing open enrollment changes and offer to sit down together to walk through the changes together.

You might say to yourself, I can call my insurance company customer service if I have a problem; Insurance agents have different lines of communicates that we can utilize to help get problems resolved for our clients. By being the go to for problems throughout the year, means that we stay in contact with our clients and provide the level of customer service that each Medicare member deserves.

Are you worried it will cost you more money to have any insurance agent? There is NO charge to utilize the services of an agent. If you are not happy with your current agent, it costs you nothing to switch agents. The process is very simply to make a change. If you are not happy or don’t have an agent, give us a call….

If you need help and want to talk to our Medicare Specialist, please give Chris a call 616-897-1515 Ext. 119.

WE ARE ALWAYS HERE TO HELP!

Time for Tailgating

Posted on September 28, 2018October 23, 2018 by admin

Football Time of Year

Football is one of the most exciting parts of fall! Not just the game itself, but the idea of cheering on your favorite team and using that good competitive spirit. Along with the football game, come many other activities. Football isn’t just a sport, it’s a lifestyle. You’re going to have a TON of cookouts and tailgates to attend. At that point you’ll be mostly worried about your jersey, your foam finger, and your dish to pass but don’t forget all of the other things that we tend to put out of sight and out of mind on game day.

When going to the game or the tailgate, make sure you have the correct coverage on your vehicle. An accident in a parking lot (regardless of who’s fault in may have been) will always go back on your own insurance for your vehicle’s damages. Make sure you’re insured correctly because even if you’re a great driver, the person next to you may not be. You’ll want to call your agent and discuss your coverages if you have any questions, that’s what we’re here for!

All of these parties and get-togethers are a good call for an umbrella policy. These are fairly cheap and provide a ton of additional coverage (contact your agent). An umbrella policy would help you to rest a little easier if there are people in your home drinking beer during the game. Or if someone gets a little too rowdy and says something offensive to a fan of the opposing team. There’s a lot of uncharted area when it comes to alcohol and competitive sports so an umbrella policy may be a good idea.

Whoever is in charge of grilling is going to need to be someone who won’t be distracted by the game. Not only, do you want to make sure that the food gets cooked properly but you also want to make sure that safety is on their mind. You never want to leave a grill unattended once it’s lit/hot. There are kids and pets around and it’s just better to keep an eye on that. In the event of a grease fire, it’s important to remember that you should NEVER throw water on a grease fire. Baking Soda is a life saver when it comes to grease fires, make sure everyone in the cooking area on game day knows this. You don’t want your drunk friend throwing water a grease fire while you’re reaching for the baking soda because that would be a hot mess.

Now that we’ve been through all the boring, adult stuff, share your recipe for your favorite dish to pass! We all have one thing that’s out “go-to” for a pot luck. Share it with us!

Have a fun and safe weekend, and GO BLUE!

Autumn Activities

Posted on September 21, 2018October 23, 2018 by admin

Autumn Activities

Michigan is lovely in the fall and the leaves are just starting to turn their many different shades of yellow, orange and red. The cooler weather is bringing in some Apple Orchard excitement along with it. Fresh, breathable air, calls for outdoor activities! We all need to get our fill of the outdoors quick before the snow comes!

Fall is one of my personal favorites! It’s bringing in the holiday season and that’s so exciting! Get out the decorations and your long sleeves again, it’s time for fall! Not only are we celebrating the cooler weather and changing of colors on the trees but we’re also prepping for winter.

We’ve made a list of things going on in the Grand Rapids area. These are things that are only happening this fall and you’ll want to get them in before it’s too chilly outside!

Artprize: Everyone knows about Artprize. This is the world’s largest public art event and one of Michigan’s favorite times of year. This is a perfect time to get some exercise and fresh air walking around downtown GR. Grab a coffee and get your creative spirit flowing, fall trees there’s TONS of art to see and of all kinds! Sometimes you even get to see the artist! This is going on now through Oct 7 so you’ll want to head down when you get a chance!

Corn maze: These are good for family and friends! Take a group of people and get to work! You can go to a haunted corn maze, or just a normal corn maze and you’ll have fun either way! A perfect place to go, if you’re looking for a family event, is to Heidi’s in Lowell. Not only do they have the BEST donuts, but they also have a fun filled corn maze!

Apple orchard: There are also plenty of these, you can google search and there will probably be plenty in your area. If you’re looking for the best one then head over to Robinette’s in Grand Rapids. You won’t be disappointed! Donuts, cider, wine and pumpkins will get you in the holiday spirit real quick!

Football game: In the American spirit, you’ll want to attend (or watch) at least one football game. Take a trip down memory lane back to your school days while cheering for your favorite teams! Embrace your competitive side and go enjoy a night under the lights!

Pumpkin patch: This idea is similar to that of the apple orchard, get outside and celebrate the season! Pick out your décor pumpkins and don’t forget to get some for carving! Save the pumpkin seeds to make yourself a tasty treat afterwards. Send us photos of your pumpkin creations!

Fall Festival: there are plenty of fall festivals to go around. Craft shows are starting and you’ll need your fall décor. Fall Festivals are a great way to get together with your community and celebrate the season!

Fall Color Tour: Take a self-guided color tour of Michigan’s brightest trees this fall! Some excellent places are the Lowell/Ada area and (of course) our lovely Grand Rapids. This is an opportune time for a photo shoot. Whether there’s a special occasion or not, it’s never a bad idea to take some photos this time of year.

Haunted House: These may not be for everyone but they sure can be thrilling! If you’re looking for a heart racing adventure, this is for you. Go get your socks scared off and your adrenaline pumping. You can choose a lower level haunted house or the huge 4-story terrifying one. Bond with your friends and family through this spooky experience!

This is my personal Fall Bucket List, please comment anything that you’d add to make it your own! We’d love to hear your ideas and add them to our list!

Happy Autumn!

Wedding Season

Posted on August 31, 2018October 23, 2018 by admin

Wedding Season

For most of us, wedding season is an exciting and joyous time of year for us to celebrate and go to fancy parties. We go shopping and plan out exactly what to wear. If we’re spending so much time on the wedding then we need to make sure that we’re getting all of the appropriate coverages as well.

An unfortunate accident can turn the best day of your life into a disaster in all but 30 seconds. This is easily preventable by calling your insurance agency and going over the details. Depending on where you’re having the wedding, if there’s going to be alcohol at the wedding, the rules of your reception hall, and any additional coverages you may need to add for your own comfort and peace of mind.

If you are having alcohol at your wedding/reception you will need a liquor liability policy. These are usually pretty cheap and only for the Big Day. This is more of a “need” than a “want”. You never know what will happen with alcohol and your guests. It’s usually out of your control. This policy will protect you and usually your reception hall will require this anyway.

You’ll want to schedule your rings (or any other expensive wedding gifts or jewelry) onto your home policy to guarantee coverage for those high value items. Many people assume that all of their jewelry is covered no matter what, however, high value items require special coverage AND scheduling an item on your policy includes special perils so you’ll be covered from a wider array of situations. Keep colored photos and appraisals on hand and be sure to submit them to your insurance company as well. According to Trusted Choice, 96% of stolen jewelry is never recovered. Don’t take the chance of being the 4% that does recover the jewelry.

Wedding Traditions Explained:

1. The origin of the “First Look” concept started during the time of arranged marriages, where it was believed that if the bride and groom saw each other before the big day, they would have enough time to call off the wedding.

2. The origin of the Bridesmaids are quite different from what they are today. They originally wore similar dresses as the bride and walked close by to confuse any exes or “evil spirits” that may have come for the bride. They would also serve as a protective shield while walking the bride to the groom’s village in order to keep anyone from trying to hurt the bride or steal her dowry.

3. The Best Man used to play quite a different role than they do presently. Way back when, the duty of the best man was to ensure that the runaway bride didn’t escape from the wedding. When the bride’s parents didn’t approve of the union, the best man was asked to make sure the groom would be able to take his bride regardless of how her father felt. The term “best man” came from this because they were usually the strongest and fastest in order to effectively do his job.

4. Up until about 1840, brides traditionally wore a red wedding dress. It was Queen Victoria who went against the trend and wore white. The idea caught on, and now white is the traditional color for a wedding dress.

5. The origin of the honeymoon is also much different than present day meaning. The honeymoon was used by the groom to hide his bride from her tribe for about a month so that they wouldn’t know where to find her if any “rescue missions” were planned. Similar to the idea of the best man and his duties during the ceremony. This helped ensure that the groom could keep his bride and no escapes or kidnappings would occur.

For more wedding traditions explained, visit this website for many more! https://www.southernliving.com/weddings/history-wedding-traditions#origin-of-bride-carried-over-threshold-getty-image

Share your wedding stories with us!

Life Insurance

Posted on August 31, 2018October 23, 2018 by admin

Do I actually need life insurance?

It’s Life Insurance Awareness Month! We’re raising awareness here and we want to help you with ALL of your insurance needs.

Let’s face it, society buys insurance for their bodies, homes, vehicles, recreational toys and even their animals but hesitate to buy life insurance to protect their family’s future. Why is that? Life insurance is one of the greatest gifts you can ever give your family. 71% of people say they need life insurance yet only 59% have a policy.

Many people say, “I have a policy through work.” If your employer provides you with a life insurance policy, that is a wonderful benefit however, what happens when you leave that job or (heaven forbid) lose that job? You also lose that policy. Purchasing your own policy is best so no matter what obstacles life throws at you, your life insurance policy will remain intact and you will have the comfort and peace of knowing that your family is protected in event of an accident.

So why are people so hesitant about purchasing life insurance?

1. It’s too expensive. Not true, it is too expensive to not have life insurance. If you are proactive and purchase a policy in your 20’s, 30’s or 40’s you will pay far less and will be able to lock in your low price for up to 30 years. If you wait until you are in your 50’s and 60’s, it will certainly cost you more. See the sample rates below:

Age	Gender	$250,000; 30 year term policy
25	Male	$22.00/month
25	Female	$18.00/month
35	Male	$26.00/month
35	Female	$22.00/month
45	Male	$57.00/month
45	Female	$45.00/month
55	Male	$155.00/month
55	Female	$109.00/month

** All rates are subject to underwriting approval

** Preferred Non-smoking rates shown above

2. I don’t want to have a medical exam. The sooner you buy life insurance the more likely it is that you will not have a medical exam. Technology has improved in the world of insurance underwriting and many applicants are able to secure life insurance without having to submit to a medical exam. If you do need to have a medical exam, the exam is done in the comfort of your own home and is not invasive. They take your weight, a small amount of blood, a urine sample and take your blood pressure. The process is fast and no charge to the customer.

Those are the top two reasons why people wait to purchase life insurance. Hopefully we have demonstrated that it is not in your best interest to wait. You never know what the future holds. It is better to be 5 years early purchasing your life insurance policy, than 5 seconds too late.

Give Chris, our life insurance specialist, a call today for your free no obligation quote. 616-897-1515 x 119

Labor Day 2018

Posted on August 31, 2018October 23, 2018 by admin

Summer is coming to a close and autumn is almost here!

It’s our last weekend to get the family out for a camping trip before it’s too cold. The days are starting to get shorter and the flannel and boots are coming out of Lake Day storage. Make sure you take your time and enjoy this Labor Day with friends and family. Sleep in, have a good breakfast, and get outside to seize the day! Who doesn’t love a three day weekend?!

Whether it’s taking a relaxing, secluded vacation with your friends and family or going to a big event for the weekend, this is the last holiday weekend for summertime so be sure to soak it all up!

No matter where you are in Michigan, there’s plenty of festivals and other fun events to attend! Let us help you out with some ideas for the holiday!

We have (my personal favorite) the Michigan Chicken Wing Festival in Lansing: not only can we celebrate chicken wings with our loved ones but you can also join the chicken wing tastings to help determine which vendor has the best wings.

Marquette Blues Fest: If you enjoy Pure Michigan and some good Blues music then this is for you! There will also be a beer and wine tent, plenty of food vendors, and workshops! Don’t miss out!

Salsa Festival at Harbor Beach: Go out on the beach and taste all sorts of homemade salsas! The salsa will be amazing and when you’re finished you can enjoy the quiet town and peaceful atmosphere.

Labor Day Truck Parade and Ice Cream Social in Holland: If you have children, this is the place for you! Come down to see the big trucks and have some sweet dessert!

There are all also Bridge Walks all over the state! This is a great way to get outdoors and get some fresh, clean air while spending time with friends and family. There are bridge walks in Mackinac, Saugatuck, Charlevoix, Cedar River, Traverse City, and Grand Haven. Don’t miss out on these opportunities to get some exercise and spend some quality time with friends!

While celebrating this weekend, make sure you insure your travel trailer and take all the necessary precautions while driving. It’s going to be a busy weekend because of the holiday so you’ll want to be careful of those around you. We also have a list of travel tips for you on our blog from last year. Check these out if you’re going on a road trip this weekend.

You’ll need to insure all of your recreational vehicles that you use this weekend, just to be safe. You can always put them back into storage after the holiday but this way, you’re covered. Recreational vehicles can include travel trailers, RV’s, quads, ATV’s, side by sides, motorcycles, antique autos, and boats.

Pink Arrow 2018

Posted on August 24, 2018October 23, 2018 by admin

Pink Arrow Pride 2018

For those of us driving down Main Street in Lowell, we are all aware of the bold, hot pink t shirts hanging on both sides of the street! We ALL know what this Pink Arrow Pride means… it’s Pink Arrow season! Our favorite time of year and our biggest football game of the season! This will take place on August 30^th (yes, a Thursday) and will be up against Rockford High School!

Don’t worry, there are PLENTY of exciting activities leading up to the game for everyone to enjoy. We have Pink Arrow games for all Fall Sports so feel free to attend one of your choosing, they will all be exciting! On September 8^th the 2018 Quiver 5k Run will be held in download Lowell. NEW this year is the Kid’s 1 mile Fun Run at 9:30am for only $15. For more info visit: http://pinkarrowpride.org/page8/page8.html

Don’t forget to purchase your PINK shirt to get in the game free and cheer on your home town football team while supporting a good cause! Kickoff for the football game is at 7 pm but the Pink Arrow activities will start that day (Thursday, August 30^th) after school until the end of the game. There will be plenty of things to participate in so go and have a blast while hanging with friends and supporting a good cause with your community! What a great way for Lowell to stand out as a community, let’s embrace that and show everyone what Lowell is about!

Pink Arrow Pride focuses on raising awareness for the treatment and cure of many different forms of cancer. A huge part of this is in honor of a former Lowell teacher and coach who lost her battle with cancer, Kathy Talus, and Dr. Gerard who dedicated 30+ years to Lowell Student Athletes.

FOR MORE INFO: http://www.pinkarrowpride.org/

Another festival coming up fast is the Fallasburg Arts Festival! It’s at Fallasburg Park and on September 15-16 from 10 am – 5 pm each day. Plenty of food, crafts, arts and fun to be had! For more info visit: https://www.lowellartsmi.org/fallasburg-arts-festival

Share your favorite part of Pink Arrow Season with us! Whether it’s your favorite activity or just a funny story, we want to hear it!

Please share or tag us in your Pink Arrow photos so we can see how much fun you’re having!

We’re SO excited and we’ll see you all next Thursday at the Pink Arrow Pride Football Game!

Back to School

Posted on August 10, 2018October 23, 2018 by admin

It’s our favorite time of year at Alliance! School is starting, and that means that football is starting too! Make sure you get all of the back to school deals and your child is ready to go this year. You want your child prepped for success and confident on their first day! This year, our schools are starting sooner than they ever have before so we all feel somewhat rushed. It’s time to relax, we’ve created your back to school shopping list for you!

– Pencil pack (at least 5, these break often and get lost easily) crayons

– Pens (see above)

– Pencil/pen bag

– Highlighters (2, different colors)

– 3 ring binder

– Loose leaf paper

– Loose leaf graph paper

– Notebooks (probably 3 will do)

– Index cards

– Plastic folders (MUCH more durable, worth the extra $1.50)

– Ruler

– Calculator

– Planner or calendar (keep track of assignments and practices)

– Backpack

– Lunch box

EXTRA CREDIT – it’s always kind to bring some extra supplies for the classroom too. Tissues, dry erase markers, colored pencils, staples, etc. There are many classroom essentials that the state no longer provides and teachers are responsible for getting. Many hands make light work, if everyone pitches in and donates a little to the classroom then your child’s classroom environment will be a much more positive place. This way the teacher can start off the year right and your child can get the education they deserve!

For those of us in Lowell, be sure to check the school website for all events coming up! It’s the start of busy season and we want to be prepared! http://www.lowellschools.com/

All Lowell sports schedules can be found here: https://redarrowathletics.com/events

Don’t forget – the Lowell Pink Arrow game is on August 30^th and we’re up against Rockford, come support your home town and a good cause!

What are you most excited for this school year? Let us know!

Alliance Financial & Insurance

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5 Tips for Preparing Your Car for Winter

10 Insurance Claims You Didn’t Know Existed

Medicare Open Enrollment

Time for Tailgating

Autumn Activities

Wedding Season

Life Insurance

Labor Day 2018

Pink Arrow 2018

Back to School

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