Friday, September 28, 2018

An Overview of United Way’s 2-1-1 Program



Loren Wesley Vankirk leads Vankirk Electric’s daily operations as its CEO. He has increased the company’s revenue from $5 million to $50 million in just five years. Loren Wesley Vankirk maintains active involvement with several nonprofits, including United Way of Northeast Georgia.

Established in 1887, United Way is a nonprofit focused on providing solutions that strengthen the education, financial stability, and health of every community in the world. Toward that end, it facilitates various initiatives, including the 2-1-1 Program.

A free, confidential national service accessible to over 14 million individuals across the United States and Canada, the 2-1-1 Program helps people find the assistance they need, whether it’s with employment, food, housing, or relief. People who are dealing with abuse, addiction, and health issues can also call 2-1-1 to find reliable resources in the local chapters. The service extends to veterans in need of emergency assistance and people who are coming out of correctional and mental health facilities or have been impacted by human trafficking. The 2-1-1 service is accessible 24/7 and available in all languages.

Tuesday, September 18, 2018

The Tree House Community Outreach


Loren Wesley Vankirk serves as the chief executive officer of Vankirk Electric, an electrical subcontractor with services in Winder, Georgia, and surrounding communities. Under the direction of Loren Wesley Vankirk, the company successfully expanded from a local family business to a national company. Mr. Vankirk supports several nonprofit organizations, including The Tree House in Winder.

Established in 1996, The Tree House aims to strengthen communities by offering counseling, education, and assistance to children who have suffered or are suffering abuse. The Tree House partners with schools, churches, childcare centers, and other civic groups in selected counties in Georgia to teach the importance of preventing abuse. 

The organizers of The Tree House community outreach conduct training sessions, including Child Abuse 101, Mandated Reporting, and Social Media Safety. The Tree House recently added “Stewards of Children” training to teach adults the responsible way of preventing, recognizing, and reacting to child abuse.

Friday, September 14, 2018

Rewiring an Old Home


A third-generation electrical contractor, Loren Wesley Vankirk leads Vankirk Electric as CEO. Responsible for all company operations, strategy, financing, and marketing, he grew the business from $5 million to more than $50 million in revenue within five years. In addition to this, Loren Wesley Vankirk is also involved in real estate acquisition and renovation, and his company recently renovated an old building in downtown Winder, Georgia.

When rewiring an old building, the first step is checking which permits and codes are necessary for the job. Typically, homeowners and property owners are free to complete electrical repairs in their building, but these repairs must be inspected to make sure they follow local rules and regulations. Because of this, having an electrician assist or advise on the project is ideal.

Once all the permits are obtained, property owners can begin figuring out how to access the old wires. Numerous holes may need to be cut in the wall so that it’s easy to run new cables and remove old cables. In some situations, old wires can be pulled out through a single hole, but this isn’t always the case. Property owners who don’t want to cause major disruptions to their home can leave old wiring in place and thread new wiring through the walls.

Sometimes old wiring systems lack the number of circuits necessary to meet the demands of modern technology and appliances. When this happens, property owners may need to plan for more circuits and change their electrical service to properly support the new circuits. The main service panel may also need upgrading if it’s under 100 amps to ensure it can properly support the new circuits.

Monday, September 10, 2018

Three Myths of Coin Collecting


Experienced with a wide range of electrical systems, low-voltage systems, and real estate development matters, Loren Wesley Vankirk serves as the CEO of Vankirk Electric. In his free time, Loren Wesley Vankirk enjoys collecting coins and he has a large collection. Listed below are three myths of coin collecting.

1. Older coins are more valuable. The age of a coin does not greatly impact the value of said coin. Rather, the value is determined by supply and demand. When the supply of said coin is low and the demand is high, the value of the coin goes up. For this reason, older coins aren’t necessarily more valuable than newer coins, especially if the older coins were produced in large amounts.

2. The cleaner the coin, the better it is. Shiny coins might look nice, but as a collector, shine does not equate to value. In fact, cleaning a coin before selling it can damage the surface and dramatically lower its value. Also, the amount of shine on a coin may even signify a coin of lower quality in comparison to a dirtier coin.

3. Limited editions are always rare. The U.S. government mints and sells some coins in perfect condition. Since these coins have pristine color, are struck in silver or gold, and are limited editions, many novice collectors think they are valuable. However, limited edition coins are designed to appeal to a commercial market and may not be a rare as people think.

Tuesday, September 4, 2018

Basic Golf Etiquette Rules to Remember


Under the leadership of Loren Wesley Vankirk, electrical construction company Vankirk Electric has increased its revenue from $5 million to $50 million over a five-year span. When he’s not busy managing his business, Loren Wesley Vankirk enjoys playing golf.

Below are four things to remember to ensure you follow good golf etiquette the next time you’re on the green:

- Maintain the course. At some point, you are bound to cause some damage to the course on which you are playing. This may be in the form of creating a divot when trying to hit the ball or disturbing sand in a bunker. Regardless, always repair the damage, leaving the course as you found it.

- Don’t be late or slow. Everyone is concerned about time, so you should avoid being the player who is always late. Make sure you arrive at least 30 minutes before your tee time to give yourself enough time to practice, and encourage the rest of your group to play faster if you know you will play slowly.

- Remain quiet. The course is supposed to be peaceful, and nothing quite disrupts that more than another player screaming and yelling in anger. Even if you get frustrated about your shot, control your temper and never throw your club. Meanwhile, put your cell phone on silent during the game.

- Be aware of your surroundings. When you are hitting the ball, make sure you know where other players are so you don’t accidentally hit them. You also want to be aware of where you are walking so you don’t interfere with someone’s shot.