SERVPRO Attends The Veterans Parade at Freedom Festival

7/9/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO had the honor of attending the Veterans parade.

SERVPRO attended the Veterans Parade at the Freedom Festival in Vienna, West Virginia. We had our booth setup right in front of the main part of the parade. 

This was the return of the Freedom Festival after a long hiatus. The general public enjoyed it a lot as it included the display of our veterans, first responders, local dance groups, & a long line of Jeeps decorated celebrating July 4th.

This was the very first event of the day at Freedom Festival 2022. We would then go on to have a large amount of giveaways at our booth throughout the day including: tshirts, backpacks, balloons, beachballs, hand sanitizer, & many more.

We also went down to Spencers Landing and assisted with the Hot Air Balloon Rides that lasted from 6pm-10pm.

SERVPRO Booth at The Freedom Festival

7/9/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO doing giveaways at Freedom Festival

The Freedom Festival returned to Vienna this July 2nd-3rd with a Carnival, Car Show, Food Vendors, Concerts, Hot Air Balloon rides, a spectacular Fire Works show and more! It was a hit in our community.

SERVPRO was at a main section of traffic where we had giveaways setup. We gave away custom SERVPRO Freedom Festival T-shirts, Backpacks, hand sanitizer, Balloons, Beachballs, and more! 

We were able to have so many great conversations with the people of our community letting them know what we do, and the areas that we service. 

We also had a SERVPRO Corn hole setup where people came and played. 

It was a great day that we capped off by assisting with the Hot Air Balloon rides located at Spencers Landing that people were able to be shuttled to from out Booth at the Freedom Festival.

SERVPRO Assists with Hot Air Balloon Rides

7/9/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO assisted with the Hot Air Balloon Rides.

At The Freedom Festival in Vienna, SERVPRO sponsored Hot Air Balloon Rides! These Hot Air Balloon rides were located a Spencers Landing. A Shuttle from SERVPRO Station located at Grand Central Mall in Vienna was bringing people back and forth to the Hot Air Balloon Rides.

SERVPRO's team was there to help with the setup of the Hot Air Balloon, as well as providing 3 trucks for the tethering. Our team members also assisted with helping people on and off the Hot Air Balloon. 

As the night went on, more people began to show up. The plan was for the Hot Air Balloon to go for 3 hours. But there was a large amount of people in line that would miss a ride. So SERVPRO sponsored a 4th hour and was able to get on almost everyone that was in line. 

After the 4th hour, SERVPRO assisted with the tear down and packing up of the Hot Air Balloon Rides. We had a great time and are looking forward to the next time! 

Great Crowds at the SERVPRO Sponsored Hot Air Balloon Rides

7/9/2022 (Permalink)

A large amount of people came out to ride the Hot Air Balloon!

We saw an incredible turn out at Spencers Landing for the Hot Air Balloon Rides that were a part of the Freedom Festival located at Grand Central Mall in Vienna. 

As our team was assisting with the setup of the Hot Air Balloon, we were amazed at the amount of people who were showing up. By the first hour, the entire parking lot was full and there were two lines formed almost to the back of the parking lot and into the grass! 

As the night went on, SERVPRO sponsored a fourth hour. We saw that the crowd was becoming too big to fit within 3 hours. So we were able to get as many people as possible from the large crowd onto the Hot Air Balloon! 

Jonathan Davenport Wins The Historic 100

6/5/2022 (Permalink)

Davenport Poses for a Picture at Victory Lane.

Jonathan Davenport led from start-to-finish on Saturday night at West Virginia Motor Speedway before a packed hillside. The three-time Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series National Champion picked up his first series win of the year, collecting $50,000 at the Jan Dils Attorneys at Law Historic 100 Presented by Arizona Sport Shirts. 

Davenport went uncontested throughout the 50-lap main event to become the 11th different winner this year on the Lucas Oil Late Model Dirt Series tour. Starting alongside Davenport on the front row, Brandon Overton finished in second followed by Earl Pearson Jr., Gregg Satterlee, and Friday night’s winner Devin Moran. 

SERVPRO had a great time as we enjoyed an exciting race at very packed West Virginia Motor Speedway!

SERVPRO Handing out Pizza in the Pits

6/5/2022 (Permalink)

SERVPRO Handing out Pizzas in the Pits at West Virginia Motor Speedway.

On Saturday, June 3rd SERVPRO of Wood, Ritchie & Pleasants Counties went & picked up 40 hot pizzas and handed them out to all the crews & racers in the pits! We were able to provide them with a good lunch before the duked it out on the beautiful track located in Mineral Wells. 

The drivers and crews would go on to put on an incredible show. The entire hillside was packed with 1000's of people as they cheered on the Racers from the Lucas Oil Dirt Series at The Historic 100. 

Jonathan Davenport ended up taking home the $50,000 prize in an absolutely dominating performance. After coming in 2nd place the night before for the $15,000 prize, he was able to secure his $50,000 prize in a dominating fashion! 

How to Cook Your Turkey this Thanksgiving in West Virginia!

11/10/2021 (Permalink)

Thanksgiving is here! So crack out the turkey for the family and let’s get thankful. We’re going to have a few quick tips and then jump into how to cook.

Turkey Recipe Cheat-Sheet

• The size of the turkey? This method is best for a 12lb - 16lb bird. (Buy 1 to 1 1/2 pounds turkey for each guest)
• Cooking time? 13 minutes of cooking time for each pound of turkey if roasting empty. If stuffed 15 minutes per pound.
• What temperature to cook the turkey? Preheat the oven to 450°F then drop the temperature to 350°F after putting the turkey into the oven.
• What temperature should the turkey be? The turkey is done when it registers a minimum of 165° in the thickest part of the thigh.
• Resting time? Rest the turkey for at least 15 minutes before carving.

Safe methods of Thawing that Turkey

Frozen Always make sure your turkey is completely thawed before you start cooking it.

How to Long Thaw Your frozen turkey needs 24 hours thawing time for every five pounds of turkey. For quicker thawing, place the turkey in a cold water bath (it is not safe to thaw a turkey with warm water) and change the water every 30 minutes until it’s thawed — about a half-hour per pound.

Want to Brine the Turkey? Any turkey will taste better if brined in salt for a day or two before cooking. Brining is not necessary but it is a good idea. This method has become popular over the last few years and involves immersing the turkey in a salt-water solution or dry-brining in salt for a day or so before cooking. The end result is moist, well seasoned white and dark meat. We’ve had great results with brining and heartily endorse it, although our method here will still work without brining.

Cooking Your Turkey

Let’s cook some turkey!

INGREDIENTS

• One (1) whole turkey, any size, thawed if frozen
• Two (2) cups low-sodium chicken broth, vegetable broth, water, or other liquid
• Two (2) sticks (1 cup) of melted unsalted butter or oil, for basting (optional)

EQUIPMENT

• Roasting pan (or an alternative roasting dish)
• Roasting rack (or something to lift the turkey off the pan)
• Turkey baster, brush, or ladle (optional, if basting)

INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1

• Prepare and thaw the turkey.
• Remove any packaging and the bag of giblets (check in the body cavity and in the neck cavity).
• Set the turkey breast-side up on the roasting rack set in a roasting pan and let it sit while the oven preheats.
• This takes the chill off the meat, which helps the meat cook faster and more evenly.
• It also gives the skin time to dry out, which promotes browning and crisping. (Note: Your turkey will likely still feel cool to the touch after sitting at room temperature — that's fine and you can continue on with roasting.)

STEP 2

• Preheat the oven to 450°F. 
• Position an oven rack in the bottom third of your oven, remove any racks above it, and heat the oven to 450°F.
• If you brined your turkey, as we did, no need to do anything now.
• If your turkey is straight out of the package, rub it with some salt and pepper before putting it in the oven.
• We recommend leaving your turkey un-stuffed and un-trussed, both because it's easier and because the turkey will cook more evenly.

STEP 3

• Add liquid to the roasting pan. 
• When ready to roast, pour the broth or water into the roasting pan.

STEP 4

• Place the turkey in the oven and turn down the heat. 
• Place the turkey in the oven and turn down the heat to 350°F.
• We recommend roasting turkeys breast-side up, shield the breast meat with aluminum foil toward the end of cooking if it starts getting too browned.

STEP 5

• Roast the turkey. 
• The rule of thumb for cooking a turkey is 13 minutes per pound.
• Some factors like brining the bird, cooking with an empty (un-stuffed) cavity, and leaving the legs un-trussed will contribute to much faster cooking.
• Plan on the 13-minute-per-pound rule, but start checking the temperature of your turkey about halfway through the scheduled cooking time to gauge how fast it's cooking.

STEP 6

• Baste the turkey every 45 minutes. 
• Every 45 minutes, remove the turkey from the oven, close the oven door (don't let that heat out!), and baste the turkey all over.
• To baste, tilt the pan if needed and use a turkey baster or spoon to scoop up the pan liquids and drizzle them on top of the turkey.
• Basting with pan juices cools the surface of the turkey and slows down cooking, which in turn keeps the breast meat cooking at close to the same rate as the legs and thighs. 
• In the final 45 minutes or so of cooking, you can also baste the turkey with melted butter or oil. This helps crisp up the skin and turn it a beautiful deep golden brown.

STEP 7

• Check the turkey's temperature. 
• Begin checking the turkey's temperature about halfway through the estimated cooking time.
• Check the temperature in three places: the breast, outer thigh, and inside thigh (see photos above).
• In every case, the meat should be at least 165°F when the turkey has finished cooking.
• If any place is under that temperature, put the turkey back in the oven for another 20 minutes. Shield the breast meat with foil if needed to keep it from overcooking.

STEP 8

• Rest the turkey before carving. 
• Remove the turkey from the oven.
• Grab one side of the roasting rack with an oven mitt and tilt the whole pan so the liquids inside the turkey cavity run out into the pan. (These juices are used to make the gravy.)
• Then, lift the whole turkey (still on the rack) and transfer it to a clean cutting board. Tent the turkey loosely with aluminum foil and let it rest for at least 30 minutes.
• This gives time for the meat to firm up and the juices to be re-absorbed into the muscle tissue, making the turkey easier to slice and taste juicier.

STEP 8

• Carve the turkey. 
• Carve the turkey the same way you would carve a chicken; see the video above for a walk-through of the process.
• Remove the wings first, then the thighs, then the breast meat.
• Once you have the meat off, you can separate the thighs into thighs and drumsticks and carve the breast meat into individual slices.

STEP 9

• Don't forget about the leftovers!
• Once you've sat down at the table, don't forget about the turkey back on the counter. The leftover meat needs to be refrigerated within two hours of cooking, after which the risk of something nasty taking up residence starts to increase exponentially.

Now you have a delicious turkey for thanksgiving and it's time to enjoy some much needed moments and create memories with the family.

Happy thanks giving from the team at SERVPRO of Wood, Ritchie & Pleasants Counties

Anthony Macri takes the podium at the SERVPRO Race of Champions at the West Virginia Motor Speedway, Friday August 6, 2021

8/9/2021 (Permalink)

The SERVPRO World Race of Champions took place this weekend at MINERAL WELLS, W.V.

And on Friday, August 6, 2021 Anthony Macri took the podium on the opening night. Macri took the win at the West Virginia Motor Speedway for the second time at WVMS and his 7th time this year.

A huge congratulations to everyone who was involved. This race was incredible to watch!

FAST 410 Sprint Car Series
West Virginia Motor Speedway
Mineral Wells, West Virginia
Friday, August 6, 2021

BIKE GIVEAWAY AT THE WMVS at the SERVPRO World Race of Champions August 6 & 7, 2021!

7/29/2021 (Permalink)

BIKE GIVEAWAY AT THE WMVS at the SERVPRO World Race of Champions August 6 & 7, 2021!

For those lovers of speed and mud the championships are just around the corner and to celebrate we are giving away 10, that’s right, TEN, bikes for the kids. Have fun, experience the excitement and power, and win a bike to take home!

How to Be in The Running to Win

1. Buy a ticket to the West Virginia Motor Speedway World Race of Champions this August 6 & 7, 2021.
2. Kids 12 & under can enter. All you have to do is go to the SERVPRO Table set up by the Main Concession Stand (on the track).
3. Entries open 4pm Friday, August 6th (enter any time)

When will I know if I’ve won?

1. Winners will be announced throughout the event. 5 Winners announced Friday August 6th (between 6pm & 11pm) and 5 winners announced Saturday August 7th (between 6pm & 11pm).
2. Winners must be at the event when announced. If winners are not there, then a redraw will happen to find a new winner who is present. So make sure to be there and keep your ears open!

To buy the tickets to the SERVPRO World Race of Champions just click here right now!

Best of luck and we’ll see you at the race!

The Team at SERVPRO of Wood, Ritchie & Pleasants Counties

Merry Christmas from your local SERVPRO in Parkersburg, West Virginia

12/25/2020 (Permalink)

This is the time of year that we cherish our families, sit in front of a warm fire and enjoy a big, delicious meal. 

The whole team at SERVPRO of Wood, Richie and Pleasants Counties wants to extend a warm and loving Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year. 

To keep yourselves safe this time of year, please take all necessary precautions.

If you're not sure of some of the possible dangers to family homes this time of year, please have a read through some of these free tips.

3 Christmas Fire Dangers That Could Burn Your Christmas Cheers (and how to avoid them)

After Storms Hit: These 3 Actions Could Save You Thousands

Wishing You A Merry Christmas!

3 Myths About COVID-19 (the Novel Coronavirus)

4/1/2020 (Permalink)

COVID-19 has many myths surrounding it.

Today feels a little surreal to a lot of us. With international travel being halted around the world, some borders being closed off and some cities experiencing full lock-downs to contain the feared virus, known as COVID-19, there are so many questions, conspiracy theories and concerns surrounding the entire world, particularly our state, West Virginia.

Please note information compiled in this blog post is gathered only from the World Health Organisation and the CDC. It is our utmost priority for everyone in our local area of Wood, Ritchie & Pleasants Counties to be informed and not fearful. This is a time for us to work together as a community.

This blog article attempts to inform our local community because information is powerful and we aim to put some myths at rest.

Myth 1: COVID-19 is not new, it’s a government created virus.

It is true that the name Coronavirus is not new. In fact Coronavirus is the name for a strand of viruses. Just like the flu, there are multiple strands of Coronavirus, some that are only within the animal kingdom and some that are human coronaviruses. All past reported versions of human coronaviruses (including SARS-CoV) are controlled through either vaccine or other reasons.

Yes, COVID-19 is new, contrary to many people’s concerns of this being used as some government ploy or other ulterior motive. The COVID-19 is believed to have mutated from a human consuming an animal (not a bat, which is the popular online narrative at the moment), most likely from an animal called a Pangolin (as many experts suggest). The virus which was known by scientists to be within the animal kingdom but not dangerous to humans took on a mutation in late 2019, which allowed it to spread human to human.

So please remember this when people are sharing photos or videos online of disinfectants that include “human coronavirus” on the back of their labels or television shows referencing the coronavirus: Human Coronavirus is not new, but the strand of COVID-19 is.

Please remember our goal with this is information. Through information and knowledge we, as a community, can work together through this time.

Myth 2: Coronavirus Only Affects Old People

COVID-19 does not discriminate. No matter your race or age it will attempt to get to you. But do not be overly concerned, be informed. While you may not be a high risk of the worst case scenario it is important to consider those close to you: your family, friends and work colleagues who may be at high risk.

This global event is financially hurting so many Americans, but it is important to remember what is truly important, our health and the health of others. So please, be mindful of how to act during this crazy time in our lives.

Again, please remember our goal with this is information. Through information and knowledge we, as a community, can work together through this time.

Myth 3: It’s Just Like The Common Flu

This myth must be included because it makes a lot of people very complacent about the Coronavirus. Our goal is for the community to work together and therefore this myth must be shown.

COVID-19 has an array of ways it effects the human body, while yes, the majority of people will experience mild symptoms such as fever, being lethargic, coughing or even no symptoms at all! It’s important for us to remember the larger, more difficult symptoms that other may experience. This includes experiencing pneumonia (the inability to breathe fully for perhaps up to a few days - some have described it as “a feeling of drowning for days”). While the chances of people experiencing this and/or being hospitalised are much lower, it is still important to think about everyone in our community.

By practicing social distancing and proper hygiene of washing hands and sanitising, we can help avoid spreading it to (or receiving it from) others.

FINAL THOUGHT: PLEASE DO THIS

Please, we at SERVPRO urge you and everyone in the community, to do our part in helping slow down the spread of this virus. We are in the greatest country in the world because we work together, we come together in times of turmoil and this is our opportunity to do our part.

It is a tough time for so many of us, financially and with the frequent rule changes and fear running through so many families in America now. What we can do is work together, do our part and defeat this virus by not letting it spread.

God Bless America, you who is reading this, your family and the families around the world.

(Please share the link to this article on your social media to help spread information instead of misleading, fear inducing information. Through proper information we can help reduce the fear, anger and other negative emotions. We are a community.)

References:

Human Coronaviruses - From the CDC https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/types.html

World Health Organisation - https://www.who.int

Social Distancing - What is it and Why is it Important?

4/1/2020 (Permalink)

The crew at The AO House keeping their distance

There is a new buzz term flying around the media and internet: Social Distancing. It’s even becoming temporary law with some states and other countries imposing fines or even jail time for disobeying it. But why is this so important?

What is Social Distancing?

Social distancing is the act of keeping a safe distance away from everyone to avoid spreading of a disease. This has been determined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as 1.5 meters (or 6 feet). Viruses such as the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) spread through droplets from coughs, sneezes or even exhaling. For this reason the American government, working alongside WHO, have administered this rule nationwide.

Please remember our goal with this is information. Through information and knowledge we, as a community, can work together through this time. Don’t be fearful, be informed.

Why Has the Government Administered Social Distancing?

The goal of social distancing is to slow down the spread of COVID-19 so that our hospitals can handle the number of severe cases. This strand of the Coronavirus is highly contagious and therefore it spreads extremely quickly from person to person.

The reason for trying to slow down the spread of COVID-19 is so that they can “slow the curve”. If you haven’t heard this term before it refers to the number of people catching COVID-19.

Why Are We “Slowing The Curve”?

Life is precious. Coronavirus has a high hospitalisation rate compared to other known viruses including the common flu. This combined with it being highly contagious means that there is a likely chance of our hospitals being overcrowded. This means that it is possible that there may not be enough beds, or doctors and nurses to treat the extreme cases of COVID-19. But by slowing down the curve, we can hope to stretch it out, so that as people get better, more beds open up and more lives can be saved!

Please remember our goal with this is information. Through information and knowledge we, as a community, can work together through this time. Don’t be fearful, be informed.

OUR FINAL THOUGHT: PLEASE DO THIS

We at SERVPRO, please urge you and everyone in the community to keep to the social distancing guidelines given by WHO and the American government. It is our responsibility as citizens to work together, keeping our friends and family safe. This is a small price to pay to keep one another healthy.

Please share this article link with friends and family on your socials. There is power in education and information and we can work through this together.

Please do not be fearful, just be informed.

Symptoms and Advice for Avoiding COVID-19 (the Novel Coronavirus)

4/1/2020 (Permalink)

It's Important to be informed, but not alarmed.

With so much information being shared on the internet (both correct and incorrect) we wanted to make sure that our community in Wood, Ritchie & Pleasants Counties were reading the correct information about COVID-19.

Our information is gathered through only validated sources such as the World Health Organization (WHO).

Information helps our community and it is important that you (and us) keep informed by the proper authorities.

So here are the best practices we can do to minimise the chance of catching Coronavirus, according to WHO. (Please note that this doesn’t not 100% guarantee not getting COVID-19, but these practices will help reduce the likelihood).

Best Practices:

1. Sterilize your hands before and after touching surfaces when outside of your home. COVID-19 is spread through droplets from an infected person. Droplets come from coughing, sneezing or even exhaling onto someone. These droplets can fall onto surfaces such as doorhandles, counter tops, pens or any other surface. It is believed by the CDC that the virus can live on this surface from anywhere between 3 to 9 days (more information is being collected daily as the CDC do more testing). Therefore it is important to use an alcohol-based sanitiser (70% or more is ideal) and thoroughly clean your hands.
2. Wash your hands with hot, soapy water when entering and exiting your home. It is important to do this method when at home to keep it different to just sanitising your hands. This will keep the sanitisation different so that the virus is not able to adapt.
3. Avoid touching your face (particularly your mouth, nose and eyes) COVID-19 is a respiratory virus. This means that it sits in your throat until it moves down to your lungs. Therefore it is important to avoid transporting the virus from your hands to your face. If you have an itch that needs to go, try itching your face with the inside of your shirt if possible.
4. Avoid close contact with people (social distancing) Social distancing is important because that extra space makes it harder for the COVID-19 virus to travel to you.
5. When coughing or sneezing use the inside of your elbow. We use our hands for everything, from catching a cough or sneeze to grabbing everything. By sneezing or coughing into your arm it will significantly minimise the chance of it spreading. (Please remember that you may have it and not know as some people who get COVID do not display any symptoms and are at no risk to themselves, but may be to others who are at high risk).

Please remember our goal with this article is to provide honest information. Through information and knowledge we, as a community, can work together through this time. Do not be fearful, be informed.

Symptom of COVID-19

According to WHO the symptoms of COVID-19 are:

1. Fever
2. A dry cough
3. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
4. Abnormal feeling of being lethargic (tired physically).

As suggested by the World Health Organisation if you are experiencing mild symptoms please do not leave your home. Please stay at home until these symptoms disappear. If they get worse, please notify someone immediately or call 911.

OUR FINAL THOUGHT: PLEASE DO THIS

We at SERVPRO, please urge you and everyone in the community to keep to the social distancing guidelines given by WHO and the American government. It is our responsibility as citizens to work together, keeping our friends and family safe. This is a small price to pay to keep one another healthy.

Please share this article link with friends and family on your socials. There is power in education and information and we can work through this together.

Please do not be fearful, just be informed.

4 Hot Tips to Keep Your House Safe This Halloween

10/21/2019 (Permalink)

Prevention is always easier (and cheaper) than cure

Halloween, the time the "dead" rise. A lot of fun for your family and your kids, but also a lot of fun for trouble makers. TRICK OR TREAT!

It's always better to know the information and not need it, than to need it and not know it. So we decided to write this blog post to help you be informed, if anything were to happen this halloween.

KEEPING TROUBLE MAKERS AWAY

Kids love to throw toilet paper and eggs at houses on halloween (or even, unfortunately, vandalism. Fun for them, very annoying for you. Luckily there are a few simple steps you can do that will deter them from choosing your house.

1. Keep your house well lit during the night. The last thing kids want is to get caught. The fun is in getting away with doing something naughty. So if they see your house (a well lit house with no-where to secretly throw toilet paper or eggs) or your neighbours house (a house full of dark spots or blind spots), which do you think they'll choose? Now we're not wanting your neighbours egged, so maybe tell them to read this article as well. 
2. Keep the surrounding areas of your building clear. The more clutter and bushes/trees around your property, the more tempting it is to choose your house or building for tricks. This may mean doing a little (or big) clean up outside your home or building. Annoying? Yes. But it would be more annoying to be egged, "TP'd", or even graffitied on.

Avoiding Common Fire Hazards

While it sounds obvious, there a lot of common practices that we do in West Virginia (and around the United States) that appear innocent in the moment, but can turn into avoidable fire damage. Here are a few that surprise families and business owners:

• Open Flame Candles. While open flame candles add a great ambiance, either beautiful or creepy, we advise avoiding using open flames. Instead opting for battery operated candles. These are very fairly priced today from most halloween stores. If you do insist on open flames though, make sure that all flammable items are more than 5 feet from the candle, and if on an elevated surface, such as a shelf, nothing flammable underneath the shelf.
• Avoid Flammable Decorations. This is a lesser known one than the above. Dried flowers, crepe paper, and cornstalks are all highly flammable. For this reason it is very important to keep them far from open flames, heaters and even light bulbs.

Besides all these, go out and have a lot of fun with your family on this amazing holiday. Use the day (and night) to its fullest. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN from the team at SERVPRO of Wood, Ritchie & Pleasants Counties

Hot tip: Read this short blog to find out how to remove egg & toilet paper effectively from your home or business building by clicking here. Remember: it's better to know and not need it, than to need it and not know.