As a Katy TX insurance agency, Dagley Insurance and Financial Services is a proud supporter of Katy Independent School District’s Tompkins High School Athletic Booster Club. The 2^nd Annual Tompkins Invitation Golf Event was held at The Golf Club at Cinco Ranch this past month and Dagley Insurance was not only a sponsor, but had an outstanding team representing our insurance agency as well!

The Owner and CEO of Dagley Insurance, Nathan Dagley, along with CFO Paul Marsh, VP Marcus Henneke and Director of Commercial Insurance, Jamey Smith, made up a fantastic team. The insurance agency that golf together stays together? A chance to show off our insurance agents’ mad golf skills aside, the tournament was a great opportunity to support the athletic program at KISD Tompkins High School. The upcoming school year will be the second year for the young school and we are behind them every step of the way. The school is continuing the excellent tradition of Katy ISD schools and we are excited to see what’s in store for OTHS’ future.

Dinner at the golf tournament was hosted by Tompkins’ Coach Tademy. We couldn’t have had a better time supporting our Katy community’s youth development. For more information on supporting the Tompkins High School Athletic Booster please visit their website at www.tompkinsabc.com.

Did you know that Dagley Insurance and Financial Services has a summer intern? That’s right! Danielle is back for a second summer in a row. We are so thankful for her help and we hope that she picks up a few new useful job skills for the future while she’s here. What’s Danielle been up to so far this summer? Let’s let her tell you for herself:

I play for Katy One Volleyball powered by FO1 Sports. My team was invited to play at the AAU Nationals in Orlando Florida. We all piled into two 15 seat white vans and drove all the way to Florida from Katy, Texas. We drove overnight and stopped in Destin for a few hours at the beach, then kept driving all afternoon. We stayed in 2 big houses near the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. The first 2 days we spent at Disney World going on rides and shopping. The next four days we spent playing up to 5 volleyball games a day. We were able to play and watch teams from different states. The convention center was huge and there were so many girls there. By the last day we were all so exhausted. I don’t know how we kept playing. We went into the tournament ranked 44th and finished 17th out of 132 teams!

Wow! They exceeded the expectations by quite a bit! Danielle is part of the first girl’s volleyball team through FO1 Sports. Tonight there is an information meeting for parents on Katy TX FO1 Volleyball League. You can join them at Redeemer Community Church in Katy, Texas tonight at 7:00 PM to learn more. Also, visit Katy FO1 Sports to find out more about the summer programs offered for Katy, Texas youth.

Each of us at Dagley Insurance and Financial Services has our favorite place to catch July 4^th fireworks in Katy TX. Some like to join in the patriotic festivities with the rest of the Katy community at local hot spots like LaCenterra and the Katy Freedom Celebration at Katy Mills Mall. Others like to set up lawn chairs in the backyard and take in the sight from the comfort of their neighborhood. Both are great options, but if you’re still not sure of your options here are a few of the Fourth celebrations going on around the Katy community.

LaCenterra’s July 4th Celebration

The festivities kick off with a Kids Patriotic Bike Parade. No sign up is necessary and there will be awards given for the most patriotically decorated bikes. Following the parade there will be live music in the LaCenterra Courtyard with music provided by artists Sheila Marshall and Chris Boss. The celebration will wrap up with a fantastic fireworks display around 9:30 PM.

Katy Freedom Celebration at Katy Mills Mall

This is a long time local favorite. Bring your lawn chairs and join the Katy community in the Katy Mills parking lot to watch a grand display of fireworks that has been a part of the our city for 25 years. The fireworks should begin around 9:00 PM.

Party on the Plaza at the Villagio Town Center

The Villagio Center is hosting live music on the patio from 5:00 – 9:00 PM. It will be fun for the whole family and includes hamburger and hot dog stands.

Fulshear Freedom Fest

Downtown Fulshear will be holding its annual Freedom Fest benefiting Our Military Kids. The celebration will kick off at 6:00 PM with music by The Triumphs with the parade beginning at 7:00 PM. There will be activities for the whole family. The donation cost is $5 per person or $20 per family. The fireworks will begin around 9:15 PM.

Whether you’re joining those of us for Fourth of July firework in Katy TX or enjoying time at home with family and friends, we hope you remember what this day is about: a celebration of our freedom! Happy Fourth of July to the Katy Community!

Phishing is one of the many types of Internet fraud where someone tries to acquire your personal information through deception. Many people have gotten their credit card information, passwords, banking account details, and other personal information stolen because of phishing scams.

Phishing messages usually come in the form of a fake notification from an e-pay system, bank, or other organization. Users will get a notification saying that they have to update their information as quickly as possible. People may also get a notification saying that their account will be blocked if they do not update their personal information.

Most phishing websites only last about five days. An anti-phishing filter will very quickly get information about new threats, which is why the phishers are constantly registering new websites. The phishing websites look like the official website of a credible organization.

In order for a person to access the fake website, he or she must enter their personal information. This is exactly what the phishers are looking for. E-auctions, banking websites, and e-pay systems are some of the main targets for phishers. Phishers can get access to one’s money with one of these websites.

It is not always easy to identify a phishing website. Phishing websites are typically high-quality, and they look like a legitimate website. The URLs may also be similar to those of legitimate website.

Many websites are warning people about phishing scams by telling them to never send their personal information via message. They are also advised not to open attachments from unknown senders. Additionally, spam filters are considered one of the first lines of defense against phishing scams.

Despite the fact that people have been warned not to send personal information via messages, many still do it. That is why an Anti-Phishing Work Group was established a few years ago. By learning the basics about phishing, you can avoid becoming a victim!

*

Fraternity of One Sports (FO1 Sports) is holding their second annual summer football camp with Fendi Onobun and NFL friends as coach. The camp will be held Saturday, July 19th at Pope John Paul XXIII High School off of Grand Parkway in Katy, Texas.

The cost for summer football camp is $50. The kindergarten through 8th grade camp will be from 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM and 9th grade through 12th grade camp will be from 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

If you are unfamiliar with FO1 Sports, you can find out more information at www.fo1sports.com. FO1 Sports is a branch of Fraternity of One, a Christ-centered youth development program for Katy youth. Fall registration is currently open for Katy FO1 Sports’ Fall youth football league as well; this includes 7 on 7, tackle and cheer programs.

Dagley Insurance  & Financial Services is a proud supporter of Katy FO1 Sports.

Last week we celebrated our newest Dagley Insurance location in Cleburne, Texas with a Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting. The great folks of the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce came out to officiate the ceremony. Texas insurance agent, Donna Collum, is leading the Cleburne insurance office and offering the best home and auto insurance products in Cleburne.

If you haven’t been to Cleburne yet, you’re missing out on getting a taste of true Texas charm. It’s the County Seat of Johnson County with a population nearing 30,000. Cleburne most recently made news in 2013 when a devastating tornado hit the town leaving a mile-wide scar in its wake. What you may not have heard about was how the community joined together to rebound after the storm. Our Cleburne insurance agent, Donna Collum, can attest to the community’s resilience.

Marcus Henneke, Vice President of Dagley Insurance & Financial Services, and Robbie Cox, our Plano insurance office manager, both attended the Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting along with Cleburne insurance agent, Donna Collum. Dagley Insurance & Financial Services is a proud member of the Cleburne Chamber of Commerce and is excited to offer insurance services to Cleburne residents. Call Donna Collum today at 972-731-9595 for all your Cleburne insurance needs!

We are pleased to announce that Nathan Dagley and Dagley Insurance and Financial Services has qualified for both Nationwide Insurance’s 2014 Champions and Presidents Conferences! This is an awesome accomplishment in the insurance industry and we couldn’t be more proud of our fearless leader, Nathan Dagley, and the agency as a whole.

This achievement was announced at the Conference of Champions, which is being held at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, Florida. Nathan’s wife, Tiffany, along with their four children were in attendance to cheer on their Dad. Nationwide even had a parade complete with a band!

A big high five to the entire staff at Dagley Insurance! You all have put in such hard work to provide the best insurance service and products to our Colorado and Texas insurance clients.

Congratulations to Nathan Dagley on becoming a qualifier for Nationwide Insurance’s Champions and Presidents Conferences!

Where were you and your family when Hurricane Ike hit the Houston Gulf Coast in September 2008? Grocery stores were packed, there were long lines at the gas pumps and those around Houston were scrambling. For many, having a family emergency plan would have made the hurricane preparations a much more smooth and thorough process. As a Houston insurance agency our main priority is making sure that you are prepared with flood insurance, but we also want to make sure you and your family have a plan in place that guarantees your safety.

Here are a few points to ponder when creating a family emergency plan:

Choose a point of contact

You may have students in college and summer camp or family on business trips during hurricane season. Decide on a both a local point of contact as well as one outside the storm’s reach. If a true disaster hits your community, you will be thankful to be able to reach out to someone who hasn’t been impacted by the storm.

Decide on an evacuation destination

If you were in Houston area during Hurricane Rita and Hurricane Ike, you will remember the mass exodus during the two days prior to these storms. Know what you’re going to do beforehand and map it out. Will you stay with friends or family? Find a hotel? If you need to find a shelter, note that many do not take pets so plan accordingly.

Have a family conversation

Make sure that the adults and older children in your family are aware of the family emergency plan.

Plan for your pets

As mentioned, many emergency shelters and/or hotels do not take animals so remember to work this into your plan. You also need to provide shot records for your pets.

During Hurricanes Ike and Rita, Dagley’s Houston insurance agents were in overdrive servicing our clients. Although we love assisting our customers, it was so sad to see what many families were going through. Dealing with the aftermath of hurricanes is just part of what it takes to be a Houston insurance agent and we feel like this is really where we can come through for our clients. If you ask any of our Houston insurance agents about what to do to prepare for hurricane season, developing a family emergency plan would be at the top of their list. Make your family emergency plan now!

While driving on the road, you can never predict when you may be in an emergency situation. Whether your engine breaks down in the middle of nowhere, or you run out of gas during a road trip, it is crucial to have a car emergency kit. A car emergency kit is meant to help you if you are on the side of the road in a distressed situation. Read below to see what [astCompanyName] thinks you should be carry in your car emergency kits.

1. Cellular phone and car charger. Keep a cell phone handy because in some situations it can be your only way to get in touch with the police. If your phone is showing you messages like “no signal” keep trying to call for help regardless. Also, if you don’t have a charger, make the most out of your battery lowering the brightness and closing out all apps.
2. First aid kit. A small first aid kit can be a great help if you or a passenger is experiencing a medical injury. Small bandages can hold over somebody bleeding until and emergency vehicle arrives. Also, a first aid kit can be a place to keep insulin or EpiPens.
3. Flashlight as well as extra batteries. A flashlight can be very helpful at night if you need to pull over and operate on your car. For example, if you are attempting to change a flat tire at night, a flashlight will help you see clearly.
4. Petty cash. Having some cash on hand in your car can help you in a number of miscellaneous situations, such as taxi fares or buying supplies. Remember not to dip your hand into this petty cash!
5. Jumper Cables. Jumper cables can be an easy way to jumpstart your car battery as long as you have a second car to assist you. Keeping these in your car will get you out of a tough situation.
6. Water and snacks. Having a water and food can hold you over while you wait for help to arrive on the side of the road. Also, if you are in a hot environment, water will help you, and your passengers stay hydrated.
Carrying a car emergency kit is a part of being a well prepared driver. A kit will not only help in an emergency situation, but it is also a great practice to pass down to new drivers in your family. For any inquiries regarding auto insurance, feel free to contact our agents today at [astPhone].
*

June is National Men’s Health month, so we want to dedicate this blog to offering some healthy lifestyle tips for our male readers. With proper awareness, men can detect potential health issues in their early stages as well prevent new ones from occurring. The following list of men’s health tips will break down easy ways to implement a healthy lifestyle into your busy day.
• Quit smoking as soon as possible. Cigarettes are doing damage to your body with every puff. The sooner you decide to quit the sooner your body can begin to repair the damage smoking has caused. Also, by quitting your smoking habit, you will stop passing off second hand smoke to those around you.
• Exercise frequently. Exercise serves as a way reduce the chances of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high blood cholesterol. Exercise can also increase your mood and combat symptoms tied to depression.
• Stay aware of your prostate health. Once you pass the age of thirty it is a wise decision to make this part of your regular checkup. Catching any issues in your prostate early on can help reduce the odds of prostate cancer.
• Learn to eat less. Proper portion sizes will help you avoid the natural weight gain men can experience between the ages 30 and 40. Not only will you find yourself feeling great, you might even shed a few pounds.
• Find an activity that allows you to reduce your stress level and offers you the chance to relax. Practice this activity at least once a day.
• Make sure your doctor tests your testosterone levels. As you age, your body begins to slow down, and you make lose things such as strength, sex drive, and motivation. Keeping your testosterone levels at a healthy position can help prevent heart disease and even premature death.
Being a health man takes a lot of effort and accountability. Staying healthy is worth it because you will be adding years to your life as well as encouraging those around you to improve their health. Adding these tips to your life can take some time to get used to. Remember to keep in mind that the small choices you make everyday impact your overall health. Small steps toward a healthy life will lead to gradual improvements.
*