Increasing Prices

I have recently heard that prices will be increasing at the Cannery for the 2011 year. Some items will go up by as much as 50%!

I encourage you to get out to the Cannery before the year is up. Items already canned can be purchased right off the shelf. Of course bulk items are available too, but I would encourage you to only purchase items this way if you use them in frequent rotation.

I know there are so many things to do this time of year. I can not adequately express to you the sense of urgency I feel on the matter of food storage. Make it a priority and you will be blessed!

Long-Term Food Storage for November

A new month means a new list of things to gather for our long-term storage! Here is our suggested list:

shampoo, conditioner and hair products

sanitary napkins and diapers

napkins, paper cups and plastic silverware

paper plates and trash bags

Long-Term Food Storage for October

Here is a list of our long-term items to be added to your storage for October:

laundry soap

2 bars of body soap

bleach and stain remover

toothpaste and mouthwash

Remember that hygiene items should be added to your long-term storage after food items have been secured.

72 Hour Kit - The Complete List

October has come to a close and we hope that everyone has completed putting together their 72 hour kits. We encourage you to rotate through the food and clothing items you have placed within your kits. Check expiration dates periodically and make sure your clothes still fit!

Here is the complete list of all the items that should be found within your pack:

Clothing:

1 pair of shoes

1 pair of undergarments

1 pair of pants

1 shirt

1 pair of socks

Toiletries:

toothbrush and toothpaste

tissues

soap

chapstick

shampoo

comb

lotion

towelettes

razor

toilet paper

deodorant

mirror

floss

Shelter/Survival:

solar blanket (remember to check your first aid kit, many have this blanket in them)

disposable hand warmer

flashlight and extra batteries

whistle

compass

hat

map

pocket knife

pencil and paper

Spiritual:

scriptures

consecrated oil

Food:

2 quarts of water/per day

hot cocoa mix/cider

fruit/lemonade mix

granola bars

hard candy

gum

soup mix/canned soup

beef jerky

dried fruit

MRE

Cooking Supplies:

camp cup

sterno

matches

sterno stove

utensils

First Aid Kit:

bandaids

hand sanitizer

antibiotic cream

aspirin/motrin

hydrogen peroxide

cotton/gauze

tweezers

sunblock/aloe vera

ace bandage/sling

Sanity Kit:

deck of cards

toys/dolls

word books

cross stitch

art supplies

Sanitation Kit:

clothesline

toilet paper (this is really important, it's on here twice)

lysol

laundry detergent

paper towels

dish soap

1 gallon plastic container

plastic garbage bags

large paper grocery bags

cotton dish towel

camp shovel

duct tape

sponge

Remember that each person in your home should have their own kit. Our Stake Presidency feels great urgency regarding this matter, and we appreciate everyone's willingness to heed their counsel by putting together these kits!

Oats Oats Oats!

We have another dry-pack canning date coming up.

October 14th from 6 to 8 pm.

We will be canning oats. Oats were requested and oats it shall be!

The approximate cost on these per #10 can is just under 2 dollars.

More information to follow. Please save the date!!

72 Hour Kit Assignment for September

Here is our list of suggested items to add to your 72 hour kits this month. We are almost done and hope that everyone will have a completed 72 hour kit by the end of October. This is something that has really been emphasized from our Stake Presidency and we fill a strong urgency to fulfill their request. Every member of our Ward is to have a 72 hour kit by the end of the year! Let's get to it!!

Toiletries:

toothbrush

toothpaste

tissues

soap

chapstick

shampoo

comb

lotion

towelettes

razor

toilet paper

deodorant

mirror

floss

Female Extras:

sanitary supplies

sewing supplies

scissors

hair ties

nail clippers

Long-Term Food Storage for September

Here is our recommended list of items to be added to your long-term food supply for the month of September.

-peroxide and alcohol

-first aid cream and cotton balls

-first aid tape and ace bandages

-dish soap

It is important to remember that these are merely suggestions. If you find a great sale, or have coupons to lower your costs on additional products, we encourage you to use substitutions. Also, it is important to note that your FOOD storage should be going strong before adding hygiene and first aid items. It won't matter how clean you are if you're starving!!

Cannery Date

The Cannery will be available for our Ward's use Wednesday September 29th from 11 to 1. If you are interested in knowing what items are currently in stock and their prices, click here. We will include this form in the Relief Society folders this coming Sunday.

If you are interested in purchasing some things from the Cannery, but are unable to attend on the 29th, I would be more than happy to fill your order for you. Just give me a list and a check for the appropriate amount.

Please direct any questions you may have to JoEllen Giani or Katie Sillman.

Announcement!!

We have set a Cannery date for September 29th from 11 am to 1 pm. If you have never been to the Cannery, this would be a great chance to check it out and stock your shelves with basic long-term food supply items.

Save the date!!

First Aid For Families

On Saturday August 28th, the Springs Preserve is offering a first aid class for families.

"Learn how to treat minor injuries that can occur as your family explores the desert, and how to pack your compact first-aid kits."

This class is for everyone age 6 and up. $8 adults, $6 children 5 to 17 and members can take an additional $2 off.

Pre-registration is advised.

1-800-822-7700

I have attended a couple of the Springs Preserve events and classes and have been very impressed with their knowledge and ability. This would be a great class to attend!!

Save the Date

August 11th is the day we will be compiling our 72 hour kit food supply ziploc baggies. These one gallon bags will hold a limited 3 day supply of food. If you have not signed up yet, but would like to, please check the Relief Society rolls. The cost is $10.00 per baggie.

We need to have everyone's money in by the 8th of August. Please make checks payable to Katie Sillman.

I feel impressed to share with you again the urgency the Stake feels on this matter. Last night our power went out. It was only out for 2 hours, but within those 2 hours I had a lot of time to think. I took great comfort in knowing exactly where my 72 hour kit was, and knowing that if I needed to I could just grab it on my way out the door with my kids. Our power outage was in no way comparable to a true emergency, but it made me realize that anything could happen. Anything could happen at any time. Am I really prepared?

The Stake wants every member to have a 72 hour kit by the end of the year. Our goal as a ward is to have our kits done by October's General Conference. If something were to happen, how prepared are you?

First Aid Kit Bulk Order

We announced today that we will be placing a bulk order of first aid kits at the end of this month.

If you are looking for a very basic, individual sized kit, this is a great option. Priced at $9.50 this would be perfect for your 72 hour kits!

If you are looking for something more complete, or larger to cover your entire family, this is a great choice. At 185 pieces for $21.25, this is a great deal.

A sign up will be going around next Sunday in the Relief Society rolls. We must have everyone's money in by the 25th. To get the bulk rate, we need at least 12 orders. Checks can be made to JoEllen Giani.

Please direct any questions you have to Katie Sillman or JoEllen Giani.

long-Term Food Storage for July

Here is our suggested list of items to add to your long-term food supply for the month of July:

-3 jars of applesauce and 3 cans of peaches

-1 large bottle of oil and 1 can of shortening

-3 cans of your favorite fruit

-7 gallons of water

Water can be tricky to store. If you don't own super sweet water storage containers but would still like to store some water, use left over juice containers. I frequently buy my kids' juice in half and one gallon plastic containers. When the juice is gone, I wash them out and refill the containers with water. This isn't a great long-term storage solution, but does provide a quick way to shelve a short term water supply. Keep in mind that water, like food, needs to be rotated. A good way to rotate your water is to use what you have stored to water your plants, or to add to a pot for boiling. Rotating your water helps to keep it fresh and clean. When you are deciding just how much water to store it is important to remember that in the case of an emergency you would need about 1 gallon of water per person per day.

72 Hour Kit Assignment for July

It's the beginning of a new month, and that means it's time to add something else to our 72 hour kits!

Our suggestion for July is to add a first aid kit. Here's a basic list:

bandaids

hand sanitizer

antibiotic cream

aspirin/motrin

hydrogen peroxide

cotton/gauze

tweezers

sun block/aloe vera

ace bandage/sling

If you would prefer a more complete kit, we would suggest adding the following items as well:

adhesive tape

allergy medication

burn ointment

calamine lotion

disposable mask

first-aid book

thermometer

paper bags

scissors

splints

bandages of various shapes and sizes

Your first aid kit is also a great place to keep your consecrated oil and prescription medications.

We will be placing a bulk order of first aid kits toward the end of this month. I will post a link to view the kit we have chosen as soon as possible. The bulk rate for a personal kit is 10 dollars, and the cost for an extra large kit (which would serve a family nicely) is 21 dollars. More information on this to follow soon!!

Emergency Preparedness Speaker on July 8th

Sister Faught, who is our Stake Emergency Preparedness Leader, is coming to speak to the Willows Ward Relief Society on Thursday, July 8th at 6:30pm. She is awesome! If you haven't heard her speak before, you will want to come to this! She will be speaking on both short and long term storage. Please plan on coming! It will be at the chapel and babysitters will be provided for your children! Refreshments will also be served. See you there!!

72 Hour Kit Assignment for June

For the month of June we are focusing on shelter, survival and our sanity for our 72 hour kits. Here is a list of suggested items to add to your kit this month!

-solar blanket (These frequently come with first aid kits. Check yours to see if you already have one.)

-disposable hand warmer

-flashlight with extra batteries (Keep your flashlight from accidentally turning on in your pack by turning one of your batteries the wrong way.)

-whistle with cord

-compass

-hat (Keep in mind the season.)

-map

-pocket knife

-pencil and paper

-deck of cards

-small toys or a small doll

-word books, crosswords, etc

-art supplies or a small craft like a cross stitch

Long-Term Food Storage for June

It's a new month, which means new long-term food storage items.

Here is our suggested list of items to gather for the month of June. Please keep in mind that if you have coupons, or find a great sale, for other items you would like to have in your long-term storage, get them! These are only suggestions!

-1 large jar of your favorite jam and 1 brownie mix

-2 cans of your favorite canned meat and 1 bottle of ketchup

-1 large can of chicken broth and 2 cans of pork and beans

-2 cans of beef stew or chili and 2 cans of kidney beans

Remember to multiply the quantity by the number of people in your household.

Canner Night!!!

This past Thursday night, ladies from our Ward got together to can white flour. It was the first time to can for many of us so we learned together! It was a lot of fun. Here are a few pictures of us in action. If you ordered cans and weren't able to make it, please contact Katie Sillman at (702) 335-6008 to schedule a time to pick them up. They turned out to be $2.14 each. We will be doing this again so let us know what you would like to can next!

72 Hour Food Kit Change

It was previously mentioned that we would be assembling our 72 hour kit ziploc baggies of food on the 2nd of June. We are moving this activity to the 16th.

Please make note of this change.

Canner Night Announced!

We will be hosting our dry-pack canning night at the Sillman residence (10385 Miners Gulch Ave) Thursday May 27th from 6 to 8. This is a come-and-go-as-you-please event as we work on building our long-term food supply. We will be canning flour only. We are amateurs at this and we're trying to keep our first time simple.

We need to know how many number 10 cans of flour you would like. Once we have a better idea of how many people are interested, we can break down the cost. Feel free to leave a comment here with your information or watch the Relief Society rolls for sign up sheets.

If you are interested in purchasing cans, but are unable to attend this event, I would LOVE to do the actual canning for you. Provided, of course, that you are able to pick up the cans from the Sillman's home in a timely manner. Again, just let me know how many you would like.

Now is the time to be determined!

Questions? Please refer to JoEllen Giani or Katie Sillman.

Free Mini First Aid Kit!

If you visit the Spring Valley Hospital website at http://www.springvalleyhospital.com/Home you can receive a free mini first aid kit by entering your mailing information. These will be great to include in your 72 hour kit!!!

Long-Term Food Storage for May

Here is our suggested list for your long-term food supply for the month of May.

-1 large jar of peanut butter and 1 box of ziploc bags

- 1 large box of instant mashed potatoes and 1 cake mix with frosting

-1 large bottle of honey and 1 jar of syrup

-4 cans of tuna and 1 jar of mayonnaise

A few words on honey:

It is important to keep honey stored in an airtight container so that it doesn't absorb moisture from the air. Honey stored this way in a cool dry place will keep almost indefinitely. One reason for this is that its high sugar content and acidic pH help to inhibit microorganism growth. Honey that is kept at colder temperatures tends to thicken, while honey that is kept at higher temperatures has a tendency to darken and have an altered flavor.

If your honey has crystallized, placing the container in hot water for 15 minutes will help return it to its liquid state. Do not heat honey in the microwave as this alters its taste by increasing its HMF (hydroxymethylfurfural) content.

Always buy the highest grade honey available (Grade A, or "pure"). This honey will store the longest and maintain it's flavor best.

For more information on storing, using and the benefits of honey, click here.

72 Hour Kit Assignment for May

For the month of May we are focusing on our food and cooking supplies for our 72 hour kits. Here is a suggested list of the things you may want to included:

Food

2 quarts of water per day

hot coca mix/cider

fruit/lemonade mix

granola bars

hard candy or gum

soup mix/canned soup

beef jerky

dried fruit

MRE

Cooking Supplies

camp cup

matches

camping stove

utensils

On June 16th, there will be an opportunity to pack together a basic food collection for your 72 hour kit. The cost will be 10 dollars and all items can fit into a gallon ziploc. Watch the Relief Society rolls for a sign up. Remember, every member in your household needs their own food supply, but cooking supplies can be easily shared. We also recommend that you rotate through these food items on a 6 month basis. An easy way to remember this is to go through your food items every General Conference weekend. Beef jerky doesn't last forever!!

Dry Pack Products

Dry-pack products for home storage need to be low moisture (10% moisture or less), good quality, and insect free. An oxygen absorber packet should be included in each ocntainer for all products except sugar.

Approved Products:

Milk: non-fat dry milk and milk/whey products such as hot cocoa

White Flour: bleached or unbleached

Whole Grains: wheat, white rice, dry corn, popcorn, rye, barley, etc. Grains that are not milled or cracked and do not have an oily seed coat

Rolled Oats: quick or regular

Legumes: dry peas and beans, including dehydrated refried beans

Pasta: pasta products that do not contain egg

Fruits and Vegetables: dehydrated or freeze-dried products that are dry enough to snap (Best items include apples, bananas, potatoes, onions, carrots, corn and peas.)

Sugar: Granulated or powdered (no oxygen absorber necessary)

Miscellaneous: TVP (texturized vegetable protein), cheese powder, gelatin, soup mixes (without bouillon)

Non-Approved Products:

Milled Grain: whole wheat flour, cornmeal, cereal, granola

Oily Grain/Seeds: nuts, brown rice, pearled barley, sesame

These products are stored best when kept in the freezer.

Our "canner day" is quickly approaching. Now is the time to be gathering the items you would like to dry can. Now is the time to be determined to get our food supplies in order. What will you be canning?

A Few Words

"We become self-reliant through obtaining sufficient knowledge, education, and literacy; by managing money and resources wisely, being spiritually strong, preparing for emergencies and eventualities; and by having physical health and social and emotional well-being."

Julie Beck

Long-Term Food Storage for April

We will be suggesting a schedule for accumulating a basic food storage. That's right: BASIC. We would encourage you to add food items that your family regularly eats to our suggested list. If one of the items is on sale one week, or you have a coupon to help cut your cost, obviously purchase the necessary amount at that time rather than on our schedule. Purchase the items lister per member of your family. If your family doesn't like a certain item, please don't buy it! Substitute something your family will eat.

Here is our suggested food storage items for the month of April:

3 cans of your favorite soup and 1 box of saran wrap

2 pounds of macaroni and 2 pounds of spaghetti

2 pounds of rice and 2 cans of yams or pumpkin

I want to reiterate the blessings that come by getting started. We are not only blessed once our 3 month or 1 year food storage is acquired, we are blessed every step of the way. If buying this much food per week is still too daunting to your checkbook, cut it back. Instead of 3 cans of soup, buy 1. Instead of 2 pounds of macaroni, buy 1. We will be blessed for our efforts no matter how small!!

Keep a watchful eye out for our long term food storage suggestions in the Sacrament programs.

72 Hour Kit Assignment for April

For the month of April we are encouraging each Ward member to find a pack to be used for your 72 hour kits. This can be anything! An old school bag, an unused duffle or gym bag, whatever you have available that will be easy to carry.

We would like you to start filling that pack with clothing items and some spiritual items. Here are our suggestions:

1 pair of shoes

1 pair of undergarments

1 pair of long sweatpants

1 long sleeve sweatshirt

1 pair of socks

1 set of scriptures

consecrated oil

Extra scriptures are easy to come by at the D.I. Each book is usually priced under 1 dollar.

It is a good rule of thumb to go through your 72 hour kits every 6 months and update clothes and replace food items as necessary. Pack appropriate clothes for the season ahead. No one needs a sweatshirt in July in Vegas!

May is quickly approaching, so get your pack together now! This would make a great FHE project.

Slow and Steady

Welcome to our Willows Ward Preparedness Blog. We are so excited to be able to put something like this together to help our Ward members be more providently minded and emergency prepared.

Our main focus right now as a Ward is on putting together a 72 hour kit for each member. We are also focusing on building a 3 month short term food supply, and a 1 year long term supply.

Check back often for tips on building your 72 hour kit and for meeting your food storage needs.

Remember that slow and steady wins the race!