Woo him

4 Ways to Sweep Him Off His Feet
By R. A. Campos

Ladies, let me break it down for you. If you want to turn your man to jelly, save the sappy stuff and keep the passion plays simple. Our definition of romance is totally different from yours. Big hint: It does not include poetry or long-stemmed roses. Seriously, nothing says "I love you" to a guy like an unexpected six-pack of beer. We're that easy. Check out the other gestures that will earn you girlfriend-of-the-year honors.

Free Him from Family
Bonding with your folks is important. We get that. But once we're down with Dad, don't make us suffer through every family function. If you excuse your guy from attending a family affair every now and then (no guilt trips allowed), he'll worship you for weeks afterward. If you don't he'll end up feeling like Mike, 27, who says "Having weekly Sunday dinners with my girlfriend and her whole family has started to make me feel resentful. I wind up talking politics with her uncle when all I want is to be home, sprawled out on my own couch."

Indulge with Him
The old saying holds true: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. But unlike you, we're not looking to be wined and dined at some fancy restaurant with entrées we can't pronounce. Nope, we just want to get our eat on with you. "I get so turned off when a woman is so rigid about her diet that she never sways from her order of grilled chicken over salad," says Tom, 28. "There's nothing more endearing than a chick who throws caution to the wind once in a while and goes for a burger with cheese."

Offer a Challenge
Guys get juiced over a little friendly competition. But facing off with your man doesn't require major athletic skills. Take us on in bowling, cards, or even a video game and we're bound to get hot and bothered. "I had a girlfriend who's invite me to play darts with her every time we entered a bar," says Tony, 24. "She'd bet me things like loser opens the winner's car door for a week. The challenge totally fueled me.

Suggest a Sexcapade
We're not averse to a romantic roll in the hay; it's just that lighting candles and scattering flower petals on the sheets doesn't qualify. Instead, why not treat your guy to steamy circus sex moves ... in costume? Okay, I tried. You don't have to be an acrobat in bed, but switch things up from time to time: Fulfill a fantasy, consult the Kama Sutra, try anything that's not routine.

Amazing Race auditions

Do you have what it takes to win the next million dollar race around the world? Then, apply now to be a part of the next Amazing Race!

The Emmy Award-winning CBS hit adventure/reality series The Amazing Race is looking for your team of two for season 14 at Festival Flea Market Mall® on Saturday, June 7 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.



The producers are looking for teams of dynamic individuals with an interesting relationship. In addition, because The Amazing Race is totally unscripted, it is important to cast people who can verbalize their thoughts and emotions easily and honestly. People who can be themselves with the cameras rolling no matter what they might look or sound like have the best chance of getting on the show.



Each applicant is required to have a teammate in order to apply to participate on the program. Each individual teammate needs to complete an application. The applications must be submitted together, and only one package per team will be accepted. Applications should be written clearly and legibly or typed and need to accompany a videotape. Participants must be at least 21 years of age and be United States citizens and live in the United States. Please have a passport-size photo of each applicant and one recent photo of both team members together. Both teammates must be able to travel to the same city.

WFOR CBS 4 photographers will be on-hand to shoot audition video and submit application packages.

If the producers of the program select your team as one of the teams that they would like to interview as part of the semi-finalist interview process, you and your teammate must be willing to travel together at your own expense to be interviewed by the producers at one of several locations throughout the country.



Festival Flea Market Mall is situated in the heart of South Florida, north of Fort Lauderdale and south of Boca Raton, at 2900 West Sample Road, just two miles west of I-95 at the Florida Turnpike. It is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 to 6 p.m. The mall is also open Easter, Christmas and New Year’s Day. Group tours are welcome. Wheelchairs, strollers and valet parking are available.



For more information about Festival Flea Market Mall and casting for The Amazing Race , please visit their website or call (954) 979-4555 or 1 (800) FLEA MARKET.

Lower your utility bill

Find the easiest and most effective ways to control your use of electricity and help you save money. Plus see how your bill adds up with FPL’s Appliance Cost Calculator.

Learn about common causes for high bills and solutions to help you take control. Take advantage of FPL’s energy-saving programs: A/C Buying Guide, Insulation Guide, Duct System Test and Repair, Photovoltaic Systems, and BuildSmart®

Learn more at the FPL website.

Wheel of behavior

Experience the thrill of well behaved kids overnight with this One-Of-A-Kind, Powerful New Parenting Tool!
Watch as the Wheel of Better Behavior changes the atmosphere in your home overnight. It's guaranteed! Homework gets done, clothes get picked up, arguing stops...in short, the Wheel produces great kids and a stress free environment!

The mere presence of the Wheel will have a marked effect on your kids. Chances are, you'll seldom even have to spin it!

List of camps

School is almost out....now what?

Summer Camps in Florida offer a multitude of activities for kids and teens such as horseback riding, basketball, swimming, boating, and arts and crafts in a residential camp setting.

Get a list of local camps.

More camps.

Camp questions

(Sun-Sentinel)

Parents should ask lots of questions before signing up their kids for a summer camp program, said Ken Evans, director of Camp Live Oak, located at Birch State Park in Fort Lauderdale and Oleta River State Park in North Miami Beach.

Here are some questions to ask:

1. What is the director's background? How long has the director run this camp?

2. What are the camp's goals and philosophy?

3. What kind of camper is most likely to have a good experience at this camp?

4. What facilities does the camp have and how convenient are they for campers to get to?

5. What is the camper-counselor ratio and what are the characteristics of most of the staff?

6. What kind of staff training is provided?

7. How does the camp transport campers on field trips?

8. What percentage of campers return each year?

9. What is the total cost of the camp including extras?

10. What are the sleeping arrangements and what toilet and shower facilities exist?

11. What is the swimming instruction program like?

12. How does the camp ensure the safety and security of its campers?

13. What is the food like and who prepares it?

14. What is the policy about food packages, letters home, TV, trips to town?

15. What medical facilities are available and what medical staff is on campus?

16. Is there a refund policy if the camper leaves early?

17. Will the director supply references?

18. What happens when the weather is bad?

19. How does the camp program meet individual needs and differences?

20. What kind of insurance coverage is there?

21. Does the camp offer early drop-off or late pick-up for working parents?

Amazing race

LOCAL CASTING CALL SCHEDULED FOR AMAZING RACE 14


WHAT:

An open casting call for Amazing Race, the highly-rated CBS reality series that puts pits two person teams – friends, couples or relatives -- against one another as they race through exotic locations around the world.



WHEN:



Saturday, June 7th, from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM

WHERE:

The Farmer’s Market at the Festival Marketplace
Sample Road and the Turnpike
Pompano Beach

HOW:

* CBS4 photographers will be on hand to shoot audition video and submit application packages

* Each candidate/team member must audition and each person must fill out a complete application. Amazing Race 14 applications and eligibility requirements can be found on CBS.com.

* Each team of two should speak for two minutes at the most. There is no minimum time amount for a submission.

Resaurant week

Mouth-Watering Coral Gables Restaurant Week Begins
Runs June 2nd-June 8th
19 Participating Restaurants
3 Course Meals At Fixed Price
(CBS4)

First there was Miami Spice, now there's Coral Gables Restaurant Week, where food lovers can enjoy some of the best food Coral Gables has to offer for less money.

Starting Monday June 2nd and running through Sunday June 8th, Coral Gables Restaurant Week features more than a dozen popular restaurants offering fixed-price menus for lunch and dinner.

This is the first year for the event, however the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors' Bureau has been running a similar deal called "Miami Spice" for several years. That event begins in August and runs through September.

Among the participating restaurants: Cacao, Caffé Abracci, California Pizza Kitchen, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine, La Cofradia, La Dorada, Ortanique on the Mile, Caramelo, Tarpon Bend Raw Bar & Grill, Sushi Maki, Benihana, Artfish on the Mile, Two Sisters, Fritz & Franz Bierhaus, Hoja Nueva Restaurant, John Martin's and Por Fin.

Meals are $22 - $35, excluding beverages, tax and tip.

Click here for a complete list of restaurants, menus and prices or call (305) 569-0311.

Money or gift

Top 5 Wedding Gift Ideas
From Nina Callaway,
Your Guide to Weddings.



1. Money – Yes it's true; while it may seem impersonal or uncreative, money is my number one recommended wedding gift. Most young couples are saving for something big – a house, a car, a piece of furniture, or are still paying back their student loans. Money may also help them have an extra-special honeymoon or let them order that extra photo for their album. While it's rude for a couple to ask for money, it is never rude to give cash. If you still want to give a personal wedding gift, combine the two: attach a check to a beautiful picture frame, a kitchen gadget, or a long letter detailing your wishes and advice for their marriage.

2. An expensive item off of their registry – Often the more-expensive items on a couple's registry are dream wedding gifts that they don't think they're actually going to get. Whether you're wealthy enough to buy such a wedding gift on your own, or you organize other guests to all chip in, you'll be making dreams come true.

3. A luxurious hotel room for their first night as a married couple – Start their marriage off right by giving them a night to remember before they take off for their honeymoon. Check with the bride's mother or the maid-of-honor to ensure reservations have not already been made, and give your gift early so that they'll be able to include it in their plans.

4. A wedding gift to stand the test of time – Whether it's a bottle of scotch or fine wine with instructions to open on their tenth anniversary, a gorgeous vase, or piece of art, give a gift on which the couple will be able to look fondly and say "Our friend John gave us that for our wedding." Other ideas include the couple's wedding invitation in a beautiful frame, a handmade quilt or tablecloth, or an antique piece of furniture.

5. Make their honeymoon extra sweet - If you've ever been to the place where the couple is honeymooning, use that knowledge to get them a gift certificate for your favorite restaurant or resort activity. You could also upgrade their plane tickets to first class, give them a camera to help them take great pictures, or give them some spending money tucked inside a guidebook of the area.

Cut the guest list

5 Ways To Cut Your Wedding Guest List
By Lesley-Ann Graham

You've set your wedding budget and booked a reception venue that you can afford. But there's this one little problem: your guest list keeps growing! Your parents insist that you have to invite an old family friend; your co-workers ask if they can bring their boyfriends. And then there's the common etiquette dilemma of 'having' to invite an entire group of people (rather than the few members you really like) because they would be 'offended'.

Don't know what to do? Here are some ways to get your guest list (and the cost of your reception) back under control:

1. Divide your total head count into three: a third to the bride's parents, a third to the groom's parents, and a third to the bride and groom.

2. Trim friends you haven't seen in years. You won't have any chance to really talk during the wedding, anyway.

3. Don't invite co-workers unless they're really your friends (i.e., you go out with them regularly, and would probably be just as close even if any one of you changed jobs) Ask one person out of courtesy, and you'll have to ask all.

4. Discourage guests from bringing kids or dates. A tactful way of doing this is to print seating cards ("we have reserved __ seats for you at Table __") and insert them in the invitations.

5. Switch places. Ask yourself, "Would I be hurt if they didn't invite me to their wedding?" If the answer is no, cut them from your list.

Empty nest

Empty Nest: Wasn’t this the goal?
When children are young, we teach them to tie their own shoes, fix their own sandwiches, and eventually how to drive and do their own laundry. Parents spend time teaching their children in hopes they will be independent, productive young adults. And wasn’t this the goal? However, some parents have conflicting feelings when the kids begin to venture out on their own.

Mom’s feelings may include a sense of uselessness. She finds herself searching for what to do with the extra time that had been spent on chauffeuring, attending school functions, hosting slumber parties, and so on. Both parents may wrestle with feelings over loss of authority. Additionally, spouses might find they have little to talk about since their children have been the focus of conversations for so many years. But this is the point in time we raised them toward.

Empty Nest: How do we fill the void?
If parents are married, this time can be used to focus on each other. It can be an amazing time to renew the intimacy you once shared and concentrate on your relationship. You may be a single parent or perhaps you need a transition period. Either way, there are many ways to lessen the feelings of loss when the nest is emptied.

Establish date nights with your spouse or spend more time with friends.
Host an exchange student. It can be very gratifying to know you are helping a young person into a new experience.
Become involved in your church youth group or a volunteer position in your community. Youth are wonderful beings, full of life, energy, and most are willing to share it with adults who take an interest in them.
This is a great time to get more involved in your church. Many churches have groups of empty nesters just like you who get together for outings, sharing commonalities, and hobby groups.
Travel or renew hobbies.

Grad stats

Survey: Parents Let Their Own Experiences Affect Drug and Alcohol Boundaries Set for Teens at Prom and Graduation Parties

Teens Say Prescription Drug Abuse Also May Be Part of the Festivities

A new survey from the Partnership for a Drug-Free America(R) and MetLife Foundation found that parents’ personal past experiences with alcohol and drugs at prom and graduation parties may influence the rules and limits they set for their teens during this time of the year.

According to the survey, parents who drank or used drugs at their own proms or graduations were likely to be more permissive with their kids than those parents who did not. Among parents who drank or used drugs on these occasions, 66 percent set a "zero tolerance policy" for their teens. Among parents who did not drink or use drugs, that number jumps up to 87 percent of parents who set hard rules about drinking and drugs for their kids. Parents who abused drugs or alcohol are also more likely to suspect that teens will use drugs or drink at prom or graduation parties – 51 percent versus just 36 percent of parents who didn't use drugs or alcohol.

The survey also indicates that when parents talk to kids about alcohol and drug abuse teens take their parents' messages to heart – only 16 percent of teens whose parents set a zero tolerance policy reported their individual likelihood of using drugs or alcohol, whereas 45 percent of teens whose parents didn't set such boundaries reported they were likely to drink or use drugs at prom or graduation parties this year.

First date ideas

Dinner, drinks, a movie... there's nothing wrong with the "standard package," but if you're considering an upgrade for your next first date, check out these creative, tried-and-tested ideas from other iVillagers, from bookstores to barn hunts.





1. One of my best first dates was a hike with the guy and his dog. It went so well that we got a coffee after the hike and then took his dog to the beach.



2. My favorite first date was at a dinner comedy theatre. My date and I had time to chat and get to know each other over dinner, and then the play (a British farce with plenty of sexual innuendo, mistaken identities, running around and door slamming) kept us laughing.



3. Try meeting at one of those pottery stores that let you come in and paint something and then return later for the finished project.



4. When it's a blind date, I'm partial to bookstores. You can meet at the coffee counter and then learn a lot about someone by the kind of books and magazines they read and the music they listen to.



5. Some of the best dates I've been on early in the relationship are "fun" dates: miniature golf, bowling or an amusement or theme park.



6. For first dates, I think you should do something active. That way, you have something to do so there's no pressure to talk, but there is plenty of opportunity. My boyfriend and I met for a drink at a local bar to see if we liked each other, and then we went kayaking a day or two later. It made conversation so much easier, and the day flew by!



7. In wintertime, skiing, ice skating, darts or driving around looking at the holiday lights can be good activities for a first date.



8. Go to the zoo! Or try an aquarium or an aviary. I'm also a fan of public gardens, weather and conditions permitting.



9. Rather than meeting for dinner, take a wine tour together or try a wine tasting or cooking class. That way there's something going on besides sitting across a table trying to think of something to say.



10. I think I'm the queen of unique dates! My first date with my boyfriend was spent riding around the countryside in his deuce and a half and stopping to look at some pickups for sale. We ended up digging through junk in his barn! Don't even ask about the dead dog! Okay, so we're different, but you can do something fun together that you both like to do or share an interest in.

One way to date

It's Just Lunch is a dating service for busy professionals.

It's Just Lunch! Boca Raton/Ft. Lauderdale is one of three offices in South Florida; other locations include Miami and West Palm Beach. They have been introducing busy professionals in the South Florida area for over seven years. Coordinating quality first dates over lunch, brunch or a quick drink after work. Their biggest reward is when they make a perfect match!

Date facts

Dating Stats and Facts·

· 76% of Men:
Prefer brunettes over blondes.

· Wednesday:
The best day for a first date according to 41% of singles.

· 1 in 8:
The chance you have that a first date will call you for a second date after 24 hours have passed.

· 15 Minutes:
The time it takes for a man to determine whether or not he wants to see a woman again.

· Top Conversation Killers:
Past relationships—49%, dieting or body image—21%, politics—15% and marriage—15%

· 110 Million:
The number of single adults in the United States.

· Top cuisine choices for a first date:
46% Italian, 19% Steakhouse, 16% Japanese, 11% Mexican, 8% French

· 11:
The number of single friends the average 27 year old has.

· One Hour:
The time it takes for a woman to determine whether or not she wants to see a man again.


· Baseball games:
A great place to meet men says 74% of single women.

Customer service tips

From Liz Tahir

Customer Service That Will Keep Them Coming Back
The People aspect of business is really what it is all about. Rule #1: Think of customers as individuals. Once we think that way, we realize our business is our customer, not our product or services. Putting all the focus on the merchandise in our store, or the services our corporation offers, leaves out the most important component: each individual customer.

Keeping those individual customers in mind, here are some easy, down-home customer service tips to keep ’em coming back!

1. Remember there is no way that the quality of customer service can exceed the quality of the people who provide it. Think you can get by paying the lowest wage, giving the fewest of benefits, doing the least training for your employees? It will show.Companies don't help customers... people do.

2. Realize that your people will treat your customer the way they are treated. Employees take their cue from management. Do you greet your employees enthusiastically each day; are you polite in your dealings with them; do you try to accommodate their requests; do you listen to them when they speak? Consistent rude customer service is a reflection not as much on the employee as on management.

3. Do you know who your customers are? If a regular customer came in to your facility, would you recognize them? Could you call them by name? All of us like to feel important; calling someone by name is a simple way to do it and lets them know you value them as customers.

Recently I signed on with a new fitness center. I had been a member of another one for the past ten years, renewing my membership every six months when the notice arrived. I had been thinking about changing, joining the one nearer my home and with more state-of-the-art equipment. So when the renewal notice came, I didn’t renew. That was eight months ago. Was I contacted by the fitness center and asked why I did not renew? Did anyone telephone me to find out why an established customer was no longer a member or to tell me they missed me? No and No. My guess is they don’t even know they lost a long-time customer, and apparently wouldn’t care.

4. Do your customers know who you are? If they see you, would they recognize you? Could they call you by name? A visible management is an asset. At the Piccadilly Cafeteria chain, the pictures of the manager and the assistant manager are posted on a wall at the food selection line and it is a policy that the manager’s office is placed only a few feet from the cashier's stand at the end of that line, in full view of the customers, and with the door kept open. The manager is easily accessible and there is no doubt about "who's in charge here". You have only to beckon to get a manager at your table to talk with you.

5. For good customer service, go the extra mile. Include a thank-you note in a customer's package; send a birthday card; clip the article when you see their name or photo in print; write a congratulatory note when they get a promotion. There are all sorts of ways for you to keep in touch with your customers and bring them closer to you.

6. Are your customers greeted when they walk in the door or at least within 30-40 seconds upon entering? Is it possible they could come in, look around, and go out without ever having their presence acknowledged? It is ironic it took a discount merchant known for price, not service, to teach the retail world the importance of greeting customers at the door. Could it be that’s because Sam Walton knew this simple but important gesture is a matter of respect, of saying "we appreciate your coming in," having nothing to do with the price of merchandise?

7. Give customers the benefit of the doubt. Proving to him why he’s wrong and you’re right isn’t worth losing a customer over. You will never win an argument with a customer, and you should never, ever put a customer in that position.

8. If a customer makes a request for something special, do everything you can to say yes. The fact that a customer cared enough to ask is all you need to know in trying to accommodate her. It may be an exception from your customer service policy, but (if it isn’t illegal) try to do it. Remember you are just making one exception for one customer, not making new policy. Mr. Marshall Field was right-on in his famous statement: "Give the lady what she wants."

9. Are your customer service associates properly trained in how to handle a customer complaint or an irate person? Give them guidelines for what to say and do in every conceivable case. People on the frontline of a situation play the most critical role in your customer’s experience. Make sure they know what to do and say to make that customer’s experience a positive, pleasant one.

10. Want to know what your customers think of your company? Ask them! Compose a "How're We Doing?" card and leave it at the exit or register stand, or include it in their next statement. Keep it short and simple. Ask things like: what it is they like; what they don’t like; what they would change; what you could do better; about their latest experience there, etc. To ensure the customer sends it in, have it pre-stamped. And if the customer has given their name and address, be sure to acknowledge receipt of the card.

Remember that the big money isn’t as much in winning customers as in keeping customers. Each individual customer’s perception of your company will determine how well you do this and that perception will depend on the level of customer service you provide.

Customer service

The Customer is King.
UNKNOWN

There are no traffic jams along the extra mile.
ROGER STAUBACH

Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it.
It is what the client or customer gets out of it.
PETER DRUCKER

Do what you do so well that they will
want to see it again and bring their friends.
WALT DISNEY

If we don’t take care of our customers, someone else will.
UNKNOWN

Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify!
HENRY DAVID THOREAU

If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends.
If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.
JEFF BEZOS

Customers don’t expect you to be perfect.
They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.
DONALD PORTER

Give trust, and you'll get it double in return
KEES KAMIES

The quality of our work depends on the quality of our people.
UNKNOWN

One of the deep secrets of life is that all that is really worth doing
is what we do for others.
LEWIS CAROL

The goal as a company is to have customer service that is
not just the best, but legendary.
SAM WALTON

Mistakes are the portals of discovery.
JAMES JOYCE

Being on par in terms of price and quality only gets you into the game.
Service wins the game.
TONY ALESSANDRA

Our greatest asset is the customer! Treat each customer as if they are the only one!
LAURICE LEITAO

People expect good service but few are willing to give it.
ROBERT GATELY

Well done is better than well said.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN

To my customer.
I may not have the answer, but I’ll find it.
I may not have the time, but I’ll make it.
UNKNOWN

Here is a simple but powerful rule - always give people
more than what they expect to get.
NELSON BOSWELL

Hurricane expo

With hurricane season looming, Miami-Dade and Broward counties are gearing up with expos on how to be prepared.

Here are the details:

• Miami-Dade: Storm Prep Expo 2008 at the Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Hall C; Saturday, May 31, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday, June 1, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Representatives from local, state and federal government will be on hand to provide information about hurricane-related services, and vendors will be selling storm supplies and conducting giveaways.

• Broward: Hurricane Preparedness Expo at the Emergency Operations Center, 201 NW 84th Ave., Plantation; Saturday, May 31, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Get a tour of the EOC, learn about registering for emergency services such as special-needs shelters, evacuation transportation and hurricane e-mail updates.

Balloons and goody bags will be on hand for the kids, as well as giveaways and prizes for the grown-ups.

Admission to both events is free.

Be prepared

Get Ready Now - Hurricane Season Is Almost Here
Hurricane Preparedness Week: May 25 - 31st
Storm Prep Expo: Miami Beach Convention Center
Saturday & Sunday: Free Admission

(CBS4)

Hurricane Season is just around the corner and Governor Charlie Crist is urging all Floridians to prepare for the season which begins Sunday June 1st. That's why Gov. Crist has proclaimed this week, Hurricane Preparedness Week.

"If you call the Sunshine State home, now is the time to get a plan and get ready," said State Emergency Management Director Craig Fugate.

State and local emergency managers are hosting outreach events and expos from the Panhandle to the Keys o get Floridians ready for the annual season. The state kick-off event takes place Tuesday in St. Petersburg.

Here in South Florida, the American Red Cross, along with the Miami-Dade County Department of Emergency Management and Homeland Security is hosting a Storm Prep Expo this weekend at the Miami Beach Convention Center (Hall C), located at 1901 Convention Center Drive.

Storm Prep Expo 2008 is a not-for-profit event aimed at raising hurricane preparedness awareness among Miami-Dade County residents. Miami-Dade County has not been affected by a major hurricane in the past three years. Experts are predicting an active 2008 hurricane season, so it is important that residents remain ready.

"June 1st marks the beginning of the 2008 Hurricane Season. As we all know, the best defense against hurricanes is to plan and prepare early. Even though Miami-Dade County is better prepared than ever to provide services to those residents and visitors in need before and after a hurricane strikes, government cannot do it all alone," said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez. "We continue to urge residents to prepare their hurricane disaster kits and plan to be self sufficient for at least 72 hours following a storm."

"This is a great opportunity for residents to come out and make their final preparations for hurricane season," said C. Douglas Bass, director of the Department of Emergency Management & Homeland Security.

Mayor Alvarez will hold his annual hurricane season kick-off news conference at the Expo on May 31st, at 11:00 a.m. Dozens of local, state and federal agencies will be on hand to inform residents about available services. Vendors will be selling hurricane supplies and conducting major giveaways, including free generators, vacations and other great prizes.

Special guests include former National Hurricane Center (NHC) Director Max Mayfield and current NHC Director Bill Read.

CBS4 Meteorologist David Bernard will also present a half-hour Hurricane Preparedness presentation on Sunday, June 1st, at 2:00 p.m.

Storm Prep Expo will also feature a family zone with fun activities for children, as well as a performance by the Florida Marlins Mermaids, police K-9 demonstrations, and more.

Storm Prep Expo Hours:

Saturday, May 31st, 10:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Sunday, June 1st, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Admission is free.

Click Here for more information about Hurricane Preparedness Week.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts 12 to 16 named storms this year.

The 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through November 30, 2008. To develop your personalized family or business disaster plan, click here.

Teachers ask, you choose

You can come to the rescue of a teacher. Teachers accusomed to paying for classroom supplies out of their own pockets are now looking online for help. Many are getting supplies from folks like you through a website called DonorsChoose.org.

According to the site: Teachers ask for materials and experiences their students need to learn. You choose to give to the classroom project you find most compelling. Students learn and then send you personal thank-you letters and photos.