TABLE OF CONTENTS

Choice Direct 1

ITA Truck Driver Comp 3

Laser Tag Showdown 4

Consume Less Gas 5

Foil the Terrorists 6

Sports Shorts 7

Medication Mistakes 8

Pool Poisoning 9

Disappearing Honeybees 10

New Hires 11

Announcements 12

BBQ Recipes 13

BBQ Recipes 14

ITA Award Winners 15

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Hello Readers,

We hope everyone is enjoying their Summer!

With the record heat, it is important to stay hydrated so drink plenty of water!

(Chicagoan’s should remember this heat-wave when it’s 10 degrees below zero!)

Can you find Perry’s moustache hidden within this issue? Submit your answer to tmroz@customco.com no later than Friday, August 17

th for your

chance to win a gift card. Thank you,

THE NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug. 2012 / Sept. 2012

The Custom Companies, Inc.

Announces a New Division:

Choice Direct Logistics Submitted by Bob Heinz

The Custom Companies, Inc. announces that a new division,

Choice Direct Logistics will give new and existing customers a

new choice in the transportation of Direct Mail. “When you look

at our client base and our portfolio of services; LTL, Truckload and Partial Truckload, Local

Cartage, Air Freight, Trade Show and Expedited Services, it just made sense for us to open a

new division that would give our existing and new customers a choice in Direct Mail

Solutions,” said Perry Mandera, owner. “Our vision is to provide a broad base of shipping

solutions to our customers and we felt that there was a need in the industry for another

provider of Direct Mail transportation services.” The new division will operate under The

Custom Companies, Inc. umbrella which now includes CDN Logistics, Inc., Custom Global

Logistics, LLC and Circle W Transportation, Inc.

Choice Direct Logistics represents a highly

accretive venture for The Custom Companies, Inc.

It enhances the company’s scale, service

capabilities, and market position. The investment

in the new division improves The Custom

Companies lane density (especially out of the

Chicago and Los Angeles markets) and presents

low integration risk—Custom’s network of direct

line haul and distribution are a perfect fit to

service all ASF, SCF and NDC locations of the

United States Postal Service. Choice Direct

Logistics is positioned to make an immediate

impact in the marketplace through the leadership

and experience of John Plzak, Dahn Johnson and

Joe Paladino. These three gentlemen have years of marketing and operations experience in the

direct mail distribution business. In addition, Choice Direct Logistics will provide a new

platform designed especially for clients with web-based “World Class Client Services”

through the addition of Cathy Bonomo, Marcia Ove, Maggie Sagan and Genebee Flores along

with the warehouse and operations experience of Mike Plzak. This diverse and experienced

group is committed to changing the scope of client services and support in the industry. The

company has made major investments in web-based, user-friendly technologies that change

the way printers and mailers currently manage their business. Continued on page 2

First row from left: Marcia Ove, Maggie Sagan, Genebee Flores

Back row from left: Scott Suhey, Joe Paladino, Cathy Bonomo,

Mike Plzak

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 2 Choice Direct Logistics Continued

The development of Choice Direct Logistics also provides the opportunity for The

Custom Companies, Inc. sales force to cross-sell Choice’s premium “Direct Mail

Services” as well as CDN Logistics, Inc. and Custom Global Logistics, LLC premium

services to an expanded and diverse customer base. While The Custom Companies, Inc.

will capitalize on operational synergies, the company’s primary objective is to continue

to provide World Class Transportation Solutions to ensure customer satisfaction and

retention. “The new division will expand the current scope of services and give our

customers another choice in the solutions that they have available to them,” said Dahn

Johnson. The Custom Companies, Inc. management team is very excited about the new

division’s opportunity for immediate success and substantial growth in the marketplace.

Choice Direct Logistics provides new employment opportunities for the community as

well as the prospect of growth and profitability which will further solidify The Custom

Companies, Inc. footprint in the marketplace.

CHOICE DIRECT MAIL ASSOCIATES IN ACTION

DID YOU KNOW… VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Los Angeles is the only city in North America to have hosted the Summer Olympics twice.

The Bird of Paradise is Los Angeles’ city flower.

A one ounce milk chocolate bar has 6 mg. of caffeine.

On August 12, 1833, the town of Chicago was incorporated with a population of 350. The current population is almost 2.7 million!

28% of Africa is wilderness; in North America, 38% is wilderness.

The average number of people airborne over the United States in any given hour is 61,000.

Resting on a foundation of over 20,000 wood pilings, Navy Pier in Chicago opened in the summer of 1916 at a cost of $4.5 million.

Airports that are at higher altitudes require a longer airstrip due to lower air density.

All major league baseball umpires must wear black underwear while on the job.

All of Earth’s continents are wider at the north than in the south – and nobody knows why.

Joe Valentino

Isaac Villaba

Luis Ventura

Guilermo Herrara

Page 3 Inspirational

Sayings “Happy are those who dream dreams and are

ready to pay the price to

make them come true.”

“Better to remain silent

and be thought a fool

than to speak out and

remove all doubt.”

- Abraham Lincoln

“Teamwork…means

never having to take all

the blame yourself.”

“A smile is the lighting

system of the face, the

cooling system of the head

and the heating system of

the heart.”

“Sports do not build

character. They reveal it.”

- John Wooden

“Everybody makes

mistakes, that’s why they

put erasers at the end of

pencils.”

2012 Illinois Professional Truck Drivers Competition by Matt Foley

The Illinois Professional Truck

Driving Championship was

held this year on June 15th

and 16th in Morris, Illinois, with

six of our finest drivers

competing. John Skiba, a four

year veteran of the event and

Nelson Mendez, first time

competitor competed in the 5-

Axle class. For those of you unfamiliar with the format, the

competition consists of a written test, pre-trip inspection and road

course. In addition to John and Nelson, four more drivers competed

for the first time as well: Neil Spector competed in the flatbed class,

Mike Shipinski and Robert Reynolds competed in the 4-Axle class

and Dan Craig competed in Straight Truck.

All six drivers finished at the top of their respective classes, with Dan

Craig and Robert Reynolds each garnering awards for The Custom

Companies. Dan finished second overall in Straight Truck

competition, the first top three finish ever for one of our competitors.

Dan’s trophy is proudly displayed in dispatch for all to admire. In

addition to Dan’s success, Robert won the Pin and Patch Design

Contest with a rendition of Abraham Lincoln as a truck driver. All 142

competitors from companies all over Illinois proudly wore the patch

and pin, a testament to Robert’s creative design.

Mark Dannhauser and the drivers worked for many weekends before

the competition to practice, and it is clear that everyone’s hard work

paid off.

Congratulations to Dan, Robert

and all our competitors, we look

forward to an equally successful

2013 with our World Class Drivers

representing the finest fleet in the

state.

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Pictured from left: Nelson Mendez, Mike Shipinski, John

Skiba, Neil Spector and Robert Reynolds

Page 4

Showdown In Sin City by Daniel Leach

Laser Quest’s 17th Annual North

American Challenge (NAC) laser

tag tournament is rapidly

approaching. The challenge set

before the Downers Grove

Dragons, Chicago area’s sole

participant, is going to be their

greatest yet. Starting July 20th,

20 teams that were chosen from

around the US and Canada will

be competing in the heart of Las

Vegas, NV for the privilege of

being named the best laser tag

team in North America, along

with $10,000! While the

Downers Grove Dragons are the

longest running NAC tournament participants, having qualified to enter the NAC tournament in

all 17 years of its existence, they’ve yet to win a playoff game. Furthermore, the Dragons hold

the longest playoff drought having missed opportunities to advance in the past 9 years.

However, upon seeking inspiration from another popular Chicago based sports team ready to

shake away its stigma; the Dragons are prepared to put an end to the failures of its past. But

with 19 other teams setting their eyes on the prize, this task will be far from easy.

To the surprise of no one, Canada looks to be well represented. Toronto is returning with a

vengeance having placed 3rd after being the favorites to win last year’s tournament. Montreal,

who defeated Downers Grove by overall points to advance last year, look to solidify another

run in the playoffs. After their inaugural invitation to play in the NAC Tournament, Ottawa look

to use their experience from last year to move up further in the standings and avoid relegation.

Finally, Calgary returns after a 5 year tournament absence, to make their presence known for

good.

In the previous tournament, the United States introduced a record setting 8

new teams to last year’s NAC tournament. But to the surprise of everyone,

6 teams avoided relegation to return this year. Oklahoma City’s work ethic

and love of the game paid immediate dividends and, now, they’re rewarded

with another opportunity to play. Florida’s sole representative this year,

Sunrise, FL, shocked projections when they defeated playoff regulars

Fresno, CA by a convincing margin last year. They’re hoping that the momentum of that victory

will earn the respect of being a potential dark horse candidate. Lastly, after falling

substantially in the NAC standings due to last year’s slump; Mountain View, CA have revamped

their offseason program and are now claiming to be the fittest team in the tournament having

collectively lost 250 lbs amongst their 9-man team.

Dedicated fans and newcomers are definitely in for a treat this season. The mixture of

established clubs and new faces will only add a level of unprecedented excitement to this fun

game. And, in the midst of it all, I’ll be standing as a member of the Downers Grove Dragons, a

representative of the great city of Chicago, eager to help end a 9-year curse and haul home a

NAC championship. Wish us luck and Go Dragons!

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Jose Corona 8-2 Marc Inman 8-2 Consuelo Muschio 8-3 Martin Ramirez 8-3 Elias Sandoval 8-3 Chris Sharp 8-3 Ryan Camarena 8-4 David Lorge 8-4 Yolanda Wilczewski 8-4 Juan Luna 8-7 Eberardo Farias 8-8 Juan Reyes 8-8 Greg Robinson 8-10 Erik Diaz 8-11 George Tsoutsos 8-11 Robert Eldridge 8-13 Curtis Walker 8-13 Dennis Jones 8-15 Sandy Warren 8-15 Robert Barbosa 8-16 Andy McDonald 8-16 Tim Ryan 8-16 Scott Ten Broeck 8-16 Frank Osborne 8-17 Bruce Powell 8-17 Raul Suarez 8-17 Jose Pazos 8-18 John Tarwater 8-19 Eric Wiencek 8-21 Michael Cruz 8-23 Michael Gillhouse 8-23 Danielle Pitsenbarger 8-23 Dale Burt 8-25 Horacio Contreras 8-25 Lech Mruk 8-25 Jason Vasquez 8-25 Mary Reich 8-29 Luis Ventura 8-29 Francisco Ramos 8-30 Manuel Contreras 8-31

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Downers Grove Dragons (Dan Leach on the left)

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 5

Consume Less Gas on a Road Trip

Before you leave, map the most fuel-efficient route with AAA’s Fuel

Cost Calculator (www.FuelCostCalculator.com). Have the vehicle

tuned up, and check that the tires are inflated properly. A tuned

engine can save you about 4% in gas, and properly inflated tires can

save you more than 3%. On the road: SLOW DOWN! For every five

miles per hour (mph) over 60 mph that you drive, you add about 24

cents a gallon to the

price of gas. And don’t

make sudden stops and

starts. Look for the best

gas prices on your

Smartphone with the

apps GasBuddy and

AAA’s TripTik Mobile.

Avoid traffic jams by driving during off-peak hours.

USA Today

Check Your Phone Bill…You May Have Been

“Crammed” as reported by John Breyault, National Consumers League You could end up being charged for a service on your monthly mobile phone bill

even though you never asked for it. This practice, called “cramming,” occurs when a

provider other than your phone company supplies you with ringtones, sports scores,

weather updates, horoscopes, and/or other unwanted services, and your phone

company adds a charge to your bill, typically several dollars. (With landlines,

cramming usually shows up as a line item for “miscellaneous” or “enhanced”

services.) The phone company keeps a portion of the revenue. Although three major

telephone companies-AT&T, CenturyLink and Verizon-have agreed to end most

third-party billing for landlines by the end of this year (and some have already done

so), they will continue for wireless and smaller landline providers unless you opt out.

Self-defense: Call your phone company now, and request

that all third-party providers be blocked. Review you phone

bills every month for surprise charges, often listed as “service

charge,” “other fees,” “calling plan” or “membership.”

Also, avoid calling “900” numbers, accepting anonymous

collect calls and signing up for contests online via your cell

phone, all common methods that vendors use to cram you.

If you do get crammed, call your service provider and demand a refund.

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Durwin Ponton 9-2 Steve Laue 9-4 Matt Foley 9-5 Miguel Rodriguez 9-5 Reyna Avila 9-6 Jovanni Olvera 9-6 Armando Ramirez 9-7 Shirley Bandaly 9-8 Alonso Blanco 9-9 Marcelo Domingo 9-9 Taulafoga Faalave 9-9 Seferino Arias 9-10 Tony Beltrano 9-10 Marie Huff 9-10 Pete Grau 9-11 Raul Gallardo 9-13 Bruce Lenau 9-13 Geraldo Solis 9-13 Jeff Dayton 9-14 Mike Kelso 9-14 James Grisby 9-15 Eric Inman 9-16 Martin Bolanos 9-17 Lucas Hills 9-18 William Ashby 9-20 William Ehrl 9-20 Paxter Higueros 9-20 Roger Peralta 9-20 Billy Hudson 9-22 Fausto Rodriguez 9-22 Jose Rodriguez 9-22 Walter Gustafson 9-25 Lynn Koclanis 9-25 Clete Janik 9-26 William Umana 9-26 Dave Stiplosek 9-28 Joe Giaquinta 9-29 Al Lopez 9-29 Jay Cohen 9-30 Wojciech Glowacki 9-30

Page 6

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Ordinary People Can Foil Terrorists

As written by Mary Abrams

It is simply too difficult to stop all of the crazies, whether they are homegrown

or “imported.” Awareness remains our best defense. Ordinary people following

their instincts foiled would-be terrorists.

The key to awareness: Knowing what “normal” looks

like-which cars are regularly in your neighborhood, who

makes deliveries at work, etc.-and then paying

attention to what is eccentric or out of place. Most

people know to report peculiar packages that arrive in

the mail and unattended bags. Other red flags…

People who are overdressed for the weather.

People who move off quickly when seen or

approached.

People in restricted areas or other places they don’t belong.

Vehicles that appear to be carrying heavy weight…are abandoned…illegally

parked…leaking fluid other than from engines or fuel tanks.

Unusual requests for information about physical access to a home, hospital,

sports arena, workplace, etc.

Surveillance activity at government buildings, other key facilities and crowded,

high-profile places. Is someone scanning with binoculars? Taking photos?

On trains, watch for people who place items in a luggage compartment and

then move to a different car.

People using watercraft should be alert to missing fencing or lighting near

dams…boats anchored in areas not typically used for anchoring…unusual

diving or night operations…signals flashing between boats.

Many people fail to report suspicious activities because they are afraid of being

criticized if it is not a real threat. But if you sense something suspicious, report

it right away. You never know when a threat will be real. We all have a role in

keeping ourselves and our nation safe, so continue to be very vigilant.

Name: Years:

Dorland Henderson 20

Pete Grau 19

Bob Zdych 18

Brad Woodbury 16

Earl Hahn 14

Orlando Roldan 14

Adam Baltz 13

Luis Macias 13

Ramon Ramos 13

Elias Sandoval 13

Michele Marek 11

Ronnie Jenkins 10

Pat Gomez 10

Arturo Ortega 10

Ignacio Molina 9

Pedro Valles 8

Dennis Jones 8

Rocky Caylor 8

Ramon Badea 7

Jose Espinosa 7

Tony Crespo 7

Jim Schnur 7

George Smith 6

Pedro Escanio 6

Jeff Guthman 6

Edith Ron 6

Adalberto Franco 6

Sheila Pajarillo 6

Daniel Craig 6

Jayne Pakosta 6

Taulafoga Faalave 6

Alejandro Garcia 5

Juan Salazar 5

Michael Cruz 5

Jason Montgomery 3

Lynn Koclanis 2

Daniel Leach 2

Lisl Kinsella 2

Jeff Paolello 2

John Tarwater 2

Refugio Banda 2

Steve Bartolone 2

Victor Moreno 2

Janine Preciado 2

Anthony Roldan 2

Don Scheer 1

Tom Motter 1

Reyna Avila 1

Ed Ciganek 1

Dan Lanzito 1

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Page 7

Name: Years:

Grazyna Ujas 22 Mary Reich 22 George Wiszowaty 20 Marie Podolak 19 Dale Majcina 16 Carol Guarino 13 Cesar Serrano 12 Bart Jasiewicz 10 Sharon Klomfar 10 Jose Pinto 9 Martin Ramirez 7 Raul Gallardo 7 Ivan Velez 7 Dave Stiplosek 5 Fausto Rodriguez 5 Chris Moran 5 Christina Paramo 5 Tina Petrovic 5 Manuel Vega 4 Igor Pavlovic 2 Chris Nicholson 2 Charles Branscomb 1 James Garroutte 1 Alberto Munoz 1 Chris Guerrero 1 Joe Giaquinta 1 Ray Hecker 1 Richard Stein 1 Malcolm Watson 1 Nathan Becker 1 Ryan Camarena 1 Danny McDaniel 1 Paxter Higueros 1

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Sports Shorts by Jeff Guthman Is Derrick Rose on schedule for the rehab of his injured leg?

I have heard it on the sports channels both ways. However, even if he is where they expect him to be, he would not be set

to return until the end of the year. You combine that with Luol Deng’s wrist injury and there does not seem to be much

hope for next year’s team.

Where will the Angels finish the year in the standings?

It does not look like the Angels can overtake the Texas Rangers. The Rangers have a great young team and they look like

they will be on top of the division. The Rangers are very hungry after losing the last two World Series’. The Angels can

look to the wild card slots, however. If they playoffs started today they would be in the first wild card spot. Once a team

gets into the playoffs anything can happen and if a team gets hot at the right time, look out. The Angels are a very good

baseball team and have the talent to make a deep playoff run.

How much do the Bears need Matt Forte?

The simple answer is, “a lot.” Matt Forte played a huge role in the Bears’ offense last year. Although they have added a

couple new weapons in star receiver Brandon Marshall and backup running back Michael Bush, it will not replace Forte’s

productivity. How great can a wide receiver be if the defense has to concentrate on the other team’s running game as

well as receptions out of the backfield? The Bears and Forte finally settled on a contract agreement for $32 million over

the next 4 years. The Bears locked up their main man on offense and are very excited to start their 2012-2013 Super Bowl

run.

As other teams get better, the Lakers seem to be going the other direction...

It is hard to have a lack of faith in any team that has Kobe Bryant, but no one man can carry a team and it does not look as

if they are improving much this year. They did add former 2-time MVP point guard Steve Nash via 4 first round picks but

even that move can be questioned to the man being 38 years old with back problems. The Clippers, on the other hand,

seem to be the up and coming team of the NBA. I would look for them to be a force in the NBA’s Western Conference this

year. Of course Miami is in the East, but the East looks to have a few other capable teams as well.

Do the White Sox have enough to play with the loaded Tigers?

Yes this is the same question I had to answer in the last newsletter. The question has yet to be answered. The White Sox

have controlled first place for most of the year but have recently given it up to the Tigers after getting swept by them on

the road. The Sox have been reeling as of late and Detroit looks as good as they have all year. I would look for Cleveland

to have their yearly fade leaving the Sox and Tigers to fight for the division crown. The wild card is not coming out of the

American League Central so if they want to be in the playoffs the Sox will need to stay ahead of the Tigers and the Tribe in

the division race. Those of you who read this column know my heart is with the White Sox but my head says Detroit.

Chicago Cubs fans, “Wait until next year?”

No sane person thinks that the Cubs can pull themselves out of the hole they have dug themselves into thus far. However

you have to like some of the young players that are coming up from the minor leagues and you would think that Theo

Epstein knows how to build a winner. I would think that Cubs’ fans will be patient this year but in a day of instant

gratification, I would suggest that they start to show serious signs of improvement or there will be a fan revolt.

It’s Olympics time!

I love the Olympics; there is nothing better than to see proud Americans beat the rest of the world in athletic

competition. This country has always been stronger in the Summer Olympics than in the Winter Games. I look to see our

fair share of medals in the pool, track, stadium, pitch, and gym. Look for a recap in the next newsletter.

Will the Blackhawks rebuild?

Will the Blackhawks fill the holes that they have in their roster? They have a strong core and it would not take a lot to

create another championship caliber team in Chicago. How fun would it be to see the Kings and Blackhawks duke it out

for Lord Stanley’s Cup?

Will there be an NFL franchise in Los Angeles anytime soon?

There is still no news on this. I believe that it will happen at some time so I will keep this topic here until there is some

movement from the city, the NFL, and the fans/voters.

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W. Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

August

Holidays,

Special Days, Weeks & Month

Page 8

Nearly two million Americans are hurt every year by the medication

mistakes of others, such as being given the wrong drug or the wrong dose.

But this total only includes the errors that are caused by doctors or in

hospitals. It doesn’t include the mistakes that many of us make on our

own, such as forgetting to take a pill or accidentally double dosing.

Thankfully, most of the errors are not fatal, but they can be.

Common mistakes-and how to avoid them…

Mistake: Taking two different products with the same ingredient.

Suppose that you normally take acetaminophen several times a day to reduce pain from

arthritis. Each dose contains 325 milligrams (mg). Then you get a cold. So you take an over-

the-counter cold remedy such as NyQuil. Many cold medications contain about 650 mg of

acetaminophen per dose.

You could wind up getting 2,500 mg of acetaminophen from several doses of the

cold remedy…in addition to the acetaminophen that you’re taking for arthritis. You could

exceed maximum safe dose of 4,000 mg a day without even knowing it.

Self-protection: Always read labels. Don’t take any medication without knowing what

it contains. Many have more than one active ingredient. If a new medication contains an

ingredient that you’re already taking, ask your doctor or pharmacist if the combined dose is

safe.

Also, drugs can have similar actions even if the active ingredients

are different. So many antidepressants, for example, lower blood pressure

as a side effect. Your pressure could drop too low if you’re also taking

medication for hypertension. Again, never take any combination of drugs

without consulting your doctor first.

Mistake: Assuming two doses are better than one. Many people think that more is

better. For example, if one dose of a painkiller gives some relief, they tell themselves that a

double dose will be even more effective.

Not true. For example, you’ll get the same relief from 400 mg of ibuprofen (the usual

adult dose for mild-to-moderate pain), taken every four to six hours, as you would from one

dose of 800 mg-with less risk for side effects.

Most of the common painkillers, such as aspirin and ibuprofen, take time to work.

You might not notice two much improvement in the first hour or two. After that, the

medication gets more effective as it changes your body’s chemistry. Be patient.

Self-protection: Take the recommended dose for at least a few days. If your problem

still isn’t under control, ask your doctor if you should take a higher dose-or if another

painkiller might be more effective.

Mistake: Missing a dose. Everyone forgets to take medication sometimes. It rarely

matters, particularly if a drug is used for treating a long-term condition such as hypertension

or high cholesterol. Just take your next scheduled dose.

Exception: Medication that you need for an acute problem, such as an infection. If

you’re taking an antibiotic four times daily and you miss the morning dose, you usually can

take a double dose at lunchtime, then return to the normal schedule.

But check with your doctor or pharmacist because doubling up is dangerous with

some medications. Examples: Patients taking Coumadin, a blood thinner, could experience

excessive bleeding if they take a double dose. With blood pressure drugs, you could suffer

from hypertension, pressure that falls too low.

Self-protection: When you get a new prescription, ask your doctor or pharmacist what

to do if you miss a dose. The rules are different depending on the medication.

Mistake: Using a regular spoon to measure medications. People routinely use kitchen

spoons to measure their liquid medications. Don’t do it. A study in Annals of Internal

Medicine found that participants who sued kitchen spoons to measure medications wound

up taking either too much or too little.

Self-protection: Some liquid or powder medications are packaged with a measuring

device, such as a graduated cap. These devices are far more accurate than a kitchen spoon.

Or you can buy dosing syringes or other appropriate measuring devices at pharmacies.

Medication Mistakes We All Make Some Can Be Deadly Matthew Grissinger, RPh – Institute for Safe Medication Practices

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Month:

Admit You're Happy Month

Family Fun Month

National Catfish Month

National Eye Exam Month

National Golf Month

Peach Month

Romance Awareness Month

Water Quality Month

National Picnic Month

Weeks:

Week 1 National Simplify your Life

Week 2 National Smile Week

Week 3 Friendship Week

Week 4 Be Kind to Humankind Week

Days:

2 National Ice Cream Sandwich

Day

3 National Watermelon Day

4 U.S. Coast Guard Day

5 Friendship Day

5 International Forgiveness Day

5 Sisters Day

6 Wiggle Your Toes Day

7 National Lighthouse Day

9 Book Lover's Day

10 National S'mores Day

12 Middle Child's Day

13 Left Hander's Day

14 National Creamsicle Day

15 Relaxation Day

16 National Tell a Joke Day

17 National Thrift shop Day

18 Bad Poetry Day

19 Aviation Day

20 National Radio Day

21 Senior Citizen's Day

22 Be an Angel Day

22 National Tooth Fairy Day

23 Daughter's Day

25 Kiss and Make Up Day

26 National Dog Day

26 Women's Equality Day

27 Global Forgiveness Day

30 Frankenstein Day

30 Toasted Marshmallow Day

31 National Trail Mix Day

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 9

September

Holidays,

Special Days, & Month Month

Classical Music Month

Hispanic Heritage Month

International Square Dancing Month

National Courtesy Month

National Piano Month

Chicken Month

Baby Safety Month

Little League Month

Honey Month

Self Improvement Month

Better Breakfast Month

Days

3 Labor Day

3 Skyscraper Day

4 Newspaper Carrier Day

5 Cheese Pizza Day

6 Fight Procrastination Day

6 Read a Book Day

8 International Literacy Day

8 Pardon Day

9 Grandparents Day

9 National Pet Memorial Day

9 Teddy Bear Day

10 Sewing Machine Day

11 911 Remembrance

11 Make Your Bed Day

12 Chocolate Milkshake Day

12 National Video Games Day

13 Defy Superstition Day

13 Fortune Cookie Day

13 National Peanut Day

13 Uncle Sam Day (1813)

14 National Cream-Filled Donut Day

15 Make a Hat Day

16 Collect Rocks Day

16 Step Family Day

16 Mayflower Day

16 National Play-Doh Day

16 National Women’s Day

16 Working Parents Day

17 Citizenship Day

17 Constitution Day

18 National Cheeseburger Day

19 Talk Like a Pirate Day

20 National Punch Day

21 International Peace Day

21 Miniature Golf Day

21 World Gratitude Day

22 Elephant Appreciation Day

22 International Rabbit Day

23 Checkers Day

25 National Comic Book Day

27 Crush a Can Day

28 Ask a Stupid Question Day

28 Good Neighbor Day

28 Native American Day

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Mistake: Unsafe splitting. In an effort to save money, many patients ask their

doctors to prescribe a higher-strength pill, which they split in two to get the correct dose.

This isn’t necessarily a bad idea. The cost of a 5-mg dose usually is about the

same as you would pay for 10 mg. You’ll probably get the right dose if the pill is scored

for easy cutting. But if it is not scored for cutting and you cut it anyway, you could get

uneven doses. Self-protection: To split tablets that are hard, very small or have an unusual

shape, use a pill splitter, available at pharmacies. They have sharp blades and are

designed to hold pills in the correct position when cut.

Never split or separate capsules-and don’t split medications

that have a time-release mechanism. Breaking the coating could cause

the medication to be absorbed too quickly-or even, in some cases, not

absorbed at all.

Mistake: Buying or taking the wrong drug. This happens more

often than you might think. Name confusion is among the most

common types of drug errors. The US Pharmacopeia, an organization that sets drug

standards, estimates that more than 1,400 commonly used medications have names

that are so similar that people often confuse them.

Examples: It would be easy to confuse the osteoporosis medication Fosamax with

Flomax (used to treat an enlarged prostate gland). Are you supposed to take Lamictal to

prevent seizures or Lamisil to treat fungal infection? Even names that don’t sound alike,

such as Avandia and Coumadin, may look similar on handwritten prescriptions.

Self-protection: Know the correct name of every drug that you’re taking and why

you’re taking it. Never take pills in a dark room.

Helpful: When your doctor is writing a prescription, ask him/her to jot a note on

the prescription saying what the drug is for. If the prescription if for Coumadin, for

example, the note might read “to thin the blood.” The pharmacist will be less likely to

make a mistake. Also, confirm with the pharmacist what the drug is for when you pick up

your prescription.

Your pool could be poisoning you by Marcelo Domingo

It’s an indelible part of summer: You’re outside sitting in a lawn chair, sipping a cold drink

listening to the kids bark and the dogs play and all of this around the

potential menace of the swimming pool.

So how can a pool be dangerous? It’s very simple: Chlorine. Chlorine is the

chemical we use to inhibit microorganisms in swimming pools. However it

also stings swimmers eyes, dries out hair and skin and has been linked to

asthma problems.

So what can you do? One solution is saltwater pools. It may sound strange but this is a proven

technology that has been around for thirty years. How it works is water is pumped through a

chlorine generator cell where an electrical current reacts with the salt (Sodium Chloride) in the

water to produce chlorine.

The difference is that the chlorine in the water quickly recombines with the sodium so it does

not hang around in the water creating noxious effects. However, saltwater pools are a higher

upfront cost and the chlorine generator cells need to be replaced. And saltwater can cause soft

stone such as sand stone to deteriorate. A concrete pool is a better choice for a saltwater pool.

But if you don’t want a salt water pool there are other options. There are ultraviolet filters that

are used to kill microorganisms as they pass through the filter system. Their cost is around $400

to $600. Also, you can purchase corona discharge ozone generators which create small

electrical charges in the filter system to kill microorganisms. They typically run $600 to $1,000.

The bottom line is that is if you want an alternative to the curse of the chlorine they do exist.

Page 10

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

The mystery of the massive die-off of honeybees may have been solved. Three new

studies point to a widely used class of pesticides called neonicotinoids as the main

reason for “colony collapse disorder,” in which millions of honeybees and bumblebees

have died off in the U.S. and Europe in the past decade. Developed in the 1990’s,

neonicotinoids disrupt the nervous systems of insects that destroy crops. The

pesticides are commonly used in agriculture and backyard gardening products, and

have made their way into the corn syrup that many beekeepers feed their hives after

harvesting honey. Around the time colonies started collapsing, farmers began heavily

treating corn crops, used to make the syrup, with neonicotinoids. Studies indicate

that the pesticide can be found in many honeybees, which pollinate more than a third

of the U.S. crops. “It apparently doesn’t take much of the pesticide to affect the

bees,” Harvard University biologist Chensheng Lu tells Scientific American. He found

that even trace amounts killed off hives within six months. In other studies,

honeybees fed neonicotinoids got lost while foraging, and bumblebees produced

radically fewer queens. Says Pennsylvania beekeeper Dave Hackenberg, “We’ve got a

toxic mess.”

ORD DRIVER

German Melendez

LAX AF OPS

Jim Garoutte

ORD ITA DRIVERS TEAM Mike Shipinski, Nelson Mendez,

Mark Dannhauser, Dan Craig, Neil Spector, Robert Reynolds

& John Skiba

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

WHY HONEYBEES ARE DISAPPEARING

USE THE WORD “DISAPPOINTED”

When dealing with issues of trust, “disappointment” is a powerful word that exudes vulnerability

and puts the burden on the other person to accept some blame and make amends. Use it instead

of more aggressive, hostile words such as “violated” or “betrayed”, which often push the other

person to lash out with complaints about you.

Example: You confide in a colleague at work about your husband’s medical condition. Though

you’ve asked her not to tell anyone else, the colleague tells the receptionist. Instead of saying,

“how could you violate my trust?” say, “I was so disappointed to hear that you mentioned Michael’s

diagnosis to the receptionist.” Your friend’s likely reaction is to say, “I’m sorry.” But if your

friend responds with a counter complaint of her own (“you’ve talked about my family”), resist

getting defensive yourself. Give your colleague an incentive to keep listening to you. Say, “That’s

worth discussing. Let’s go back to what I initially brought up, and then I promise we will talk about

what you said.”

As noted in Bottom Line Publications Volume 33, Number 5 March 1, 2012

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Welcome New Hires!

Juan Gomez CDN CSR

Steve Yacko CDN Manager

Catherine Bonomo CDL CSR

Michael Plzak CDL Manager

William Milarski TCC CSR

Hugo Quezada CDN Parts Coordinator

Jose Santiago CDN Dock

Joseph Valentino CDN Dock

Joseph Paladino CDL Manager

John R Sarlo TCC Sales

Guillermo Herrera CDL Dock

Bruce Powell CDN PM Spotter

Issac Villalba CDL Dock

Matthew Arch CDN Driver

Jocelyn Cervantes TCC CSR

Genebee Flores CDL CSR

Don Kalkman TCC CSR

Marcia Ove CDL CSR

Paul Garza CDN Spotter

Stephen Flores CGL Manager

Mary Balda TCC Billing Clerk

Magdalena Sagan CDL CSR

Jeannette Sweet TCC Billing Clerk

Rufus Lanier CDN Dedicated Driver

Brian Villardito ATS Dispatcher

Grant Douglass CDN Driver

Thomas Wresinski ATS Manager

Ewa Glowacka TCC CSR

Luis Adame CDN Dock

Israel Gonzalez CDN Dock

Francisco Martinez CDN Dock

Ricardo Rodriguez CDN Dock

LAX SALES

Bruce Laracuente, John

Tarwater & Frankie Conte

HIRING OUR HEROS

Matt Foley & Rocky Caylor

ORD MANAGEMENT

(Notice our new backdrop!)

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Page 11

Thomas Wresinski Juan Gomez

Ewa Glowacka

Mary Balda

Stephen Flores

Don Kalkman

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Congratulations to

Reyna Avila (CDN

Driver Payroll) and

her fiancé Ricardo

Cordova on the

birth of their baby

girl, Elizabeth

Mercedes.

Baby Elizabeth

arrived on June 4th,

at 8:06am, weighing

in at 5 lbs, 14 oz

and 19” long.

Everyone is doing

well!

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Congratulations to

Kevin & Heather Conte

as they entered marital

bliss on July 14th.

Kevin is a part of ORD

OTR Dispatch. We

wish them the very best!

Best wishes to Matt & Diane Estes!

Matt (LAX Outside Sales) & Diane

tied the knot on June 3rd in a beauti-

ful ceremony by the ocean.

Congratulations!!

Austin Kizzee (ORD Sales

Trainee) & Elizabeth were

married on June 16th . We

hope they will be blessed

with many, many happy years

of marriage!

Page 12

Wedding Bells Are Ringing

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Dave’s famous BBQ sauce

2 cups ketchup

2 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Soy Sauce

½ teaspoon Hot pepper sauce (Preferred Franks Red Hot Sauce)

1 Lemon, juiced

1 small onion, finely chopped

½ teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and Pepper to taste

1. In a small bowl combine the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, hot sauce, and lemon juice. Add the finely chopped onion, season with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix well.

www.customco.com

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Congratulations to

Felix Torres (ORD

Inbound) and

Amanda Hartjes

on the birth of their

son, Ezra

Salvatore. Ezra

entered this world

on July 6th ,

weighing in at 5

lbs., 11oz .and

measuring 19” long.

Everyone is doing

well!

Page 13

Mustard-Rubbed Beef Tenderloin

1 beef tenderloin roast, 2 to 2-½ pounds, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin

2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

¼ cup Dijon mustard

2 tbs. Weber® Chicago Steak Seasoning

1. Lightly coat the roast all over with oil. Allow the roast to stand at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before grilling.

2. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F).

3. In a small bowl mix the mustard and steak seasoning.

4. Brush the cooking grates clean. Sear the roast over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until well marked, about 15 minutes, turning a quarter turn every 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the roast from the grill and coat it evenly with the mustard mixture. Return the roast to the grill and continue cooking over indirect medium heat, with the lid closed, until cooked to your desired doneness, 15 to 20 minutes for medium rare, turning once. Remove from the grill and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

5. Cut the roast crosswise into slices. Serve warm with grilled asparagus, if desired.

Cooking Corner with David Lorge

Page 14

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

Cooking Corner with David Lorge

Cola Barbecued Burgers

Sauce

½ cup cola

⅓ cup ketchup

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1 teaspoon prepared chili powder

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1-½ pounds ground chuck (80% lean)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

4 hamburger buns

8 slices ripe tomato

4 lettuce leaves

Bread and butter pickles (optional)

1. In a small saucepan combine the sauce ingredients. Cook over medium-high heat until the liquid has reduced to about ½ cup, about 5 minutes, whisking frequently. Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the sauce cool to room temperature.

2. Prepare the grill for direct cooking over medium heat (350° to 450°F).

3. In a medium bowl using your hands, gently combine the ground chuck with the salt, pepper, and half of the cooled sauce. Shape into four patties of equal size and thickness, each about ¾ inch thick. With your thumb or the back of a spoon, make a shallow indentation about 1 inch wide in the center of each patty so the centers are about ½ inch thick. This will help the patties cook evenly and prevent them from puffing on the grill.

4. Brush the cooking grates clean. Grill the patties over direct medium heat, with the lid closed as much as possible, until cooked to medium doneness, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once when the patties release easily from the cooking grate without sticking. Toast the buns over direct heat during the last minute of grilling time. Remove from the grill and brush each patty with an equal amount of the remaining sauce. Serve warm on buns with tomato, lettuce, and pickles, if desired.

The 2012 September equinox comes on September 22, at 9:49 a.m. CDT (14:49 Universal Time).

In the Northern

Hemisphere, the sun is

rising later now, and

nightfall comes

sooner. The time of the

autumn equinox is

here, when the days

are getting shorter,

and day and night are

approximately equal in

length.

For us in the Northern

Hemisphere, people

are enjoying the cooler

days of autumn even

as preparations for

winter are underway.

South of the equator,

spring begins.

Autumnal

Equinox 2012

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 15

VOL . VI No. 3 Aug 2012 / Sept 2012

LAX VP SALES

John Tarwater

LAX SALES

Bruce Laracuente

LAX SALES

Jim Welsh

The Illinois Trucking Association held a Pin and Patch Design Contest and Robert Reynolds (ORD DRIVER) won!!

His design is used by the ITA!

Dan Craig (ORD DRIVER) did FANTASTIC in the Straight Truck Competition taking Second Place!

Way to Go

Guys!!

Page 16 Page 16

317 W. Lake Street

Northlake, IL

60164

Phone: 708-338-8888

Fax: 708-338-9550

E-mail: newsletter@customco.com

The Custom Companies, Inc.

The Full Service Transportation Company

www.customco.com

www.customgl.com

www.gocdn.com

Newsletter Committee Members

CUSTOMER SERVICE, SUPPORT AND CARE

At The Custom Companies, our main objective is to deliver your goods

on time and in perfect condition. We understand the importance of a

great customer/vendor relationship. Our customer service center is just a

phone call away to provide a rate quote, track a shipment, schedule a

pickup or access accurate documentation. In today’s fast paced

environment, we work to provide transportation solutions that fit every

economic situation.

Our “Customer First” program ensures that your shipments will be

delivered on time, and with the highest degree of care. In order to

maintain these standards, we measure performance levels on every

shipment. As a result, our internal operational systems are constantly

improving to provide better, more accurate service, allowing our

transportation specialists to meet your growing needs.

Marcelo Domingo

Matt Foley

Carol Guarino

Petra Gumieniak

Jeff Guthman

Daniel Leach

Michele Marek

Tom Mroz

Eric Pocius

Additional Contributors: Willy Palivos

Rocky Caylor Robert Heinz

www.scentstooremember.scentsy.us

Ask to see my new Fall/Winter Catalog!

ADS

AND

MORE

www.customco.com

Fridays @ Orland Park Old Village Hall

14413 Beacon Ave., Orland Park, IL September 28

8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

(Must be 18 yrs. or older)

Michele Marek

Your preferred Scentsy provider

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P: 847.942.2291

F:773.435.0681

daniel.porter@guaranteed.com

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Your Independent Mary Kay Beauty Consultant

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