August Newsletter
Holidays and events
National Traffic Awareness Month
Aug 2nd National ice cream sandwich day
Aug 3rd – National watermelon day
Aug 4th – National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day
Aug 4th – National Night Out
Aug 6th – National root beer float day
Aug 15th – National Relaxation Day,
Aug 16th – National Tell a Joke Day
Aug 16th – National Backflow Prevention Day
Aug 17th – National Thrift Shop Day
Aug 18th – World Breast Cancer Research Day
Aug 18th – National Fajita Day
Aug 19th – National Potato Day
Aug 20th – National Bacon Lovers Day
Aug 24th – National Waffle Day
Aug 26th – National toilet paper day
Aug 28th – National Burger Day
Sept 1st – 51st year of business
National Traffic Awareness Month
Traffic Awareness Month is celebrated in August, as many students head back to school. Pick-up and drop-off lines become packed, and communities get longer again. We want to remind you to stay aware and alert while driving. Remember that many states impose double fines in school zones when a school zone is active.
Traffic Awareness Month focuses on road safety, reducing crashes, and promoting responsible habits for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists.
Key Focus Areas:
Eliminating Distractions: Avoiding mobile phones, screens, and other in-car disruptions.
Obeying Speed Limits: Adjusting speed to match weather, traffic, and road conditions.
Sharing the Road: Paying extra attention to pedestrians, bicyclists, and large commercial vehicles.
Buckling Up: Wearing seat belts on every single trip, even when only driving a few blocks, as a primary lifesaving measure.
National Night Out
National Night Out is a community-building event that promotes partnerships and camaraderie to make neighborhoods safer, and it started in Aug of 1984. It often includes free food, a chance to check out first-responder vehicles, and fun for the whole family. Check out https://natw.org/ to see if your city or neighborhood is participating.
Special Event Policies.
Many venues require you to carry insurance to hold your event in their space, whether it’s a fundraiser, party, wedding, car show, dog or cat show, or any other special event. The list is endless. Not all homeowners’ policies cover special events, and their limits are often insufficient to meet venue requirements. Also, with the current restrictive homeowners’ market, why risk your coverage? Having a claim on your policy could make it more challenging to obtain homeowners’ insurance in the future. We can help by writing a special event policy for you, often for less than $200. Our team has many years of experience reviewing insurance contracts and providing Certificates of Insurance. We have provided coverage for various events, including non-profit fundraisers, art and wine festivals, wedding receptions, rabbit shows, car shows, Independence Day celebrations, birthday parties, weddings, end-of-season team parties, Community non-profit gatherings, Community Picnic and Fish Fry, and many more.
TRADITIONAL BUUZ RECIPE
Oyuna is one of our agents. She was born and raised in Mongolia, in a small town called Gobi-Altai, near the beautiful Altai Mountains.
She would like to share one of Mongolia’s most popular traditional foods—Buuz.
Buuz are steamed dumplings filled with beef or lamb. Mongolians enjoy them throughout the year, especially during family gatherings and celebrations.
Buuz are a very special part of Tsagaan Sar, the Mongolian Lunar New Year. Before the holiday, family members gather to prepare hundreds of buuz for relatives and guests. Some people make the dough, others prepare the filling, and everyone helps shape the dumplings.
Preparing Buuz is more than cooking—it brings families together and represents Mongolian hospitality, unity, and celebration.
🥟 TRADITIONAL BUUZ RECIPE
Makes approximately 30–35 Buuz.
For the dough:
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• Approximately 1½ cups warm water
• 1 teaspoon salt
For the filling:
• 2 pounds beef or lamb, hand-chopped into very small pieces
• Ground beef or ground lamb may also be used
• 1 large onion, chopped into very small pieces
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped into very small pieces
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ cup water or broth
Traditionally, the meat is chopped by hand into very small pieces. The onion and garlic should also be chopped very finely so they mix evenly with the meat. This creates a flavorful and juicy filling.
Directions:
1. Mix the flour, salt, and warm water. Knead until the dough is smooth. Cover and let it rest for approximately 20–30 minutes.
2. Combine the chopped meat, finely chopped onion, garlic, salt, and black pepper. Slowly mix in the water or broth to keep the filling juicy.
3. Roll the dough into a long rope and cut it into small, equal pieces.
4. Roll each piece into a thin circle, approximately 3–4 inches wide.
5. Place one tablespoon of filling in the center. Fold and pinch the edges together, leaving a small opening at the top.
6. Lightly oil the steamer so the buuz will not stick.
7. Arrange the buuz with space between them and steam for approximately 15–20 minutes.
Buuz can be served with potato salad and fresh cabbage-and-carrot salad. These side dishes balance the rich, juicy meat filling and create a delicious, complete meal.
Buuz are more than food—they are a beautiful symbol of Mongolian family, culture, hospitality, and tradition.
Сайхан хооллоорой! Enjoy your meal!
