Thanksgiving Time

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year; it gives us a chance to relax and reflect on the things we are truly grateful for. 

At Secur-Tek, we’ve had a wonderful year and would like to thank

  • Our amazing customers, and
  • Our fabulous team of employees and partners.

We are also grateful for the incredible North Carolina Triangle area that we are privileged to live in and serve.  

If you’ll be sharing this holiday with those you care about, here are some fun Thanksgiving trivia questions to banter about over that delicious pumpkin pie.

See how many of these you know!

 

Where was the first Thanksgiving?

Colonists and the Wampanoag tribe shared a harvest feast in 1621 at Plymouth, Massachusetts which is widely acknowledged as one of the first Thanksgiving celebrations. 

But some historians argue that Massachusetts may not have been the true location of our first Thanksgiving. They note that nearly 60 years before the Plymouth celebration, a Spanish fleet landed in Florida and planted a cross on the sandy beach to christen the new settlement of St. Augustine. To celebrate the arrival and give thanks for God’s providence, the eight hundred Spanish settlers shared a festive meal with the native Timucuan people.

When was the first American call for a national Thanksgiving?

America first called for a National Day of Thanksgiving to celebrate victory over the British in the Battle of Saratoga. In 1789, George Washington again called for a National Day of Thanks on the last Thursday of November to commemorate the end of the Revolutionary War and the ratification of the Constitution.

Which president refused to recognize Thanksgiving?

Thomas Jefferson was famously the only Founding Father and early president who refused to declare days of thanksgiving and feasting. Unlike his political rivals, the Federalists, Jefferson believed in “a wall of separation between Church and State” and believed that endorsing such celebrations as president would be equivalent to promoting state-sponsored religious worship.

How long has pumpkin pie been a traditional part of Thanksgiving?

Pumpkin pie was a staple on New England Thanksgiving tables as far back as the turn of the 18th century. Legend has it that the Connecticut town of Colchester postponed its Thanksgiving feast for a week in 1705 due to a molasses shortage. There could simply be no Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie.

Why is football a Thanksgiving tradition?

The first Thanksgiving football game was a college match between Yale and Princeton in 1876, way before there was anything called the NFL. Soon after, Thanksgiving Day was selected as the date of the college football championships. By the 1890s, thousands of college and high school football rivalries were played every Thanksgiving.

When was the first Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade?

To celebrate the expansion of its Herald Square superstore, Macy’s announced its first “Big Christmas Parade” two weeks before Thanksgiving in 1924, promising floats, bands, and an animal circus. It was a tremendous success! Macy’s later trimmed the parade route from six to two miles and signed a TV contract with NBC to broadcast the now-famous Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.

 

Wishing you and your loved ones a safe and Happy Thanksgiving from Secur-Tek, Inc!

 

If you would like a whole collection of Thanksgiving trivia and answers to play as a game – here is a website you can reference: https://www.brightful.me/blog/thanksgiving-trivia/

*Source: Thanksgiving History Facts and Trivia – HISTORY, https://www.history.com/news/thanksgiving-history-trivia-facts.

 

 

Moving? 4 Tips for Safety and Security in Your Home

If you are preparing to move to a new location, there are so many important things to think about! To help with this, we’ve compiled a list of items to check that will help secure your new property and ensure that you and your family have peace of mind in your new residence.

FOR EXISTING HOMES

1) Acquaint yourself with the neighborhood:

Take the time to introduce yourself to your new neighbors. Let them know who you are and who will be living (coming and going) in your new home.

Find who is active in the neighborhood watch group. Meet with them to introduce yourself and offer to do what you can to contribute.

Take the time to locate the local police, fire, rescue stations, and hospitals to understand routes and response times.

Reacquaint yourself with any features of the location like local ponds, pools, walking trails, and parks so you can review safe usage of these areas with your family.  

2) Take inventory and fix/enhance the safety aspects of the property:

Check how well the entry, walkways, driveway, yard space, and window areas are lit. Add lighting (motion sensor lighting is great) where lighting is not adequate.

Examine the landscaping for overgrown or poorly placed bushes that can block out lighting or give potential intruders a place to hide, especially near doors and windows.

 

3) Re-examine the doors to the exterior:

Doors should be built out of metal or with solid wood cores and have deadbolts. Sometimes the most aesthetically pleasing decorator doors offer the least amount of safety from intrusion. Glass panels in or next to the doors offer easy access for intruders. When possible, replace doors that offer sub-par security before moving in for ease of mind and convenience.

 

4) Check your home security system:

A security system can give you peace of mind when moving to a new area and home.

If a system is already installed, have it checked out, upgraded if needed, and activated as soon as you move in. Upgraded systems can include touchscreens, a mobile app for communication with the security system, automation features, and cameras strategically positioned around your residence and property.

Make sure that either you or a security system professional check out the window and door sensors for proper functioning. Take the time to test each location and alignment of the motion sensors to ensure they are properly aimed and positioned for maximum benefit.

If your new home doesn’t have a security system, consider adding one. They are an effective method for ensuring your new residence will offer you the safety and security your family desires. And it may help save on your homeowner’s insurance.

Secur-Tek, Inc. is here to help with your home security needs. We can complete a security audit of your home and design an upgrade or new system that is right for you and your location. Contact us by calling 919.387.1800  .

 

IF YOU ARE BUILDING A NEW HOME

The best time to install features like security systems, home automation, whole-house audio systems, and central vacuums is during construction.

Secur-Tek  installs both wired and wireless security systems. For new homes under construction, we recommend a wired system (you will have less maintenance with fewer batteries to change).

What system would be best for your new home?

New homes under construction Install a wired system as it will have less maintenance with fewer batteries to change
Existing homes wanting a security system installed Install a wireless system
Home renovations Add wireless system or wireless components to an existing Honeywell security system
Existing home security system Upgrade systems to include features to enhance security and convenience:

•      Touchscreens

•      A mobile app for communication with the security system

•      Automation features,

•      A doorbell camera

•      Camera system with motion detectors

Please call our office or use the form below to see how we can assist you with your new home.

Secur-Tek is locally owned and operated in Apex, NC, offering home and business security, monitoring, automation audio and central vacuum systems. We proudly serve: Apex, Cary, Fuquay-Varina, Chapel Hill, Clayton, Garner, Holly Springs, Durham, Raleigh, Morrisville, and Pittsboro in North Carolina.

Add to Your Outdoor Enjoyment

The sky is Carolina blue and the sun is shining. You’re standing in your backyard thinking about the perfect summer barbecue. As you survey the yard, a few fantasies dance in your mind:

A new deck or stone patio?

Built in Grill?

New outdoor furniture?

A fire pit?

Or maybe even a DJ …

 

Your imagination runs wild with the vision of family, friends and neighbors laughing and talking in your backyard – but wait …. there’s something else making it fun and festive – music!! With a sad glimmer of nostalgia, you remember the boom box that used to crank out your favorite party tunes (Jimmy Buffett comes to mind) – too bad that sudden summer shower destroyed it! With those fond memories running around in your head, you decide to look into something more durable. Something that is designed specifically for your yard where you can enjoy high-fidelity sound without worrying about the batteries, extension cords or weather.

Guess what… you’re in luck! Outdoor sound systems have come a long way since the boom box era.

When installed professionally, today’s systems produce extremely high-quality sound for listeners’ enjoyment. They are also very durable and can sound great for many years. However, there are a few key factors to consideration when designing your musical environment.

First off, an outdoor sound system can’t take advantage of the reflective surfaces that make indoor speakers more efficient (e.g. floors, walls and ceiling). In addition, there is ambient noise from passing cars, chirping crickets, and kids at play to consider in your design. Because of this, outdoor speakers require enough oomph from an amplifier with sufficient wattage to power them. The most common mistake people make with outdoors systems are under powering them which leads to distorted sound, or worse, blown speakers.

Consideration must also be given to the specific design of the area where people are to gather and the type of music you prefer to play. If your area is large, you’ll want to spread the load among multiple speakers and ensure optimal positioning. Multiple speakers playing softly in the right positions will sound much better than a few pushing too hard.

The backyard environment will also expose your system to the extremes of our North Carolina weather. Quality speakers must be able to endure sun, rain and hot/cold temperatures while melding in nicely with the landscaping. There are two basic types of all-weather speakers used: simple bookshelf-type models wrapped in protective casings, or stealth speakers that masquerade as garden rocks, flowerpots, or even benches. Although these speakers are built to be left out year-round, they will last longer and look and sound better if care is taken in determining their placement. For example, box-type speakers can be positioned under the protection of eaves or arbors. In the case of stealth speakers, they can be integrated and protected by natural cover like trees and bushes.

Finally, for convenience and user flexibility, wireless outdoor speakers are ideal. They operate on a designated frequency to deliver sound from your audio devices or Internet radio and can be tied into your home automation system.

So, this summer, you can stop just thinking about it and create the outdoor experience you have always wanted by adding quality sound to liven up gatherings or help you relax after a long, stressful day.

For more information on designing and installing quality outdoor sound systems, please contact Ken Henke at Secur-Tek: (919) 387-1800.

Security & Home Automation