By David Daggett on 8/25/2008 6:54 AM

A Pink Evening

      Saturday night was a special night at Ernie Shore Field for the Winston-Salem Warthogs and our community. It was "Pink in the Park" night,  a benefit for breast cancer research, and a celebration of    breast cancer survivors.

      Our Lewis and Daggett team had a large contingent in attendance, and we were a corporate sponsor of the event. A night at the ballpark is always a great time for family fun. Our group had a great time, and it appeared that everyone else did too.

      Members and supporters of our local Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation were a delight to work with. They had a true passion for the cause and put all their efforts into making the evening a success. Likewise, we were proud of the passion our L & D team displayed at the ballpark helping out and promoting the cause.

      Of course, pink was the color of the evening. We were struck by the number of men and women who wore pink to support the cause. The survivors group shared a commonality, a "never give up" attitude, and an appreciation for the event.

      The Warthogs organization did a terrific job of hosting the event and giving support to the cause. The players even wore pink jerseys! The whole event served as visible recognition of and support for the families, patients, and survivors of breast cancer.

      We were proud to be part of the event. Our staff even got me to wear a pink shirt for the first time! After all, it was for a good cause :-)!

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By David Daggett on 8/18/2008 6:45 AM

Never Give Up

      Wow! The Olympic Games have been spectacular - and we are only half way through! It seems everyone is watching and talking about the events. Perhaps we all "participate" in our own way. And, there are metaphoric lessons for all of us.

      Did you watch or read about the men’s 4 x 100 freestyle rely? How do we respond when the chips are down? Do we keep going or do simply give in.

        Jason Lezak gave us something to remember. To set the stage, he was swimming the anchor leg of the relay and was a body length behind when he started. The French team had the lead and had their former world record holder in the water.  The chances seemed slim.

      Lezak is rather unknown. At 32, he was the oldest of the male swimmers. He could have been content and happy with a silver medal. He could have just gone hard, and no one would have questioned him. It seems that just being content wasn’t the plan for Lezak.

      With 50 meters, one length, to go, Lezak, the USA, and Michael Phelps’ dreams were still a body length behind. At 25 meters it still seemed out of reach. Then, Lezak dug deeper. Could it be possible? Yes, at the end by eight one-hundredths of a second he did it. His split of 46.06 was faster than the world record at the distance of 47.50.

      We all probably need to watch our tongues at times. French swimmer Alain Bernard, who was overtaken by Jason Lezak in the final 50 meters of the race, had said in an earlier interview when asked about their competition: "The Americans? We're going to smash them, that's what we came here for." We better watch what we say!     

      The lessons also include teamwork. None of us can do it alone. Even Michael Phelps needed the extraordinary efforts of teammates to swim into the record books, and sports immortality. Don’t we all need the support of others?

      This next week is sure to bring more lessons. Please stay tuned. We’ll likely review more lessons next week.

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By David Daggett on 8/11/2008 6:51 AM

Always Finish!

     The Olympics are here and have started. We always enjoy watching the Olympics. Moreover, there are always lessons that we learn.

     With the games starting this past weekend I was reminded of an incredible story of "Finishing." Derek Redmond injured his hamstring during a heat for the 400-meter race in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. His father helped him from the ground then went on to help his son finish the race. He came in dead last, but he showed to all of us that finishing is important.

     When Derek's father reached his side, he said "I'm here, son, we'll finish together." In an interview after the race, Derek said "I wasn't doing it for the crowd, I was doing it for me. I'm the one who has to live with it. Whether people thought I was an idiot or a hero, I wanted to finish the race."

     Finishing is important, and sometimes we all need a little help. We try to always remember, and do that, here at Lewis and Daggett. More importantly, we are so proud of our clients who "Finish." We discussed Amazing People earlier this year. Diane and Grady stopped by this past week - they look great! They are using their computer more, and still have those great smiles. They certainly know how to "finish."

     We are fortunate to be able to work with people who are seriously injured, disabled, or hurt at work who still know how to finish. They, like Derek Redmond know that finishing is important, and have personal honor in knowing that they keep going.

     The Olympics are sure to be inspirational and exciting. We can’t wait to see the important lessons yet to be learned from this year’s Olympic games.

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By David Daggett on 8/4/2008 6:55 AM

Buckle Up

     Please help us keep our children, families and friends safe. Failure to wear safety belts is a greater contributing factor in deaths than any other safety related behavior in our lives.

Children in our L & D Family

     In North Carolina it is now the law that all passengers, both front and back seat, must wear seat belts.

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By David Daggett on 7/28/2008 6:47 AM

Don’t Be Distracted

      "Distracted Driver Awareness Week" was held last month in an effort to educate motorists on safe driving. According to a report by the National Highway Safety Administration, about 80% of accidents are caused by driver inattention. The report also said that about 65% of all near-crashes involved some sort of driver inattention.

 

      Did You Know?

• 98% of Americans claim to be safe drivers
• 72% of all drivers admit to partaking in some form of distracting behavior while driving
• The most common "distracting behaviors" include: cell phone use, eating, drinking, changing the music in the car

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By David Daggett on 7/21/2008 6:53 AM

Going Green

      It seems we are all looking for ways to save energy and help the environment. Although law firms don’t consume as large amounts of resources as some industries, at Lewis & Daggett we are continuing to try to do our part.

      Maybe you have seen part of our efforts around the Triad! Above is our L & D "Green" Errand Machine. We run a lot of errands and make a lot of public service and client convenience visits. Our hybrid vehicle saves on fuel, is fun, and helps remind others to try to be efficient.

      When we first looked into doing more toward Going Green, we wanted to focus on areas that have the biggest impact. Those areas include reducing our trips, saving electricity, and recycling.

      One thing that law firms use lots of is paper. We are truly a paper pushing business. For several years we have been recycling all of our used paper. We have an outside shredding and recycling service that comes twice a month to empty our five large recycling bins. Of course this also helps us keep confidential information confidential.

       We are also making a concerted effort to recycle cans and bottles. Again, in this areas there are dual purposes. We have found the children of our L & D team are often involved in recycling efforts to raise money for clubs, events, and causes. We are glad to be helping them along in their efforts.

      Certainly we all have a duty to help the future of our fuel resources and our environment. At L & D we are glad to be a small part in these efforts and look forward to future progressive opportunities and efficiencies. Won’t you join us?

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By David Daggett on 7/14/2008 6:53 AM

Blog Anniversary

      One year ago this month we started this Blog as part of our Lewis& Daggett web site. It has been a way for us continue to connect with our community and friends.

      We never imagined we would have so many folks join us. For our anniversary, let’s review a list the top ten posts from this past year.

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By David Daggett on 7/7/2008 6:05 AM

A Tribute

      This past week our Lewis & Daggett Team participated in a really special event. Wednesday evening was the 2^nd Annual Rusty Harpe Memorial Race at Caraway Speedway. It was an evening we will remember for a long time.

   

      Rusty Harpe was the driver of the #71 Late Model Stock Car at Caraway Speedway. He was tragically killed in a farming accident in January of 2007. Rusty’s father, Chip Harpe, put this race together, along with his wife Lynn and many family friends, to honor his son.

      Rusty was a much loved part of the racing community. The drivers, crew, and track support personnel are a tight-knit group who care about and support each other. Through Rusty and the whole Harpe family we were able share a experience a special bond with this community.

      All of us at Lewis & Daggett were proud to be part of this event since we are long time friends with the Harpe family, and I was personally acquainted with Rusty. We enjoyed a great evening, a fun family event, and a tribute to Rusty. We were honored just to be part of it.

      The evening was truly a memorable event and a special evening. The folks at the track treated us like family. The 35 of members of our Lewis and Daggett team who attended the race were proud that we could play a small part in such a special event.

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By David Daggett on 6/30/2008 6:48 AM

Independence Day

     July 4, 1776 was a day the changed the future of mankind. We tend to forget about that even on the annual 4^th of July celebration unless we stumble upon a reminder that reminds us just how important this date really is.

     Yesterday we heard a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence while attending the oldest 4^th of July celebration in the country, right here locally in Bethabara. The reenactment was clear illustration of the high privilege it is to live in the home of the brave and the land of the free.

     The impact of our Independence literally changed the course for individual freedom and opportunity. It also places upon all of us an obligation to protect these treasures that we so dearly cherish, but all to often take for granted. At Lewis and Daggett we are proud to be part of protecting these values and fighting to assure their future.

     The 4^th of July is also a time for family fun. Please remember that the happiest of times can be turned to instant tragedy by drinking and driving. Some statistics indicate that 70% of all injuries a deaths from car accidents over the 4^th last summer were drinking and driving related. In addition, with the heat and the dry weather, remember to be cautious with fireworks and other outdoor activities that could be hazardous. Please be safe over the upcoming long weekend.

     Family fun is part of the July 4^th weekend. We wish you and your family a happy, safe 4^th of July holiday and long weekend.

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By David Daggett on 6/23/2008 6:49 AM

See and Be Seen

     Bicycling seems to be growing in popularity. It is a great form of recreation, fitness exercise and, with higher fuel prices, even transportation. This week we will focus on bicycles and bicycle safety.

     The increasing number of bicycle riders makes this a good time to review some safety tips - for drivers and riders. Motorists need to know that cyclists have the same rights on the road as they do. Likewise, cyclists have the same obligation to follow the traffic laws as motorists.

     First, please wear a helmet whenever riding a bicycle. It is now the law in North Carolina that helmets are required for riders under 16 years old. Look for a safety label that the helmet is approved by ANSI or the Snell foundation. This safety certification is also required under the law.

     More than half a million people are injured each year in bicycle mishaps and thousands are killed. Children 15 and younger account for one-third of the deaths and two thirds of the injuries. Three-fourths of all deaths are due to head injuries.

     Cyclists have an obligation to make sure they can be seen. Selection of cycling attire can affect the distances that cyclists, or pedestrians, are visible. Amazingly that range can be from a low of around 200 feet to a high of over 2000 feet just by selection of clothing.

     Most cyclists try hard to be considerate to motorists and follow the rules of the road. Experienced cyclists know that obeying the rules and looking out for their own safety also earns more respect from drivers.

     Likewise, most motorists really do try to look out for bike riders. However, both drivers and cyclists need to be aware that they are sharing the road in order to look out for each other. Lastly, a friendly wave goes a long way toward keeping our roads safe.

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