Whew,

Just got home.... was invited to do a presentation to the "Better Breathers" club at the local hospital's health club. I have a small business providing Health Watch Personal Response Systems and when I was done with the mtg. and was distributing literature I mentioned that I also wanted to share information regarding Y2k. I used the OES brochure, told them that FEMA, Red Cross and OES recommended at least between 3-7 days, blah, blah, blah - they were so appreciative - as was the thirty something coordinator/instructor who had invited me. I gave them all brochures, facilitated about 15 min. of discussion about nat. gas vs. propane/sterno, etc. Kept it really tame and "by the brochure". Their was only one couple sneering and she would say "I'm not worrying about it - nothing is going to happen" and her husband started lecturing me about how he was told/shown that all you had to do was just go in your computer and change the 2 digits to four and that fixes it all. I smiled and said that yes, it wasn't that hard to fix most newer pc's but that it was taking alot of work to change those that big business/government uses and though it was looking pretty good (yech, phooey, gag) quite a few are still working on it. I reiterated that all I was trying to do was to share the brochures so that people would be informed and that this conversation about simple preps was a great way to begin. The couple smiled again and everything was nicey nice..... The rest of the group were having beautiful discussions about helping neighbors, sharing stories of trying to convince their children to prepare at least a bit, pros and cons of milk jugs/2 litre bottles for water storage, etc. It was very satisfying.

The coordinator asked if I had any extra Y2k brochures and I gave her about 50 and the name of her county's OES guy for more. Pretty cool.

P.S. the couple who was so polly were the youngest there aside from the coordinator and myself. The man was so dominating and loud and she was like a mouse........ Oh well. Won't let that dampen my happiness that I was able to help a few folks get moving on their preps. As stated elsewhere older folks have been through/seen alot and they don't seem to take everything for granted. Anyway.....

-- Kristi (securxsys@cs.com), August 18, 1999

Answers

Nice work Kristi

Most of the time in a group like that, It's only one or 2 that listen and take note. You made it the other way around.

Keep talking

Bob P

-- Bob P (rpilc99206@aol.com), August 18, 1999.

Kristi--I admire you, I gave up talking a long time ago. I sorta felt like I was a preacher trying to convince people that the end was near and I wasn't getting anywhere. You were at the right place at the right time and your method of presenting Y2K was excellent. I think the older generation have sacrificed more than we have and they will accept it more readily. Y2K will take it's toll on the younger generation because we have never experienced real want. Keep up the good work, I hope that your efforts will pay off for some of those people.

-- long timer (longtimer@longtimerr.com), August 18, 1999.

Good job, Kristi! Gotta keep fighting the good fight and spreading the news, right up till the last day, and I mean that seriously. You never know, even a couple of cans of beans and a candle might mean the difference between life and death for someone, if help can get to them in time.

-- Bokonon (bok0non@my-Deja.com), August 18, 1999.

Thanks for the kudos folks - my main goal is to just keep getting the word out in a non-inflammatory way and the Calif. OES brochure seems to do the trick. I was also able to use the warm friendly nature of the meeting that was established to lead into this. Anyhow, bit by bit.

-- Kristi (securxsys@cs.com), August 18, 1999.

Good for you, Kristi! Your heart was in the right place with those people, and they probably sensed that. Funny, the only family member I can talk to about Y2K preps, is my mom, but thank goodness for that because she lives too far away for me to come to their rescue. She is divorced, but lives with and cares for my grandmother, and mom and I do a little brainstorming on preps. It seems as though she really has thought through some of the weaknesses in their situation (i.e., no fireplace or woodstove), as well as the things they can and need to do. Maybe living in Oregon she is seeing more in the news, and started thinking about it a few months ago (also, social security checks are real important at their house). I know she clearly remembers alot of times growing up when there was no work and/or not enough to eat. Maybe she doesn't actually can food, butcher the chickens or chop the wood anymore, but she spent many years doing these chores, enough to know that life hasn't always been, and may not always be in the future, this comfortable. Seniors can really surprise you with their spunk and perspective sometimes. I hope I have the good sense to be that way when I become one myself.

-- Kristi (KsaintA@aol.com), August 19, 1999.