http://greatermd.bbb.org/accredited-businesses-in-the-news/tt0513/

Here at Royal Plus, we believe that “Being Positive is Contagious” and we do our best to be as positive as possible each and every day.  When we realized what the good people of Plainsville, PA  were forced to contend with once the flood waters had receded, we took it upon ourselves to share this philosophy with them.   Our company, along with fellow DKI member company, Damage Control of PA has been lending various types of equipment to homeowners in the community.  Our goal is to assist them with the drying out of their homes and hopefully help them get started on the path to complete restoration.  We understand what an emotionally trying time a situation like this can be, so being positive becomes not only very important, but incredibly challenging.  We are asking for your assistance as we help the people of Plainsville rebuild their lives and homes.  Donations can be dropped off at any Royal Plus location.  They are in desperate need of the following items, toys (the kids lost everything too!), cleaning supplies, diapers, canned food, soap, toothpaste, towels, flashlights, batteries and anything that you can think of that is now in your home that can fit in a large box.  In addition to these items, we are also asking for donations of used but working appliances such as refrigerators and microwave ovens.  While realizing that these types of items are difficult to come by as a “donation”, we have set up a fund at the Bank Of Ocean City and all monies raised will be used to purchase these types of items.  100% of all donations will be distributed  amongst the flood victims and their Community Center.  You may contact the Bank of Ocean City at 410-213-0173   Please reference the Royal Plus Fund For Disaster Victims

Most of us were fortunate enough to miss the wrath of Hurricane Irene….the people of Plainsville were not so lucky.  Please do whatever you can and remember….every little bit helps. 

Related stories and pictures from the Block Party are available here

http://citizensvoice.com/news/plainsville-residents-enjoy-down-time-1.1215399

http://www.timesleader.com/news/_lsquo_Overwhelmed_by_his_generosity_rsquo__10-08-2011.html

Why Pipe Freezing is a Problem

Water has a unique property in that it expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the “strength” of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break. Pipes that freeze most frequently are those that are exposed to severe cold, like outdoor hose bibs, swimming pool supply lines, water sprinkler lines, and water supply pipes in unheated interior areas like basements and crawl spaces, attics, garages, or kitchen cabinets. Pipes that run against exterior walls that have little or no insulation are also subject to freezing.

Preventing Frozen Pipes

Before the onset of cold weather, prevent freezing of these water supply lines and pipes by following these recommendations:

During Cold Weather, Take Preventative Action

• Keep garage doors closed if there are water supply lines in the garage.
• Open kitchen and bathroom cabinet doors to allow warmer air to circulate around the plumbing. Be sure to move any harmful cleaners and household chemicals up out of the reach of children.
• When the weather is very cold outside, let the cold water drip from the faucet served by exposed pipes. Running water through the pipe – even at a trickle – helps prevent pipes from freezing.
• Keep the thermostat set to the same temperature both during the day and at night. By temporarily suspending the use of lower nighttime temperatures, you may incur a higher heating bill, but you can prevent a much more costly repair job if pipes freeze and burst.
• If you will be going away during cold weather, leave the heat on in your home, set to a temperature no lower than 55° F.

To Thaw Frozen Pipes

• If you turn on a faucet and only a trickle comes out, suspect a frozen pipe. Likely places for frozen pipes include against exterior walls or where your water service enters your home through the foundation.
• Keep the faucet open. As you treat the frozen pipe and the frozen area begins to melt, water will begin to flow through the frozen area. Running water through the pipe will help melt ice in the pipe.
• Apply heat to the section of pipe using an electric heating pad wrapped around the pipe, an electric hair dryer, a portable space heater (kept away from flammable materials), or by wrapping pipes with towels soaked in hot water. Do not use a blowtorch, kerosene or propane heater, charcoal stove, or other open flame device.

• Apply heat until full water pressure is restored. If you are unable to locate the frozen area, if the frozen area is not accessible, or if you can not thaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber.
• Check all other faucets in your home to find out if you have additional frozen pipes. If one pipe freezes, others may freeze, too.

Future Protection

• Consider relocating exposed pipes to provide increased protection from freezing.
• Pipes can be relocated by a professional if the home is remodeled.
• Add insulation to attics, basements and crawl spaces. Insulation will maintain higher temperatures in these areas.
• For more information, please contact us at 410-677-3473 or 866-404-PLUS.

 © Copyright The American National Red Cross. All rights reserved.

This story begins back in June when my wife Linda and I went shopping in downtown Berlin one Saturday. One of the shops we visited that day was Ta’ Da’s. This type of store would normally not have caught my attention but however, that’s where I met Henry and that’s really where this story begins.

Ta Da was started in 1996 by Patty and Steve Falk and moved to their current location in 2009. Patty Falk is a local artist whose hand painted glassware and furniture is featured in their shop. She also paints these amazing pictures of octopus which are almost hypnotizing. By the way, “Henry” is an octopus.

All I can say is that “Henry” spoke to me and I had to have him! Linda thought I was crazy, but she went along with it anyway. We paid for a print of “Henry” and the young lady at the counter (Patty’s daughter, Brooke) said it would be ready in six weeks or so. Well, six weeks went by and I hadn’t heard anything, so I stopped in one day and learned the rest of the story.

It turns out that the delay was caused by the fact that there was no one to make the frames. Steve Falk, a long time local contractor, always made these special frames out of old wood for Patty’s artwork. He has been unable to do so lately because of some rather serious health problems. With that knowledge in mind, I asked the lady at the counter if she would give me Patty’s cell phone number and she did. I wanted it because I had an idea.

Over the next week I called Royal Plus, Inc.’s carpenters and got together a team of volunteers that included Mike Kohut, Jerry Hybki and Randy Jones. All three said they would be glad to help out on the weekends to make the frames for “Henry”. Then I called Patty and told her about my idea. She was ecstatic! We got together with Mike first and, as it turned out, Mike said he could handle the job himself and have the frames done in a couple of weekends.

Well, the story ended yesterday when I stopped by Patty and Steve’s house in Berlin to pick up “Henry”. Along with my copy, there were four others that were ready to go. This was due to the help of Mike Kohut and the spirit of volunteerism in Royal Plus, Inc.

The story is not completely over. Patty will continue to paint and there will be more creatures of her creation that need a frame and with the assistance of some other talented individuals, they will get one.

The picture attached is of Patty, Henry and Charlie the dog, who insisted on being in the shot!

On behalf of myself and Mike & Patty Falk, many thanks to all three of the volunteers and special thanks to Mike Kohut.

The flood of 2011

October 8

Overwhelmed By His Generosity

Man whose firm is helping clean Plainsville business aids entire neighborhood.

MATT HUGHES mhughes@timesleader.com

PLAINS TOWNSHIP – Residents of Plainsville have trouble putting into words all that Matt Odachowski and his company have done for their community.

Matt Odachowski (foreground), founder and president of Royal Plus, Inc., a Maryland-based disaster-cleanup company, has lent dehumidifier units free of charge to resident Ken Stephens (on porch) and more than 60 other residents of the low-lying Plainsville neighborhood in Plains Township, which was hit hard by recent flooding. He is helping connect residents with free equipment and professional cleaning supplies and today will host a block party for residents.

The family also needed power, so he asked one of the contracting companies working with Luzerne Products, Amp Electric Inc., to hook the family up to its power supply.

“I was overwhelmed by his generosity,” said Beverly Condo of Robert Street. “I was born and raised here, 63 years. This was my grandparents’ home. … Nobody has ever done that much for us in our lifetime.”

Odachowski’s Maryland-based disaster-cleanup company, Royal Plus Inc., has for the past two weeks been working for a client in the Luzerne Products building in Plainsville, a low-lying and oft-flooded section of Plains Township.

Odachowski and his employees have distributed more than 60 dehumidifier units for residents of Plainsville. He also is helping connect residents with free equipment and professional cleaning supplies and today will host a block party for residents in Plainsville’s park.

Odachowski, 44, said his company typically tries to reach out to neighbors whenever they come to a disaster-struck community by passing out food, water and cleaning supplies, and he can pinpoint the moment he realized how desperately Plainsville needed help.

About a week ago, he was passing by a home on Courtright Street across from Royal Plus’ staging area at Luzerne Products and saw a family cleaning out its flood-damaged home.

“They had a basement, and they were having trouble getting some furniture out of the basement, so we stopped to help them out,” Odachowski said. “That’s when I realized that they were staying there.

“Just seeing the kids with mud on their clothes, mud all over the place, sitting around on lawn chairs with one heater and it’s starting to get cold at night. It was really a wake-up call … My heart sank when I saw those kids.”

Help and treats

Realizing the family’s refrigerator had been destroyed by flooding, Odachowski was able to locate a donated refrigerator for the family and filled it with food as a surprise, making sure to include Tastykake snacks for the children.

The family also needed power, so he asked one of the contracting companies working with Luzerne Products, Amp Electric Inc., to hook the family up to its power supply.

And to help dry the house out, he loaned the family one of Royal Plus’ industrial-strength desiccant units, essentially a 10-foot tall dehumidifier.

Odachowski next asked neighbor Ken Stevens, of 181 Courtright Street, if he would like a dehumidifier for his home.

Stevens said he was dumbstruck by the offer.

“He said I’ve got 80 units coming,” Stevens said, “but you need to go around to all the neighbors who have power and find out who else needs one.”

The 60 to 80 neighbors were similarly overwhelmed.

“I know the one neighbor tried renting one,” Stevens said. “It was $250 a week just to rent one, and he got one for everybody. … I don’t ask nothing from nobody. Humbled is probably the best word for (how I feel).”

“That’s way over and above what anybody needs to do,” said George Owen of Robert Street. “Just the dehumidifiers alone were a godsend. We appreciate them.”

More supplies obtained

Odachowski has reached out to his contractors and vendors to obtain cleaning supplies and other goods for residents. Vendors Benefect and Aramsco donated supplies, and Slade Smith of Minnesota-based Industrial Hygiene Consulting is drafting a set of directions for residents using them.

“Whenever we are in a community, we try to lend a helping hand and provide some resources to at least get them moving in the right direction,” Smith said.

“Our motto in our company is, ‘being positive is contagious,’” Odachowski said. “We’re trying to show some positivity so they can move forward.”

“This is real bad; these people were devastated,” he continued. “The only thing I can do is encourage everybody to please help this community. They need it.”

The Bringle's with their award

As you know, Royal Plus has always been a “Family”.  What you may not know is that our Key West Team has taken that to heart by actually including the whole family.  That family of course is the Bringle’s.  Scott, Tammy and their children Destiny & Dalton.  As a team, they promote who we are and what we do in almost every aspect of their lives.  This includes sponsoring local little league football teams, working the concession stands at seafood festivals and  serving on various committees and community boards.  They do so much of this that Scott has been asked to serve on the Board of Directors for the Lower Keys Chamber of Commerce and the entire Bringle family has been honored as “Volunteers of The Year”.  They work very hard to make sure that RP is fast becoming a household name in the Keys and we want them to know that it is appreciated.  Please congratulate them when you have a chance and just for fun, ask one of the kids for a business card………..believe it or not…they’ll hand you one because they each carry them in their book bags for school…now that’s dedication!

Royal Plus is a licensed General Contractor, Home Improvement Contractor and or holds occupational licenses or certificates of authority in nearly all of the lower 48 states. View all of our licenses.