Six Things I Learned From Children
1. Live in the moment.      It’s great to plan and dream — but let’s not forget to enjoy where we are at this very moment.
2. Breakfast is a good thing.  A bowl of fiber cereal, maybe an egg and bacon, or just a protein shake.  Breakfast can change your world.  You set the pace for the day – and if you don’t eat breakfast, your body thinks it is starving and will save up all those calories as fat storage.
3. Toys!  More toys! We learn pretty early that toys kick start our imagination.  Little kids play with legos and learn to create cities and worlds out of little pieces of plastic.  As adults – what toys are you using every day?  I like my Blackberry Pearl, my iPod wannabe, and my laptop.  Use your toys to spark your imagination.
4. Walk away from mean people. Kids have the ability to determine if someone is worth their time.  Mean people?  They just ignore them and walk away.  What if we did the same thing?
5. Repeat repeat repeat. Kids repeat what they hear.  They say things over and over until they get it.  They repeat it to their friends.  It’s how they process things.  We could repeat the good things we hear for a change! (come on – we hear the news all day long, and its the same thing at night that you heard in the morning – and mostly all bad news.)
6. Ask for what you want.  I just got back from a road trip to Kansas.  My 5 year old great nephew asked for some toys.  He was very specific.  He wanted a Walmart sword, some Scooby Doo little plastic people and a Kansas tshirt.  Not a Missouri shirt – he had one of those already.  He got exactly what he asked for.  What do you want?

Hampton Today made possible by sponsors like:
Michelle Hartman – Tupperware –641-373-8880
Denise Passehl – Watkins – 641-580-4052
Franklin County Farmers Market 641-456-4811
Patrick Palmer – The Computer Guy – 641-420-1234
Seven Stars Restaurant – 641-456-5378
Debra Brown – Melaleuca - 641-458-1114

A Commitment to the Community

Workshifters are those that don’t always work from an office. You may find yourself at a clients, in a coffee shop or at home.

Workershifters in a rural community have a great challenge. We are asked to bring our friends and families into this century. We choose to do it, because it needs to be done. We have stepped up to the plate and expect to hit the ball out of the park. Because that is what people in rural America do - we help each other.

Score.org gives these statistics for small businesses in the rural economy:

• Since 1969, the number of self-employed persons in rural America has increased over 240 percent to 5.3 million.
• There are more than 1.2 million rural, small businesses.
• In the rural economy, small business comprises almost two-thirds of jobs and 90 percent of rural establishments.
• In the service sector, rural firms are particularly important where they account for 64 percent of rural jobs and 89 percent of rural establishments.
• It is estimated that by 2015, one in three persons in rural America will be self-employed in some capacity.

We have a commitment to the community. This workshifter is determined to work with the small businesses where she lives to keep our community vibrant, exciting and growing.
By Deb Brown

The nice thing about living in a small town is that when you don’t know what you are doing, someone else does.

Hampton Today made possible by sponsors like:
Michelle Hartman – Tupperware –641-373-8880
Denise Passehl – Watkins – 641-580-4052
Franklin County Farmers Market 641-456-4811
Patrick Palmer – The Computer Guy – 641-420-1234
Seven Stars Restaurant – 641-456-5378
Debra Brown – Melaleuca - 641-458-1114

AMBASSADORS VISIT ALLIANT ENERGY

Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors visited Alliant Energy offices South of Hampton Wednesday February 6. Steve Gilbert, the site director conducted an informal presentation and tour of the site.
Did you know there are over 7,000 parts in one wind turbine? Iowa passed California and now only trails Texas in installed wind power generating capacity. Hampton Area Chamber of Commerce gladly welcomes Alliant Energy and their employees to Franklin County.
A wind turbine works the opposite of a fan. Instead of using electricity to make wind, a turbine uses wind to make electricity.
The wind turns the blades, which spin a shaft, which connects to a generator and makes electricity The electricity is sent through transmission and distribution lines to a substation, then on to homes, business and schools.
Visit www.alliantenergy.com for more information.


Hampton Today made possible by sponsors like:
Michelle Hartman – Tupperware –641-373-8880
Denise Passehl – Watkins – 641-580-4052
Franklin County Farmers Market 641-456-4811
Patrick Palmer – The Computer Guy – 641-420-1234
Seven Stars Restaurant – 641-456-5378
Debra Brown – Melaleuca - 641-458-1114

Landfill of North Iowa Designated Cell Phones for Soldiers Site

The Landfill of North Iowa has teamed up with “CELL PHONES FOR SOLDIERS” and is now a designated drop off site. Citizens may donate their old cell phones, the cell phones are recycled and the revenue generated is used to purchase phone time for our troops overseas. What a great way to help support our military men and women. Dig out those old cell phones and donate them to a wonderful cause! Cell phones can be dropped off at the Landfill of North Iowa anytime during regular business hours. Drop boxes are available in the scale office and e-cycling building. To learn more call 877-LANDFILL.


Hampton Today made possible by sponsors like:
Michelle Hartman – Tupperware –641-373-8880
Denise Passehl – Watkins – 641-580-4052
Franklin County Farmers Market 641-456-4811
Patrick Palmer – The Computer Guy – 641-420-1234
Seven Stars Restaurant – 641-456-5378
Debra Brown – Melaleuca - 641-458-1114