Holiday Season

As the days in December rush by, the end of 2012 is coming into view rather quickly.  Before that, though, we get to take time and celebrate Christmas!  Although many of you have had your homes decorated inside and out, some as early as Thanksgiving, please take a second look at outlets that have multiple cords or fixtures running into them.  This should be a joyous time of year for all, and we certainly don't want anyone to suffer a loss in their home that could have been easily avoided.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to those affected by the events in Connecticut on Friday.  We are deeply saddened by what happened and hope for strength for the family, friends and community affected by this tragedy.

Middle of October

Hard to believe it is the middle of October already.  Apple Harvest Festival here and gone, the runners at the YWCA Breast Cancer Awareness 5K had a chilly race on Saturday morning, but we finished up the weekend with some great weather. 

Upcoming this weekend is the Blue and Gray Half Marathon starting at Straban Township Park.  9a.m. start time through some beautiful Adams County countryside. 

Halloween is right around the corner.  Please be aware of trick-or-treat participants in neighborhoods walking and possibly in darker clothing and not as visible. Let's make sure all the kids, big and small, get home safely.

Have a great evening!

Seasonal

Things have become very seasonal here in Adams County.  The Pippen Fest in Fairfield came and went, the first weekend of the National Apple Harvest Festival is over, the mornings are much cooler, the leaves are changing, and the Halloween decorations are up.  What a great time of year here!  There is still time to check out a local corn maze, get some great locally grown apples, perhaps a pumpkin for the kids to draw on and have the parents carve, or just take a drive and enjoy the beauty of Adams County as the leaves change.  As we get closer to November, keep an eye out for our locally grown white tail deer population.  The next month or two are traditionally the worst time for vehicle accidents in Pennsylvania involving deer.  Take care, have safe travels, and enjoy this beautiful time of year!

Local events

We mistakenly forgot to mention Pippenfest in Fairfield this weekend in our blog post earlier this week.  Please add that to the list of upcoming events and stop by and support local vendors.  The following two weekends feature the National Apple Harvest Festival at the South Mountain Fairgrounds in Arendtsville.  The Breast Cancer Awareness 5K is at the YWCA Gettysburg/Adams County on Saturday, October 13.  Good luck to all the local high school football teams in action this weekend.  Enjoy the beautiful fall weather. 

Have a great weekend!

End of September

Summer was here and gone and we've moved on to fall here in Adams County.  The leaves are beginning to change, local fruits and vegetables are being harvested, and there is a slight chill to the air most mornings lately.  What a great time of year!

A few upcoming events to note.  The National Apple Harvest Festival will be at the South Mountain Fairgrounds the first two weekends in October.  The YWCA will be hosting a 5K run on Saturday, October 13, 2012, in Gettysburg.  Halloween festivities will be in full swing before you know it!

Fall is a great time of year to update things at your home as well.  Make sure the batteries in your smoke detector are functioning properly.  Does your furnace filter need replaced?  Has your chimney been cleaned?  Please take the time to do some routine checks on the safety of your home for you and all your other residents and guests.

Have a great day!

Middle of August

It's hard to believe it is the middle of August already.  At least the weather has been more tolerable this month than the brutal heat we were dealing with in July.  Kids will be going back to school or off to college shortly, and the end of summer will be quickly upon us.  Want to know about coverage for your college student's personal property when they go off to school?  Give us a call for a coverage review or quote and we will be glad to discuss coverage you already have, and make some recommendations for you.

It's still a great time to support your local growers.  Markets in the area are featuring some of the best produce around. 

The Heidlersburg Fireman's carnival started last night.  It's a wonderful place for family fun, great food, and a great night out.  Check it out if you get a chance.  The South Mountain Fair begins next week also!  September 8 is the 5K race at the rec park benefiting spinal cord injury research.  Early registration ends tomorrow!

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great weekend!

Adams County Summer Time

What a great time of year it is here in Adams County.  Fresh peaches are very abundant this year, the sweet corn has been great, squash, cantaloupe, and tons of other fresh fruits and vegetables look great.  Stop in at any local market and pick up some great fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables and support your local growers!  Adams county's signature apples should be here any day now as well. 

Summer is a great time for family and friends to gather and have picnics, parties, and all the fun things you can enjoy outdoors during this great season.  Along with summer and the humidity come some potentially dangerous thunderstorms.  We have had some pretty intense lightning, strong winds, and even flash floods as a result of these storms in our area.  It's always a good time to review your insurance policy and make sure you have adequate coverage should the weather cause damage to your home or car.  Give us a call or check out our website for a coverage review.  www.crsinsurance.com 

The Littlestown carnival is going on this week, followed by the Heidlersburg carnival next week, and the South Mountain Fair the week after that.  These events are a great chance to support local organizations in our area!

Have a great day!

August Already

It's hard to believe it is August already.  Where has the summer gone?  Vacation season is coming to a close, and in a few short weeks, the kids will be going back to school.  It's been a hot and dry summer for the most part, although our area has been fortunate enough to get much needed rain just in time for the most part.  Weather events haven't been as severe this year, at least to this point, and we're hopeful that trend continues.  With that being said, the latest update from the tropics indicates storms forming and possibly hurricane season starting to kick up a bit.  It could be a great time for a policy review or flood insurance quote.  Give us a call or check out our website www.crsinsurance.com for more information.

On the local front we have a few things coming up.  The Bendersville Fireman's Carnival started last night and runs through Saturday night.  Friday night will be fireworks!

There will be a 5K run on Saturday, September 8, 2012 at 9:00a.m.  The race will begin at the Gettysburg Recreation Park 545 Long Lane in Gettysburg.  The race will benefit SCI-FI (Spinal Cord Injury-Fighting Impairment).  Come out and run or walk for a great cause!

Middle of July

Gettysburg is very quiet today compared to the past two weeks or so.  Reenactors are here and gone, bike week participants are here and gone, and aside from a few tourists, it seems to be just us locals.  Speaking of local things to do, there are plenty of local events still coming up.  If you are looking for family friendly events, carnival season is here.  We will try to post a list of local fire company carnivals in the near future.  The Gettysburg Fireman's Carnival is here and gone, but there are plenty of other smaller local carnivals that offer great family fun.  There are also other events going on at the local wineries, such as concerts and special events all summer.  Take time to get out and support your local businesses that employ local people, and also support local volunteer organizations.

There will be a 5K race on Saturday, September 8th beginning at the Rec Park at 8a.m. to benefit Spinal Cord Injury research.  Please come out and attend or donate to this great cause.

Looking for a home, auto, life, or commercial insurance quote?  Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com  or give us a call.

Have a great day!

Middle of 2012

It's been an interesting year so far.  Currently we have wild fires burning in the west, flooding in Florida and surrounding areas, and severe storms up and down the east coast.  It seems like every year we are facing a new set of challenges thrown at us by mother nature.  Would you be properly covered if one of these disasters struck your home.  Have you thought about a flood insurance quote but just haven't made the time to call?  Why not give us a call for a coverage review to look at all your policies!

On a local note, reenactment week is here in Gettysburg.  This event will bring a lot of tourists to our town.  Please be careful with the additional foot traffic as well as congestion on our roads.  Let's make sure everyone has a safe and happy Independence Day.  Please be careful in your outdoor activites as well.  High temperatures and high humidity can make for difficult times if you are not properly hydrated. 

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com 

Have a great evening!

Summer is here

Summer arrived this week, and it wasn't hard to tell it was here.  Temperatures rose to the upper 90's and the heat index topped 100.  It was very uncomfortable outside for a couple days.  It was sad to say goodbye to spring, especially because it was much kinder to us this year than the past couple years.  Along with summer comes the threat of other severe weather however.  Hurricane season is here and, depending on what forecast you read, may possibly be another active year.  There is no better time than now to review your coverage and possibly get an idea of what a flood insurance policy may cost you.  It's always better to be prepared before disaster strikes. 

Along with the nice weather, there are some good local events going on.  The Gettysburg Festival just finished up with their celebration.  Now it is on to the Spirit of Gettysburg 5K race this weekend.  The race is forecast to bring 1,300 runners to our area for the event.  This is a wonderful local event, and the race offers something for all ages and abilities.  Contact the Gettysburg YWCA for more information.  There are also plans for a possible 5K happening in September, but we will release more details on that as they become available.

Give us a call or check out our website for a coverage review or quote.  www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great weekend!

Flag Day

The middle of June is upon us already.  Summer is right around the corner, and the heat and humidity seem to have arrived.  Flag day always seems to be a reminder for me that summer is just around the corner.  Locally, flag day has grown into a nice event with a fine ceremony performed by the Adams County Allied Veteran's Council.  The American Legion in Biglerville has hosted the event at their pavilion for the past several years.  Worn, torn, battered, faded, unservicable flags are collected all year long at Veteran's clubs in the area and are properly and honorably retired at this annual event.  If you have old, unservicable flags that you would like to see honorably retired, simply drop them by a local service club (American Legion, V.F.W., AmVets, Marine Corps League) and someone there would be glad to get the old flag into the proper hands to have it honorably retired on flag day.  The ceremony this year as always is at 7p.m. at the American Legion pavilion in Biglerville.  The ceremony lasts less than an hour, and is a worthwhile trip for spectators of all ages.

As we get closer to summer, please remember to be careful in your outdoor activities.  Drink plenty of water as the temperature and humidity rise.  We hope everyone enjoyed the spring, and we look forward to a great summer.  Looking for something active to do, check out the Spirit of Gettysburg 5K race on Saturday June 23, 2012.

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great evening!

Graduation

This is a big week in our area with high school graduation.  We would like to take this time to say congratulations to all the graduating seniors.  After 12 years of school and hard work by you, your teachers, administrators, coaches, and family, you've received your diploma.  Please take this time to enjoy your family and friends.  Some of these people you may never see again, some have become lifelong friends, and lots more people will come into your life in the coming months and years.  Social media now makes it much easier to keep in touch with people, no matter what the distance between you.  Be careful with such things though.  As great a communication tool as it is, the internet and social media open us up to dishonest people as well.  Use caution in the information you put out there about yourself and your family, and keep in mind that once something is posted, it is difficult or impossible to remove. 

Enjoy this time, celebrate your accomplishments, and embrace the next chapter in your life that is about to open.  Life keeps moving and doesn't stop and wait for anyone. 

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com  or give us a call.  What better time to look into life insurance than when you are young and healthy.

Have a great weekend!

Last day of May

This spring has certainly been much different than last year.  Although we have had our fair share of rain, and even some locally heavy downpours, we haven't had the flooding and damage we had last year.  I say that with a hopeful watch on the forecast for tomorrow which will bring potentially severe thunderstorms and heavy rains to our area.  As we head into June, we look forward to summer vacation season, travel, picnics, fireworks, parades, carnivals, and all the fun getting together with friends and family.  Please be careful in all your activities and travel.  Be aware of tourists and keep in mind they may not be aware of local traffic patterns, one way streets, traffic circles, etc.  Take a little extra time and caution to be aware of your surroundings, it may save an accident or something tragic from happening.  Be aware of increased walkers, runners, cyclists, and children at play now that the nicer weather is here and schools are letting out for the summer. 

Looking for an active event in the Gettysburg area, check at the Spirit of Gettysburg race sponsored by the YWCA.  The event will be held on Saturday, June 23, 2012 and has something for everyone from a 5K race to a children's fun run.  The event is sure to be fun for the whole family.

Travelling for the summer and have rental car questions, give us a call or check out our website www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great day!

National Bike to Work Day

Happy National Bike to Work Day!  What a beautiful day for it too.  It's been a beautiful spring here in adams county so far this year, and we're hoping the great weather continues.  Please be careful today as there are sure to be additional people riding to and from work on this special day.  It's always great to see people out getting some exercise, taking in the sights, and just enjoying the outdoors on a bike.  Some friendly advice to our two wheel commuting friends:  Always wear a helmet, properly signal so others are aware of your intentions, and be aware of your surroundings.  We hope that everyone can share the road, enjoy the time outdoors, and make it home safe and sound. 

While we are on the subject of being outside, getting exercise and staying healthy, there is no better time than now to check out life insurance rates.  Rates are best when you are in good health and taking great care of yourself.  Don't wait too long to start planning for the future or to prepare for the unexpected or unfortunate.  Give us a call or send us an email for a life insurance quote today.

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great weekend!

Mother's Day

It's hard to believe we are a third of the way through May already.  Mother's Day weekend is upon us and spring is in full swing.  Don't forget to take care of mom this weekend, even if it is something as simple as a phone call. 

With the warmer weather comes some additional risk and responsibility.  Be aware of road construction and the workers at active work sites.  Runners and bicyclists are more likely to be out this time of year, some of which wear bright, safe color clothing and others tend to just blend in a bit.  Children are outside playing later into the day.  Be aware through residential areas of children running into the street.  The younger people aren't always aware of traffic when chasing a ball or riding a bike or playing in general.  Please be careful so everyone gets home safely and we can all enjoy a safe and happy summer.

Give us a call or check out our website www.crsinsurance.com for a quote on homeowners insurance, auto insurance, life insurance, or commercial insurance.

Have a great day!

Proud Sponsor

We are proud to be the Gold Sponsor for the YWCA of Gettysburg and Adams County's 5 mile Race Against Racism tomorrow.  The course leaves the YWCA and runs past a portion of Gettysburg Battlefield, and through some beautiful residential areas.  It's always great to be able to sponsor local events such as these.  We look forward to seeing area runners out on a beautiful spring morning.  It's going to be a little cool in the morning, so dress appropriately. 

Things are beginning to get busier around Gettysburg.  Tourism season is getting closer, and local businesses are gearing up.  Local farms are in full swing with the fruit trees almost finished blossoming for the season.  Along with the warmer weather comes some road construction.  Please slow down in construction areas and be aware of workers in these areas.  Let's make sure everyone makes it home safely every day.

Spring is a great time to review your insurance coverage.  Give our office a call at 717-334-8118 for a review of your auto, home, life, or commercial insurance.  Also check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great weekend!

Tax Day!

Tax day is upon us already.  Hopefully you have completed your tax return and filed with all the necessary agencies, or at least filed for an extension.  Tax day is always a great time to review your finances and plan for the future.  How would your family move on in the future without you should the unexpected happen?  Contact us for a life insurance quote and we will be glad to sit down and go over a needs analysis with you to see how much coverage you should have to plan for your family's future.  Annuities also available for retirement planning and funding for the future. 

Enjoy the spring weather.  Be careful grilling and burning outside.  It's been an exceptionally dry spring and there are burn bans out already.  With the nice weather also comes motorcyclists and bicyclists on the road.  Please use caution and share the road.

Have a great evening! 

After Easter

Easter has come and gone and more seasonal weather is upon us.  Hopefully all the Easter eggs hidden in your yard were found and will not be chopped into tiny pieces as you go to mow this week.  It's hard to believe last year at this time we had more rain than we could handle, but this year we are seeing burn bans and forest fire warnings already.  Oh what a difference a year makes.  Please be careful with any outdoor burning or cooking you may be doing, especially with the windy conditions we've been experiencing.

Spring is a great time to review your home and auto insurance coverage.  Give us a call to review your current policy or to give you a quote on home or auto insurance.  We offer some great ERIE insurance products for qualified individuals, families, and businesses.  Give us a call at 717-334-8118 or send me an email.

As always you can check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great evening!

Bicyclists

Pennsylvania passed a new law going into effect today that motorists must give bicyclists a safe distance of 4 feet when passing.  Motorists are allowed to cross the center line assuming there is no oncoming traffic to give cyclist safe passage on our roadways.  Failure to yield the required 4 feet could result in a fine to the motorist.  Please be aware of cyclists while you are driving.  With the increasing fuel prices we are bound to see more and more bicycles on the road. 

We are enjoying a beautiful spring day in Gettysburg, and for the most part the forecast for the week looks pretty good as well.  Hope you all have your Easter plans made and are preparing for the upcoming holiday weekend.  Travel safely!

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great evening!

Changes

Pennsylvania is making some more changes trying to protect bicyclists on our roads.  We will go into more details on Monday regarding the new law and how it will affect drivers and cyclists.  Hopefully this will help protect our cyclists who are more or less defenseless along our roadways.  The ban on texting while driving should help as well, allowing motorists more time to focus on the road.  We hope the cyclists continue to obey the traffic laws as well and continue to signal their turns and wear bright colored clothing to be more easily noticed to motorists as well as a helmet.  We should all be able to operate safely on our roadways!

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great day!

First weekend of Spring

Hope everyone survived the first weekend of spring.  Friday was a beautiful day with much warmer than normal temperatures and just a wonderful day to get outside.  Saturday was pretty much a wash out with rain most of the day here in Gettysburg.  Sunday turned out to be a much better day than expected and actually got pretty nice out in the afternoon.  Peach blossoms were out in full force in Upper Adams County over the weekend with apple blossoms soon to follow.  The smell of fresh cut grass all through the air as a lot of yards were cut for the first time this year.  Spring is definitely here, but it looks like we may get back to more seasonal temperatures as the week goes on here.  Take time to enjoy all our surrounding area has to offer.  Check out a local greenhouse for all your spring flower needs.  www.taylorsgreenhouse.com offers some great products and a nice country drive to get there!

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com 

Have a great evening!

March 21, Another Gray Day

I was on vacation in Florida once and was asked where I was from.  I replied Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.  The gentleman replied "Ah, the gray state".  I wasn't sure what to think. amd he could tell by the puzzled look on my face I was confused.  He said "You have many more gray days than sunny days in a year there, especially compared to here".  How true his words were, and the past 2 days are just even more proof that he was right.  I haven't seen the sun yet today, and it didn't really make it's way out until late in the day yesterday.  Rumor has it we will have better weather tomorrow, but I will wait and see.  Big happenings in our little town last night as a presidential candidate stopped by and was greeted by a crowd mixed with supporters and protestors.  The event drew quite a crowd for a small town.  I'm sure that will be the hightlight of our week, but we shall see.

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great evening!

First Day of Spring

Well, the first day of spring was sort of a washout here in Gettysburg, but the weather seems to be improving closer to the end of the work day.  We are looking forward to a great spring.  Things are getting into full swing here in town, and the fun activities of spring are already upon us.  Gettysburg and Adams County will have blossoms of all sorts very shortly.  Peach blossoms should be along shortly, and Apple Blossoms will follow them.   What a beautiful time of year here.  We will be posting a few links to some local festivals and local greenhouses who help make our area even better during this great time of year. 

Check us out at www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great evening!

Last day of winter

Hard to believe it is the final few hours of winter upon us.  For our area, it's been one of the most mild winters on record.  Spring planting season will be upon us in no time, baseball games will be here, and cookouts will be in full swing.  Please take a bit of time and reflect on winter, and make some spring preparations before the craziness of the season takes over.  Check and/or replace the batteries in your smoke detectors.  Many times they are your first line of defense against disasters, and if when working correctly can save lives.  Check your grill to make sure it is in good working order.  Make sure your gas lines are not dry rotting and that all connections are secure.  We hope everyone had a wonderful winter, and we look forward to a great spring season!

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com

Brackets, Holidays, and Warmer Weather

March madness has arrived.  We hope you have all studied hard and come up with the perfect bracket, using a mix of upsets and favorites, and possibly even the battle tested flip of the coin or favorite color of uniform to make your selections!  It's a fun time of year.  The weather is getting better, it's daylight longer, and spring is right around the corner.  Along with all these good things and fun come a friendly reminder;  as you enjoy some fun watching basketball, celebrating St. Patrick's Day, or just get together for a picnic with friends, please celebrate responsibly and have a designated driver.  We would like all of you to be here safe and sound to celebrate more in the future.

Check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com

Have a great day!

Winter Weather

So much for winter weather.  It's been in the 70's the past few days and it looks like tomorrow will be more of the same.  Motorcycles are out and about as well as bicyclists and runners.  Please be careful on the roadways with the increased traffic and hazards that are out there.  We all want to enjoy the beautiful weather and we all take time to enjoy it in different ways.  We hope you all have a safe and enjoyable rest of winter.  Today marks the last Wednesday of winter, even though it hasn't felt like winter in quite some time here in Gettysburg, PA  anyway.

Have a great evening!

Spring

Welcome to spring, or at least it feels like it should be spring already!  Temperatures near 70 degrees today and heading over the 70 degree mark as the week goes on.  It's hard to believe spring is here already, but with the mild winter, it seemed to get here more quickly.  Know anyone with a lawn care or landscaping business?  Have them give us a call for an insurance quote, or have them check out our website at www.crsinsurance.com 

Congratulations to all our area wrestlers who were competing in the state championships this past weeked in Hershey.  Also, a thank you to those who participated in the Bubba Bash Volleyball Tournament.  This is a great fundraiser for the YWCA in our community. 

Have a great evening!

Insurance

Welcome to the CRS Insurance Inc. blog.  CRS Insurance Inc. is a firm of proven professionals; caring and conscientious people, the kind you can depend on.  We are committed to maintaining a high standard of excellence in all that we do and to establishing a firm relationship of mutual trust and service with each of our clients. 

Come visit our website at www.crsinsurance.com 

Give us a call for a quote on your home, auto, life, or commercial insurance.

Have a great weekend!