Vol. 7, No. 3March 2018

Jones Companies CourierNews By You, For You Published In Cleveland, TN

By V. Janine PashleyCheck Into CashInternal AuditorCleveland, TN—My family recently wanted to adopt a new puppy that needed a place to go. We were un-sure how our older dogs (two big Labradors) would respond.

Well, we’ve had Bailey now for a few weeks and as you can see in the picture, she is being accepted quite nicely. She is a great addition to our family and although we have only had her a short time, we love her dearly. She is full of energy and makes us laugh quite often.

The older dog snuggling with Bailey is Jasmine.

WELCOMINGTHE NEW PUP

By Kara RadfordCheck Into Cash Center 1 (201 Keith Street Southeast, Cleveland, TN)ManagerPigeon Forge, TN—Just want to tell all the Jones Companies family that I have the most amazing husband, Josh Rad-ford, who is an incredible father to our son, Conner. Each day, Josh is an amaz-ing blessing for the two of us. I couldn’t be any happier! This picture was taken at one of Conner’s favorite places, Dollywood!

MAN OF THE YEAR

By Melissa CookCheck Into Cash Center 22028 (239 South Street)ManagerFront Royal, VA—I am proud to an-nounce that I got engaged on January 19, 2018.

YES!YES!YES!

March 2018jccnews.com2 Sports

By Bryce GoddardCheck Into CashTreasury Management Cleveland, TN—I would win the gold for falling asleep in front of the television watching Olympic curling.

By Vickie DixonCheck Into CashReconciliation SpecialistCleveland, TN—I don’t think I would get any medals in any actual Olympic events, but if sarcasm/witty banter had an Olympic competition, I would be on the podium, most likely with the gold around my neck every single time.

GOING FOR THE GOLD As the 2018 Winter Olympics took over PyeongChang and your television set, the Jones Companies Cou-rier wondered what Olympic event you would medal in. Well, here’s the answer!

By Angel RichardsonCheck Into Cash Center 24067 (2324 Temple Avenue North- east)Assistant ManagerFayette, AL—I would totally win the gold in competitive walking! I’m not a avid run-ner or jogger, but I’m excel-lent at walking.

My golden retriever and I walk often. I can even walk and talk at the same time. Walking and dancing to my music? A cake walk. I walk ev-ery opportunity I get. I would absolutely take the gold over all the competition!

By Nicole BettertonCheck Into Cash Center 24064 (631 Willow Lane)Manager

PICKING THE $50 WINNERSEver wondered exactly how the Jones Companies Courier staff picks the $50 win-ners each issue? Take a journey in pictures through the award-winning process.

“I would dominate marathons...Net-flix marathons.”—Candis Ellis, Check Into Cash Utilities Coordi-nator

Step 1. Handsome editor reads through the newly designed issue of the Jones Companies Courier. Technically, this is step two, as the first step is designing the Courier, but hey—toma-to, potato.

Step 2. A qualified safety expert uses an appropriate pair of scissors to carefully and expertly cut out names and faces in the Courier. These are then wadded up into precise balls and tossed in a specially made case.

Step 3. An anonymous and randomly picked individual who is not on the staff of the Jones Companies Courier is picked to draw out win-ners. This person, much like the person who grabs stuff out of a cookie jar without looking, has no clue whom he or she will draw. Whoever is drawn is the winner of $50!

Ottumwa, IA—If I would get a medal for anything it would be reading. I can read for days and forget any and everything around me. I’ve read for so long I forgot to eat and didn’t notice everyone around me go to bed. I didn’t notice until the next day. I couldn’t put the trilogy down! I missed everything my friends were doing around me and didn’t move from the spot I was at until I had read all three of the books back to back to back. I will say I was so hungry and thirsty afterward!

Greenville, AL—If reading were an Olympic event I would win hands down. I can devour the words in a good book like a fat kid eating cake. I can easily read a thousand-page book in a day and still get other things accomplished. I’m just that nerdy.

I can spend an entire day in a book store and be happy. In fact, the perfect date is going to a bookstore and getting coffee.

By Sam McLeodCheck Into Cash Center 8028 (1879 Venture Drive)Manger

March 2018 jccnews.com 3Sports

SUPER BOWL PICKMonett, MO—Go Eagles!”—Bob Bartelsmeyer, Manager at Check Into Cash Center 12060 (864 East Highway 60)

By Jim HigginsCheck Into CashChief Marketing Officer Cleveland, TN—Having been born and raised in the Philadelphia area, I have been a lifelong Eagles fan. Win or lose I, like so many other Philadelphians, have been a diehard faithful follower of this team, only to be consistently disappointed year after year. We’ve often made the playoffs and NFC Title games—even two Super Bowls, but never could win it all.

When my son, Drew, came along in the mid-1990s, I of course had to indoctrinate him into this Philadelphia tradition. When he was old enough to understand what he was watching—around 6 years of age—I got him hooked on Sunday afternoon Eagles games. Drew told me his earliest recollection was an NFC Title game about fifteen years ago when the Eagles played the Tampa Bay Bucs and lost. He suffered through our last Super Bowl appearance with me back in Super Bowl XXXIX when we lost to none other than the New England Patriots and Tom Brady, 24–21. It was only our sec-ond Super Bowl appearance in the past fifty-one years! We also lost our first Super Bowl XV in 1981 to the Oakland Raiders.

When the rematch with the Patriots finally came around again thirteen years later, Drew called me from Penn State, where he is a graduating senior this year, and said, “Dad, I need to watch this Su-per Bowl with you. It’s tradition. I found a very inexpensive flight and I’m coming down to Chattanooga for the weekend.”

He drove two and a-half hours to Allentown, Pennsylvania, to catch a puddle jumper to Newark International to fly direct to Chattanooga, only to find that the “flight” United Airlines booked him on to Newark was a bus and not a flight at all. All said and

Jim Higgins and his son, Drew—lifelong Eagles fans.

FLY, EAGLES, FLY

done, Drew made the nine-hour trek and in the end it was all worth it. We watched our beloved Eagles dethrone King Brady and the enti-

tled-minded Patriots in one of the most excit-ing Super Bowl games I’ve ever seen. It broke several NFL statistics records for Super Bowls and went to the final play of the game before it was decided. Nearly twelve-hundred yards of offense and only one punt give some indi-cation as to the shoot out that it was. We even had cheesesteaks and Philly’s Yuengling beer to complete the experience!

In the end, our fifty-two-year drought final-ly came to an end. February 4, 2018 will certain-ly be a date to remember!

Fly, Eagles, fly!

By Vickie DixonCheck Into CashReconciliation SpecialistCleveland, TN—I fell asleep with just a few min-utes left in the first half. Boo! I woke up with just a few minutes left in the second half and got to see the Eagles win!

The first picture is when I woke up at the end of the first half, when the Patriots were winning. The second is a screenshot of my Facebook status from when the Patriots were win-ning. From my finger-tips to (Ea-gles quarter-back) Nick Foles’ ears.

SLEEPY CELEBRATION

Originally published in the Cleveland Daily Ban-ner. Written by Richard RobertsFranklin, TN—The grueling three-day TSSAA State Traditional Wrestling Championships came to the anticipated conclusion with Cleve-land High School once again claiming its spot as the best in Tennessee.

The Blue Raiders capped off the season run returning to the scene of their state dual cham-pionship run two weeks earlier, piling up a three-day total of 189 points.

Science Hill was next in line with Wilson Central with 148.5, Beech with 127.5, and Her-itage with 125.5.

Bradley Central finished in a unfamiliar spot in sixth place with 110 points and no wres-tlers in the championship finals. Walker Valley’s run came to a close Friday night with a 39th-place finish.

The Raiders, after a strong run through the championship and consolation rounds, were able to send two wrestlers to the championship finals and finished the tournament with eight earning state medals.

Austin Sweeney’s three-day battle culminat-

CLEVELAND CROWNED AS CHAMPIONS AGAIN

ed with a championship match at 152. Sweeney stepped into the circle and walked away with a solid 8-5 victory over Josh Pietarila of Hardin Valley Academy for the crown.

Trae McDaniel, son of Check Into Cash Vehicle Appraisal Specialist, faced Trey Bates of Beech in the 106-pound final and fought to a silver-medal finish after a heartbreaking 5–3 decision in favor of Bates.

“Trae and Bates are two great kids,” said Blue Raider head coach Joey Knox of his state cham-pion. “They have wrestled each other a hundred times. They know each other. It goes back-and-forth every time. They wrestled a good match.”

Bryce Pond (126), Cody Mathews (145), and Robert Hicks (182) brought third-place medals back with them while Michael Whiteside ended his run with a fourth-place finish at 138.

Dylan Jones wrestled to a fifth-place medal at 170 and Jackson Bradford reached the podi-um ending in the sixth spot at 113.

“It’s amazing,” Knox said of his second state championship in his first year as the top Blue Raider mentor. ”They battle and fight every day. It’s not easy.

“The state tournament is not easy. You can’t back off. You tweak your ankle sometimes, you poke an eye, whatever. You find a way to bat-tle back through and fight. These guys did that. They fought and they fought hard. They deserve it.”

Defending champion Bradley Central, after losing 10 wrestlers to graduation, finished in an unfamiliar spot in sixth place with 110 points and no wrestlers in the championship finals.

The Bears made the podium with three state placers earning medals. Wesley Devaney (113) brought home the third-place medal, Henley Headrick (170) earned fourth at 170, and DJ Gibson fought to a fourth-place finish at 195.

“I had five kids lose in the Round of 12. That’s pretty good. At the end of of the day, did these kids get better throughout the season? Absolutely. Did they do everything I asked them to do? Absolutely. Did we kind of relay a foundation to get back to where we want to be transactionally? Of course. Last night was hard. Today was fun.”

March 2018jccnews.com4 Lyrics We Love

By Valerie LemusCheck Into Cash Center 9143 (1570 East F Street, Oakdale, CA)ManagerYou’ve got a way with meSomehow you got me to be-lieveIn everything that I could beI’ve gotta say you really got a way You’ve got a way it seemsYou gave me faith to find my dreamsYou’ll never know just what that meansCan’t you see, you got a way with me You’ve got a way with wordsYou get me smiling even when it hurtsThere’s no way to measure what your love is worthI can’t believe the way you get through to me. This song is very special to me. It reminds me about my husband. He is the reason I am alive today. He rescued me from the place I was in and I can never thank him enough for that. He also has a way of making the worst situation seem not so bleak. We are facing the real threat of being homeless very soon and he managed to make me laugh about the situation. He has a way with me... By Trina EvansCheck Into Cash Center 2036 (125 South Memorial Drive, New Castle, IN)ManagerReba McIntire’s “Take That Mountain”I was born a stubborn soul, ain’t afraid of the great unknownor a winding road that’s all uphill.This is just a stumbling block, intimidating walled rockIf you think this broken heart will break my willI’m gonna take that mountain, ain’t nothing gon-na slow me down.And there ain’t no way around it. Gonna leave it level with the ground.Ain’t just gonna cross it, climb it, fight itI’m gonna take that mountain These lyrics get me through my life challenges. They help me remember that no matter what life throws at us, it is just a stumbling block and there is a way to get through it and you just have to keep pushing.

By Richard “Rick” MarquezCheck Into Cash Center 18014 (1617 High-way 50, Pueblo, CO)ManagerMy wife and I will be celebrating thirty years of

Rick and Becky Marquez

Lindy Maurer and Timothy Demarco

marriage this May. I was surprised she picked me to marry her, over and above the dozens of single men attending the church we were all a part of. I was very fortunate to find her in the crowd of people that, again, was a part of our large church in Los Angeles. We have been liv-ing in Pueblo, Colorado, now for fourteen years.

There have been struggles. Becky at one time battled cancer and won. We faced a time of separation and divorce. But love has kept us together. And it’s been fun.

My song of choice to describe my love for my Becky Marquez is Fleetwood Mac’s “You Make Loving Fun.” Sweet wonderful youYou make me happy with theThings you do. Oh, can it be soThis feeling follows me wherever I go I never did believe in miraclesBut I’ve a feeling its time to tryI never did believe in the ways of magicBut I’m beginning to wonder why Don’t, don’t break the spellIt would be different and you know it willYou, you make loving funAnd I don’t have to tell youBut you’re the only one. You, you make loving funIt’s all I want to doYou, you make loving funIt’s all I want to do

By Donna JenkinsCheck Into Cash Center 4010 (9 Mead-owview Center, Kankakee, IL)Assistant Manager The song “I Did It My Way” by Frank Sinatra was my father’s favorite song and something he always told us daughters (he had four of us) to do in life. When I hear it, I think of him and that he is thinking of us. He passed away in 1982 from cancer.

By Jen SchultzCheck Into Cash Center 5002 (9348 State Road 16, Onalaska, WI)Assistant ManagerVienna by Billy JoelSlow down, you crazy childYou’re so ambitious for a juvenileBut then if your so smart, then tell meWhy are you still so afraid? Where’s the fire, what’s the

hurry about?You’d better cool it off be-fore you burn it outYou’ve got so much to doAnd only so many hours in a day But you know that when the truth is toldThat you can get what you want or you get oldYou’re gonna kick off be-fore you evenget halfway throughWhen will you realize, Vienna waits for you

These lyrics have so much meaning for me and has been my favorite song since I was 15. It reminds me to breathe, to not rush through life and take my time doing the things that I need to do in order to live my life. It reminds me to not be afraid—that things will work out, and each day only has so many minutes in it, and that I need to be grateful for each and every one of them. It also helps me keep check in my reality, meaning that I need to jump through the hoops, do the things I don’t like in order to get further in my life to the point where I want to be. Finally, it reminds me that the places I want to visit or travel to will always be there, and to get it together in my daily life to be able to afford the trips I desire to take!

By Tracy JoynerCheck Into Cash Center 12061 (501 South Madison, Webb City MO)ManagerLife is like a shooting star. It don’t matter who you are, if you only run for cover, it’s just a waste of time. These words have always spoken to me, giving me courage to constantly move forward. Win, lose, or make no difference at all—I’m living and fear will not hold me.

A shooting star does not last forever and neither does our time for this life. It is our right to live it and not waste what has been gifted to us.

By Lindy MaurerCheck Into Cash Center 6002 (155 Lincoln Way West, Massillon, OH)Assistant ManagerThomas Rhett’s “Die A Happy Man”If I never get to see the northern lightsIf I never get to see the Eiffel tower at nightOh, if all I got is your hand in my handBaby, I could die a happy man

I don’t need no vacationNo fancy destinationBaby, You’re my great escapeWe could stay homeListen to the radioOr dance around the fireplace And if I never get to build my mansion in GeorgiaOr drive a sports car up the coast of CaliforniaOh, if all I got is your hand in my handBaby, I could die a happy man

When my boyfriend, Timothy Demarco, and I first started dating, he shared this song on

my Facebook page, and it’s been our song ever since. Also, it’s his ring tone on my cell phone and also if we ever get married like I’ve been hoping, it will be our first wedding song dance!

By Vickie DixonCheck Into CashReconciliation SpecialistOn my 16th birthday, my daddy played Tim McGraw’s “My Little Girl” for me. He was not my biological father, but he chose to keep me as his own despite the fact that he often deserved better than he got from me.

When I was 20, my daddy was hit by a car in the hospital parking lot after seeing his sister. He needed several surgeries on his leg due to previous injuries. There were complications and he had multiple heart attacks during a proce-dure. He was then airlifted to Memorial Hospi-tal in Chattanooga, TN, where he had another heart attack while they were attempting to put

LYRICS WE LOVE A few weeks ago, a little birdie named Martha-Lee Womac suggest-ed we find out what lyrics have par-ticular meaning to folks. And boy, did you come through! Check out what lyrics stand out to your Jones Companies family members below.Congrats to

Valerie,March’s $50

winner!

March 2018 jccnews.com 5Lyrics We Love

Vickie Dixon

in the stints. He passed away August 27, 2011. He was

only 45. I knew that I would eventually get a tribute tattoo for him, but I didn’t want one that included his death date. I didn’t want to think about his passing every time I looked at it. I wanted a happy reminder.

Last year, someone asked a similar question on Facebook: What song lyrics mean the most to you? Instantly, I knew the song. Once I start-ed thinking about it, the tattoo tribute came to me.

The first verse of the song is “Gotta hold on easy as I let you go, gonna tell you how much I love you, though you think you already know.”

It seemed obvious that this was the perfect tribute. A sparrow is a symbol of joy and pro-tection, which is what my daddy brought to me; purple was his favorite color; and I’ve gotta hold on to the memories while I let him and the pain of losing him go. It’s a bittersweet reminder. Most of the time when I catch a glimpse of it, I smile. Sometimes, when I’m in a dark place it causes immense sadness. It never fails to make me think of him though.

By M. Suzanne Hunt, CPA, CFE, MACCCheck Into CashSenior Reconcilement SpecialistUnder His wings I am safely abiding;Though the night deepens and tempests are wild,Still I can trust Him, I know He will keep me;He has redeemed me, and I am His child.Under His wings, under His wings,Who from His love can sever?Under His wings my soul shall abide,Safely abide forever. Under His wings—what a refuge in sorrow!How the heart yearningly turns to His rest!Often when earth has no balm for my healing,There I find comfort, and there I am blest. Under His wings—oh, what precious enjoyment!There will I hide till life’s trials are o’er;Sheltered, protected, no evil can harm me;Resting in Jesus I’m safe evermore. I love the hymn “Under His Wings” because it was sung at my parents’ wedding and has special meaning to our family. My parents, Don and Katye Hunt, are still mar-ried today af-ter 40 years!

By Nate BrownfieldCheck Into CashSocial Media SpecialistIf roses are red, and violets are violet, why would

Lauren Sherlin

you tell me they’re blue? Can we play a game of truth or dare? I dare you to tell me the truth. Cuz if the truth hurts, let me be in pain for a little. Cuz the pain won’t last but neither will we—if you’re not honest babe.—Xavier Omar’s “Hon-est”

The intro uses a familiar poem reference in a very creative, cynical way. He establishes early on that something is wrong with the picture and uses the first line as a hook to catch your attention. In the following line: “Can we play a game of truth or dare? I dare you to tell me the truth,” Omar again uses something common-place in a unique fashion, effectively foreshad-owing the issue at hand. “Cuz if the truth hurts, let me be in pain for a little. Cuz the pain won’t last but neither will we.” This is the third time that Xavier uses familiarity as a mechanism to deliver his point. In the final line, “If you’re not honest babe,” Omar cuts through all the previ-ous analogies and idioms to express the lack of honesty in his relationship. The lyrics indicate a sense of yearning for the truth—a final outcry

for his significant other to recognize the effects of her dishonesty on their rela-tionship long-term. Over-all, I think these lyrics are extremely relatable (as aforementioned), exqui-sitely crafted, and from a place of real pain and des-peration. This is excellent songwriting.

By Lauren SherlinCheck Into Cash Instructional Designer/Regional Trainer“Wooden Heart” by Lis-tener was a life-changing song for me. I believe mu-sic is feelings you can hear and this song is full of feel-

ings. I felt lost years ago and this song helped me refocus and make it through some difficult times. To this day, if I am struggling, I remem-ber these lyrics and know I am not alone, my dreams are worth pursuing, and there is always hope. I even have a half sleeve tattoo depicting this song with the lyrics “Don’t let these waves wash away your hopes... I still believe in an-chors.”

These lyrics impacted my life to the point I wanted to remember them forever. I have writ-ten out the entire song below because I couldn’t choose just one part or piece. We’re all born to broken people on their most honest day of livingAnd since that first breath... We’ll need grace that we’ve never givenWell, I’ve been haunted by standard red devils and white ghostsIt’s not only when these eyes are closedThese lies are ropes that I tie down in my stom-ach, but they hold this ship together, tossed like leaves in this weatherMy dreams are sails that I point towards my true north, stretched thin over my rib bones, and pray that it gets betterBut it won’t, at least I don’t believe it will...

So I’ve built a wooden heart inside this iron ship, to sail these blood red seas and find your coastsDon’t let these waves wash away your hopesThis war-ship is sinking, and I still believe in an-chorsPulling fist fulls of rotten wood from my heart, (oh) I still believe in saviorsBecause we are all made out of shipwrecks, every single boardWashed and bound like crooked teeth on these rocky shoresSo come on and let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of grief

And fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beachCome on and sew us together, just some tattered rags stained forever

We only have what we remember I am the barely living son of a woman and man who barely made itBut we’re making it, taped together on borrowed crutches and new startsWe all have the same holes in our hearts...Everything falls apart at the exact same timeIt all comes together perfectly for the next stepBut my fear is this prison... that I keep locked be-low the main deckI keep a key under my pillow, it’s quiet and it’s hiddenAnd my hopes are weapons that I’m still learning how to use rightBut they’re heavy and I’m awkward... I’m always running out of fightSo I’ve carved a wooden heart, put it in this sink-ing shipHoping it would help me float for just a few more weeksBut I am all made out of shipwrecks, every twist-ed beamLost and found like you and me, all scattered out on the seasSo come on let’s wash each other with tears of joy and tears of griefAnd fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beachCome on and sew us together, we’re just some tat-tered rags stained foreverWe only have what we remember My throat, it still tastes like house fire and salt waterI wear this tide like loose skin, come on and rock me to seaIf we hold on tight we’ll hold each other together, and not just be some fools rushing to die in our sleepWhile these machines will rust, I promise, but we’ll still be electricShocking each other back to lifeYour hand in mine, my fingers in your veins con-nectedOur bones grown together in timeOur hands entwined, and my fingers in your veins connectedOur spines grown stronger insideCause I know that our church is all made out of shipwrecks from every hull these rocks have claimedBut we pick ourselves up, and try and grow better through this changeSo come on and let’s wash each other, with tears of joy and tears of griefAnd fold our lives like crashing waves and run up on this beachCome on and sew us together, we’re just tattered rags stained foreverWe only have what we remember.”

By Casey Park Check Into Cash OnlineCustomer Service Representative“I’m Gonna Be Somebody” by Travis Tritt was always a song that I loved. It’s an inspiration-al song that talks about how anyone can make their dreams come true even when no one real-ly believes in you.

Congrats to Suzanne,

March’s $50winner!

Suzanne Hunt’s parents

March 2018jccnews.com6 Chow Down

DESERT ISLAND GRUBYou’re stranded on an island. The natives are friendly but fierce. They make it clear you will never escape. However, there is one perk: You get to eat anything you want for the rest of your life. The downside: You have to eat the same thing at each and every meal. So…what’s it going to be?

“Pineapple. It is delicious and I assume it’s a hot island, so what would be better?”—Danyelle Hash, Title Manager

“The Natives. Eventually I’ll have eaten all of them and be able to escape. Also, potatoes. Potatoes all the ways. I’m a meat-and-po-tatoes kind of girl.”—Vickie Dixon, Check Into Cash Reconciliation Specialist

“It’d have to be spicy sweet chili Doritos in the purple bag. Enough heat to keep you ex-cited about living and a sweet taste to make it more enjoyable. Or a good ol’ fashioned hamburger and fries, so I could taste freedom and America with every bite in spite of my foreign captors.”—Nate Brownfield, Check Into Cash Social Media Specialist

“That’s an easy answer. I would have a garden salad with grilled chicken! Salad is my favor-ite food, so I could eat that every day. And it’s healthy!”—Courtney Gardner, Check Into Cash Online Digital Media Specialist

“It’s hard to just pick one food, but I’ll keep it basic: gourmet vegetarian pizza. You didn’t say remote, uninhabited island! And maybe after a couple years, the natives will give me a beer or two!”—Melissa Sica, Check Into Cash Internal Auditor/Call Moni-toring Expert

“Eggs. They are full of protein, can be prepared several different ways, and aren’t just for breakfast anymore.”—Tina Skaggs, Check Into Cash Online Customer Ser-vice Representative-Originations

“If I had to survive on one thing for the

rest of my life it would be pepperoni pizza with Alfre-

do cheese sauce instead of red sauce and stuffed crust. This has been a comfort food of mine for my whole life. Makes me think of happier times with my family when we would all get together.”—Samantha Calloway, Manager of Great American Loans Center 24303 (9921 Parkway East, Birmingham, AL)

“Pizza!”—Vannessa Dorris, Assistant Manager at Check Into Cash Center 6046 (1233 South Main

Street, Bryan, OH)

“Queso and chips.”—Ash-ley A. Andres, Manager at Check Into Cash Center 6046 (1233 South Main Street, Bryan, OH)

“Chips and salsa. I will use coconut oil out of those fresh coconuts on the island for the chapped lips brought on by all the salty chips.”—Amanda Brakebill, Check Into Cash Repossession Administrator

“Pizza, because the variety of types.”—Shandi Mccutch-

eon, Customer Service Representative at

Check Into Cash Center 19041

(161 East Deuce of Clubs, Show Low, AZ)

“If I were stranded on an is-land and could only have one thing the rest of my life, it would have to be Cassano’s deluxe pizza. This pizza is the best and with it being a deluxe pizza, you could eat it as a whole or pick off the toppings you want for that day.”—Dorthy McGrew, Check Into Cash Center 6051 (2309 West Main Street, Troy, OH) Customer Service Representative

“French fries are my all-time favorite food. I can never get sick of them.”—Lindy Maurer, Assistant Manager at Check Into Cash Center 6002 (155 Lincoln Way West, Massillon, OH)

March 2018 jccnews.com 7Eat Up

“My food of choice is lasagna! And there is noth-ing wrong with lasagna for breakfast!”—Liane Shifflett, Check Into Cash Product Manager

“Lucky Charms! They’re magical-ly delicious! Who don’t like lucky c h a r m s ? ” —Amanda Collins, Check Into Cash Online Inbound Team Lead

“I would have peanut but-ter/chocolate smoothies blended with all the nec-essary daily vitamins. My body would have what it needs, and I can’t imag-ine ever getting sick of a peanut butter/chocolate combo!”—Candis Ellis, Check Into Cash Utili-ties Coordinator

“Enchiladas.”—Brianna Moos, Customer Service Represen-tative at Check Into Cash Center 19041 (161 East Deuce of Clubs, Show Low, AZ)

“If I was stranded on an island I would go with steak/shrimp fajitas with rice and beans. I think this meal is ad-equate for me because it would give me enough protein and carbs to keep on doing things on the island.”—Kel-vin G Cano Armas, Assistant Manager at Quic!oans Center 21308 (2001 Shorter Avenue, Rome, GA)

“It would have to be my mini-bow-tie spaghetti and my homemade garlic cheese toast.”—Julie Tutorow, Manager at Check Into Cash Center 3028 (708-A North 12th Street, Murray, KY)

“It’s a no-brainer. I would eat good old Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, as it has ingredients from corn, barley, and rye. The best benefit from eating this is that I would be able to get the indigenous folk drunk and then steal one of their boats and get away safe-ly.”—Rich Arkenberg, Director of Customer Analytics and Strategy at CreditCorp

“When I read your email, I was having an off start because I didn’t eat break-fast. So I started wondering about the one thing I could eat every morning and have a good day afterward. And

I figured it out. Grapefruit. I could eat grapefruit all day and be fine. It has a great taste, it gets you full, and all

you have to do is peel it. It’s great for so many reason. It doesn’t have many

calories and I like to eat it. Granted, maybe after a while of eating grapefruit

I’ll be sick of it, but who’s to say? And if I don’t want to eat grapefruit, I could skip a meal

or two. My grandmother gave me my first grape-fruit as a punishment for using bad language at the

age of 12. Other people had their mouths washed out with soap. She thought grapefruit would be worse, but I fooled her! Instead of it being a punishment, I loved it. I have been eating grapefruit for almost ten years now. I don’t eat it every day like I used to, but I never go a week without eating at least one grapefruit.”—Bushonda Rogers, Customer Service Representative at Check Into Cash Center 8023 (89 2nd Street, Coralville, IA)

“A delicious salad would be awesome each and every day! I would be a rabbit for the rest of my life!”—Martha-Lee Wo-mac, Check Into Cash Pawn of Tennessee Internal Auditor

“Tacos!”—Tracy Joyner, Man-ager at Center 12061 (501 South Madison, Webb City, MO)

“I would want to eat fajitas with chicken, peppers, and onions on tortillas with pico de gallo, sour cream, and guacamole. That is one of my favorite meals and contains several food groups!”—Rachel Koch, Check Into Cash Product Manager

“Frog eye salad.”—Sierra Kel-ley, Customer Service Repre-sentative at Check Into Cash Center 19041 (161 East Deuce of Clubs, Show Low, AZ)

“Peanut butter from a jar. Since I doubt they have jars, they’d have to send to the mainland for it and I would sneak onto the boat and escape! Genius!”—Bryce Goddard, Check Into Cash Treasury Management

“I would choose tacos. I could live on tacos every day.”—Tami Bayless, Customer Service Rep-resentative at Check Into Cash Center 18028 (308 Street 8th Street, Colorado Springs, CO)

Congrats to

Tracy,

March’s $50

winner!

March 2018jccnews.com8 Eatin’ & News

“If I could only have one food, I would choose chicken! It can be cooked many different ways and is always so good!”—Sha-ron Harwood, Floating Manger for Great Amer-ican Loans District 1.0

“Definitely curry. I love it, and I can keep the na-tives away with my spicy dragon breath!”—Lara Wright, Check Into Cash NOIA Specialist

“Chicken! I can then boil, roast, fry, or smoke the chicken.”—Mary Jo Wolf, Check Into Cash Collector

We currently have 935 locations across the Credit Corp family of businesses.

• 845 Check Into Cash centers

• 6 U.S. Money Shops/SC – Title Loans centers

• 2 U.S. Money Shops d/b/a Check Into Cash Ti-tle Loans centers

• 12 U.S. Money Shops/Pawn/TN & GA

• 2 Title First centers

C R E D I T CORP 1001

• 1 Fast Cash center• 16 Prime – Great Ameri-

can centers• 8 Prime – Quic! Loans

centers• 2 Prime – Nation’s Quick

Cash centers• 1 Lending Frog center• 4 Buy Here Pay Here USA

centers• 10 Cash and Cheque Ex-

press centers – UK (9 compa-ny owned/1 franchise)

Check out the collection by visiting...

“So let’s cut to the chase. If I was on a deserted island, I say, ‘Bring on the steak!’ And I mean like a big T-bone. Yea, that’s right. I’ve got to have protein to stay alive, alert, and in survivor mode. Then let’s take that bone and do some soup as well. Who doesn’t love a good pot of warm soup around a fire pit? That’s right, soup— steak and whatever you can muster up out there. Keep that brain and body healthy. It’s all about surviving!”—Bonnie Bartold Vinson, Customer Service Represen-tative at Check Into Cash Center 18 (651 W Bock-man Way, Sparta, TN)

“If I was stranded on a desert island with only one thing to eat it would definitely be chicken. I love chicken and the many different ways to pre-pare it. Maybe I should have considered some-thing healthier, but that’s no fun. I just hope I wouldn’t start clucking if I had to eat it forever on that island!”—Angel Richardson, Assistant Manager at Check Into Cash Center 24067 (2324 Temple Avenue Northeast, Fayette, AL)

“ C h o o s i n g one food for the rest of my life is hard! I’m not sure a fat kid like me can choose just one. I’ll save that chore for the stick girls eating a cracker a day and think they’re fat.”—Nicole Betterton, Manager at Check Into Cash Center 24064 (631 Willow Lane, Greenville, AL)

By Valerie VigilCheck Into Cash Center 18036 (3324 Clark Street)District 18.1 Trainer Manager

Alamosa, CO—I just wanted to say Happy Valentine’s Day and to show how much we love our customers and their fur babies! The people Valentine’s bags have Check Into Cash chap stick, CIC hand sanitizer, a CIC pen, and three chocolate kisses. Our fur baby bags have three mini milk-bone dog treats!

LOVING PEOPLE AND POOCHES

“I would choose to have coconuts. This may seem like an ordinary answer, but trust me—it’s not. This food

offers a great avenue for multiple things. It would pro-vide water, food, and supplies all in one. The shells can

be used as containers and to build shelter with. The outer shell also has fiber to make things with as well. With those

same fibers you can make fire. Then of course you can drink the coconut water and it provides a great nutritional value to

your body—which then takes us to the fruit itself. This piece can be cooked in so many ways as well as dried for later. Also if you can find other foods on the island this can help you in cooking, whether to add flavors or just in a way to prep it. So the coconut fruit is not just a fruit to eat but has many uses other than food in what you would need if you were stranded.”—Sam McLeod, Manager at Check Into Cash Center 8028 (1879 Venture Drive, Ottumwa, IA)

March 2018 jccnews.com 9HAPPY BIRTHDAY!AlabamaPatricia BaileyCrystal ByrdKelly FoxTamara GivhanTaylor MatthewsChristal MossJanet WhiteArizonaClarissa-Marisol ArvizuKayla CantuMarla CervantesFrancisco RamirezCaliforniaAlexis AguayoGabriela Arvizu MurcioGurpervesh AtwalSharnita BohannonBrianna BrewtonShanitra ByarsEmily CastonguayAlicia CendejasJaliyah CoatsAbby Cruz HerculesRoberto DulaliaMark EmmonsYadira Hernandez- FrancoRemijia JimenezAnjeshni LalStefanie McKellipsMaria Mejia Macias LovatiVimala MopuriPayal NandMaheialani OjedaGizzelle PaneloMaria Perez GarciaValerie PinedaStephanie PradoMonta PrattLeilani ReinosoMayra RiveraJoaquin RomeroColleen San DiegoLori SantanaAlexis ValenzuelaElizabeth Vega-

OrnelasShelby ZaragozaColoradoDesiray Carroll- DeaconJacquelynn ChadwickDeeAnn EnciniasMigdanah HumphriesMaricella SanchezFloridaAmber KenningtonGeorgiaScott LandrumJulie SewellAlejandra SolisVera TellesIdahoMegan DavisHeather PalmerCandace RossiIndianaLeah ArnettChristopher DysonEmily FeuryJolene HarwoodKayla JenkinsKelly MorganIowaBarbara BrandtDoris BrownRebecca JonesKathlen MoonKansasCherise BoseckerShannon CookEmily DaileyKristen KadletzMegan LloydMyranda SpauldingAlysia SteelmanLinda WantlandKentuckyMary AvantArlene Cruz FloraJohn ForsterMaggie Pendleton

LouisianaLacy BreauxValencia CourtneyMichael DavisSabastian DupuisEtta JonesErica NarcisseMichiganJennifer ClouseBelinda HernandezRandi RuffMississippiKimberly CoffmanEvelyn EdwardsJulia GatesBridget HardrickKyla McintyreLaTajaina RussellMissouriTiffany DalgleishJulianne FlaggTheresa GatewoodRhonda HartMatthew JewellJacquelynn LeeEmily MastersCynthia PermenterTrisha PlevkaChelsey RosenzweigKristi SchmitzNebraskaChaqueta ClarkSherry EckhartOhioMichael JonesLindy MaurerBritley McComisDanielle PirieMeredith RoeEryx VecesKimberly WuebbenhorstOklahomaKali CallahanVeronica CastanonKel’Leigh ChuppBonnita CloudNancy De Los Santos

Who turned another year old this month? Look below to find out!Erica GoodenowBethany PaternoSean SwaimSouth CarolinaJalisa BryantSeretta CalvinSandra EddyJessica HazelDenine RhinehartKenequa YatesTennessee Delila Allison Pamela AndersonMichael AslingerTonya BarnesShaun BarryBradley BaumBrenda BeaversGeneva BoggessLidia BorisovaRyan BrockCathy BrownPatrick ButlerAustin ByrdRegina CaksackkarKhristyne CarlisleAimee CheathemMisty CoffeyDebra CopleyGabrielle Cortes- MooreJanette CrawfordConnie CrewsDeborah CrumleyEric DoughtenNina DzhuhaAustin EskewEdward FarleyCharles FowlerDonna GannawayNicholas GhassemiMorgan GistChris GodseyAllysan HardinJahnah HardyShaterryia HarrisMeghan HelmsHolly HickamNathaniel HidalgoSteven Howard

Joseph HughesRachel IngramKristie JohnsonWilliam JonesJeri KelleyNathan KillianShelby KinslerBrandee KnightRichard KretzschmarJonathan LaneMarniecia LoveDonald ManessKristie McLainAmberly MeltonRegina MirabelliCarla MoodyJakob MooreObiezue OforHannah OsborneAmanda PennellAshley RipkaKristal SeayMaria SebastianCarlie ShifflettDe’Sheema SmithMelanie SteppDavid StinnettBrandon SuttonDonnie UpshawRandy WarrenCourtney WerstlerJoseph WilliamsShemecka WilliamsTexasMichelle MarquezUKKris BaldwinBethany ClarkMatt EvansStewart McDonaldNigel NormanVirginiaSara BensonAngie ComerApril HodgeTodd TaylorLisa ZaidanWisconsinTanya HartjesVanessa HuntKelly Wambold

Each issue, we congratulate folks celebrating milestone employment anniversaries. Here are those who celebrated this month.

IT’S YOUR5 YearsMichelle Carter (LA)Carolyn Castro (TN)Nancy De Los Santos (OK)William Fletcher (TN)David Kline (TN)Linda Lewis (TN)Jacqueline McDaniel (TN)Christina McLean (AL)Tracy Miles (LA)Orson Picasso (CA)Tyler Pope (TN)Kristie Ward (OH)

10 YearsLiliana Cano (CA)

Santa Elvira Cervantes (CA)Adriana Gonzalez (CA)Kimberly Keeler (LA)Veronica Lopez (CA)Marian Romitti (CA)Amy Totherow (TN)15 YearsJason Hitson (TN)Michael Wescamillo (CA)17 YearsBrandy Hitson (TN)18 YearsBessie Crowley (SC)Daphne Devault (TN)Anjannette Noel (TN)John Williamson (TN)

19 YearsMelanie Stepp (TN)

20 YearsMartha Bolton (TN)LaVonda Matherly (TN)Marina Miller-Foley (CA)Georgine Skipper (TN)

21 YearsKristie Villalpando (WI)

25 YearsJanice Ware

ANNIVERSARY!

Happy Days

March 2018jccnews.com10

Have news for the JCC? We want to hear about it! Send your life happenings to dbrantley@checkintocash.com or call it in at (423) 473-4537. You may even win $50!

BE THE REPORTER, GET THE CASH!

EMPLOYEES OF THE MONTHFrom the WestKylan Olasunkanmi, District

35.2 Trainer ManagerLiberal, KS—The Employee

of the Month for Region West is Kylan Olasunkanmi. Kylan start-ed her career at Check Into Cash June 9, 2015 as a Customer Service Representative. After proving her-self to be a tremendous asset, she was promoted to a Center Manag-er. Due to her con-tinued success and desire to help o t h e r s s h e

was recently promoted to DTM for district 35.2.

Kylan possesses the ideal com-bination of what is needed to be successful. She is wonderful with all of the people around her as well as achieving financial success within her center. She is dedicated to providing phenomenal custom-er service to all of her customers and does so with a very energetic love-for-life attitude, which is con-tagious. This positive attitude is a role model and makes her the per-fect mentor for the entire district.

Kayla is consistently available to lend a helping hand to the dis-trict, either via phone or in per-son. She most recently helped with training and development with our new center manager in our nega-

A huge congratulations

to our latest Employee of the Month winners.

Each received a $500 gift card

and a plaque!

tive gross margin center, helping influence significant positive re-sults in this location! She did this while increasing her revenue by four percent over the previous year.

We’re looking forward to watching Kylan continue to grow and develop into an amazing lead-er for Check Into Cash.

Congratulations, Kayla, for be-ing Employee of the Month!

From the EastFreddie Jackson,

District 1.7 Trainer Manager

Madison, TN—Freddie has been with the com-pany for more than nine years. Within the last

eight months, Freddie has

t r a i n e d t h i r t e e n employees, with more than half be-ing promot-ed to move on to further with their career, here at CIC.

In the month of December, Freddie’s store grew by more than $63,000 and gained 190 new loans!

There is no job too big or small for Freddie to take on, and I can always count on him to go above and beyond to accomplish any task given to him.

Additionally, Freddie is always respectful with employees and cus-tomers. That is shown by how he actively listens and gives accurate advice when needed.

I could not ask for a better team player! Customer service is a defi-nite strong suit for Freddie, and his skills are impeccable.

I have personally witnessed ex-tremely upset customers walk into Freddie’s store and in just a matter of moments, he has the situations

under control and the customers leave thrilled to have met him.

Every customer is treated like they are Freddie’s only one. There can be five customers waiting in line and once they make it to the counter with Freddie, they have totally forgotten all about the time they had to wait.

I truly believe Freddie should be our employee of the month.

From CorporateMichael Taylor, Re-

gion 2.8 RecruiterMichael has been in

production beginning August 28, 2017. Since he began his support of this region, he has exceeded his hiring goal every month.

In January, Mike hired thirty new team members to his re-gion, making this a de-partment high since his tenure began. In addi-tion to his big month in January, he also extended twenty-six hires that are set to start in February as of

Janessa Richmond, Center Man-ager at Center 05019 (West Allis, WI), District 5.2

Brittney Joy, Center Manager at Center 08001 (Waterloo, IA), Dis-trict 8.0

Valerie Pineda, Assistant Man-ager at Center 09149 (Desert Hot Springs, CA), District 9.16

Connie Villatoro, Assistant Man-ager at Center 09183 (North Hills, CA), District 9.4

Elethia Case, District Trainer Manager at Center 23035 (Grove, OK), District 23.0

Jennifer Doctor, District Trainer Manager at Center 12027 (War-rensburg, MO), District 12.4

James Reason, Assistant Manag-er at Center 00049 (Chattanooga, TN), District 1.0

Meghan Weber-McAndrews, Assistant Manager at Center 05022 (Delavan, WI), District 5.1

Yesenia Perez, Area Manager at Center 09031 (Redlands, CA), Dis-trict 9.11

Ma Gallardo Roscalvo, Center Manager at Center 09122 (Glen-dale, CA), District 9.11

Monica Toscano, District Train-er Manager at Center 09126 (Bar-stow, CA), District 9.11

Lea Munoz, Center Manager at Center 09070 (Fullerton, CA), Dis-trict 9.2

Rosalba Quintanilla, Center Manager at Center 09104 (Pomo-na, CA), District 9.2

Christine Campbell, Center Manager at Center 19029 (Mesa, AZ), District 19.0

Rhonda Hart, Assistant Manag-er at Center 12009 (Blue Springs, MO), District 12.0

Daniel Lamar, Center Manager at Center 12055 (Excelsior Springs, MO), District 12.0

Tiffany Dalgleish, District Train-er Manager at Center 12048 (Neo-sho, MO), District 12.3

Christal Moss, Center Manager at Center 24068 (Hamilton, AL), District 24.0

LOOK WHO GOT PROMOTED!By Donnie UpshawCheck Into CashVice President of Human Resources

Across the Jones Companies family, good people are growing their careers each and every day. Here’s who got promoted recently through the family.

We want to congratulate you on the outstanding job you have done. I know that you have really worked so hard, and the promotion is well deserved.

It feels great when your talents are recognized and your hard work is rewarded. We are extremely proud of you and, we look forward to share your continued successes.

We wish you the best with your new role in our organization.

Kari Christian, Assistant Manag-er at Center 00091 (Chattanooga, TN), District 1.0

Emily Masters, Assistant Man-ager at Center 12001 (Joplin), Dis-trict 12.0

Ashley Brown, Assistant Manag-er at Center 00078 (Dayton), Dis-trict 1.0

Employee Spotlight

February 12. Mike is an invaluable member

of the Talent Acquisition team, helping out his fellow recruiters with tough-to-fill requisitions, re-cruiting three new District Manag-ers to Check Into Cash, and active-ly building trust with his team in Region 2.8.

Because he consistently ex-ceeds expectations in all aspects of his role, Michael is our Jan-

uary Employee of the Month!

March 2018 jccnews.com 11News

Wherever You Are—Have you ever thought, “If I ran the company I would hire …..”?

Well, now’s your chance! Be-cause great people know great people, we want to bring the best to CIC through our new and im-proved referral program!

We are always look-ing for valuable team members who exhibit STARS: Skills, Talent, Ambi-tion, Relationships, and Smiles!

You recently received an email invitation to activate your account on the STAR platform—a new ser-vice to help us increase our social recruitment efforts while making it fun and easy for you!

Over the next few months, we’ll be launching referral com-petitions and giveaways. In re-turn, we hope you’ll take a few mo-ments out of your busy day to tell us which of your friends or family should work here at Check Into Cash.

When you make the referral on CICSTARS.net

and your referral gets hired, you get $250! Then, when your referral has been a Check Into Cash em-ployee for 90 days, you get another $250!

Our new and improved referral

program will make it easier to refer family and friends and receive your referral fee.

Share with your friends and family all of the new career op-portunities Check Into Cash has to offer by visiting CICSTARS.net and entering in their information

BE A STAR, GET UP TO $500!

for the position that best fits their experience and skill set.

Be on the lookout for cool swag promoting this new program in the upcoming weeks, and contact your recruiting team with questions.

By Ellie CaseCheck Into Cash Center 23035 (1002 South Main Street)ManagerGrove, OK—Just wanted to show how we’re kicking it with marketing here at Center 23035. We were given a special invitation to market in our local bank for the entire month of February.

The girls at the bank were very excited to help grow our business with this wonderful marketing tool. We as a business would like to say thank you to the bank and the girls for allowing us to take part in this event with them.

The bank manager is Deanne Gesell, and the two tellers in the pic-tures are Kendall Morisset and Shantel Michel.

We will be featured for the whole month and refill our marketing items as needed. This is a great way to get the word out that we are here for the people in our community to help with their short-term cash needs.

Cleveland, TN—Effective March 30, 2018, Alan Haws will be re-signing his current position here as Chief Technology Officer to pur-sue other opportunities. Alan and I have worked together at Check Into Cash for 15 years, and I can tell you he will be missed dearly.

During Al-an’s time here we have seen the company tran-sition through many phases. Alan has been an integral part of those

GO GET ‘EM!changes every step of the way. He has built an incredible team over the years and I know that they will miss him as much as I will.

Please join me in thanking Alan for his many years of

service here as we look ahead to the future to

continue to build on what he has accom-plished during his time here.

Regards,Steve ScogginsP r e s i d e n t

Check Into Cash

BANKS LOVE

Cleveland, TN—Above: When the clock struck twelve midnight on New Year’s Eve, Daisy Mae was fast asleep. Rockwood, TN—Left: I was conducting an audit and decided to go to Kroger to get something to eat. I see this one young man and wonder if his car got hit. I drive up and find out he’s a worker trying to get to the buggies, which are blocked by someone’s car!

MARTHA’S WORLD By Martha-Lee WomacCheck Into Cash Pawn of TNInternal Auditor

What’s going on in Martha’s life these days? Find out below!

US!

March 2018jccnews.com12 Lifestyles, Health & News

UNDER PRESSURE FALL FRUITRELISHBy Eric FulkersonBald Headed BistroExecutive Chef

Ingredients2 cups prunes, pitted, quartered2 cups dates, quartered2 cups golden raisins1 quart bourbon1/4 cups honey4 each, lemon zest 4 each, orange zest 2 apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/3-inch

pieces1/4 kosher salt

Directions Place prunes, dates, and raisins in a bowl and add

the bourbon. Cover and let sit until plump, about 2 hours. Uncover and stir in honey, lemon, and orange zests. Pour into pot and bring to simmer. Cook until sauce is thickened.

Enjoy!

Ingredients• 8 large eggs• 1/3 cup milk, I used whole• 1/4 teaspoon salt• 1/4 teaspoon pepper• 2 small Yukon potatoes, finely diced• 10 pieces bacon, cooked and crum-

bled

By Katherine BartcherCheck Into CashParalegal

AMAZING POTATO BACON EGG BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

BATTING 1000By Bob KniznerCheck Into CashDirector of Field Internal Audit and ComplianceWe here in auditing are constant-ly checking and rechecking Check Into Cash for compliance and proper accounting practices. This time around, we had a number of centers that had everything abso-lutely perfect!

Here are the centers that scored 100 percent on their title products in December.

• 00010 - McMinnville, TN• 00015 - Dickson, TN• 00035 - Chattanooga, TN

• 00057 - Gallatin, TN• 00062 - Etowah, TN• 00066 - Jacksboro, TN• 00079 - Jefferson City, TN• 05002 - Onalaska, WI• 05027 - Wisconsin Rapids, WI• 05036 - Tomah, WI• 09006 - Antioch, CA• 09018 - Vacaville, CA• 09027 - Bakersfield, CA• 09069 - Norwalk, CA• 09077 - Simi Valley, CA• 09081 - San Bernardino, CA• 09086 - Santa Ana, CA• 09092 - Santa Ana, CA• 09094 - Santa Clarita, CA

• 09115 - Los Angeles, CA• 09205 - Santa Paula, CA• 09217 - Dinuba, CA• 09227 - Salinas, CA• 09228 - Hollister, CA• 12026 - Liberty, MO• 13015 - Oxford, MS• 13016 - Tupelo, MS• 13304 - Tupelo, MS• 16025 - Alexandria, LA• 16039 - Pineville, LA• 16052 - Mansura, LA• 22045 - Rocky Mount, VA• 22056 - Franklin, VA• 24020 - Decatur, AL• 24021 - Fort Payne, AL• 24039 - Gadsden, AL• 24044 - Eufaula, AL• 24048 - Troy, ALThese centers earned a perfect

score for payday products.• 00066 - Jacksboro, TN• 00079 - Jefferson City, TN

• 05027 - Wisconsin Rapids, WI• 05036 - Tomah, WI• 09086 - Santa Ana, CA• 22060 - Smithfield, VAAnd these earned a perfect score

for AMLMSB products.• 00051 - Columbia, TN• 02070 - Plymouth, IN• 03020 - Mt. Sterling, KY• 03033 - Ashland, KY• 04003 - Decatur, IL• 04005 - Rockford, IL• 04009 - Springfield, IL• 04010 - Kankakee, IL• 04035 - Lansing, IL• 04042 - Macomb, IL• 04043 - Sterling, IL• 04047 - DeKalb, IL• 09022 - Tulare, CA• 12051 - Union, MO• 18017 - Colorado Springs, CO• 18045 - Centennial, CO• 24048 - Troy, AL

If you’re like millions of other people across the globe, you’ve probably been told at some point or another that your blood pressure is high. Frightening as this can be (it leads to heart attack, stroke, and all sorts of other is-sues), there are some things you can do to get and keep your blood pressure levels un-der control.

Ready to find out how you can de-pres-surize your blood vessels? Read on to find out.

1. Cut Alcohol. A drink here or there is fine, but if you’re drinking more than three drinks in a row, there’s a risk that your blood pressure will shoot up for a short bit. Do this often enough and expect your blood pres-sure to get stuck at these higher levels.

2. Get Up. You may work at a desk all day every day, but your blood vessels don’t have any sympathy for you. Help keep blood pressure at healthy levels by getting plenty of heart-healthy exercise each week. Even if you’ve not worked out in a decade, getting started now can go a long way toward help-ing your body have healthy blood pressure levels.

3. Kiss Salt Goodbye. It tastes great and spices up just about everything you eat, but that extra bit of salt you take in each day is

actually putting your body in danger. One way it does this is by making your kidneys work harder to keep toxins flushed out of your system. Eventually, this extra work will raise your blood pressure. Cut back on your salt intake and reap the health rewards!

4. Learn to Destress. You may be sur-rounded by stressors that put you on edge day after day, but learning to manage your stress is a great way to maintain healthy blood pressure. Whether you go for relax-ation or exercise, cutting out stress will also put your blood pressure in its place.

5. Trim Down. You know that added pounds wreaks havoc on your joints and puts you at risk for a never-ending list of health maladies, and one of those is high blood pressure. When you’re ready to get serious about lowering your blood pres-sure, your waist line is a great place to focus.

6. Be Social. There are countless rea-sons to get out and about. One of the best is the effect that being social has on your health—both mental and physical. Because at the same time that you fight against any incoming depression, being social also low-ers your blood pressure. So go have fun. Your good health will thank you for it!

DirectionsPreheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9-inch pie pan with non-

stick cooking spray. I used coconut oil. Set aside.In a large mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and milk. Add in the

salt and pepper, then stir in the finely diced potatoes. Stir in half of the crumbled bacon and then add the rest of the crumbled bacon on top.

Bake for 20–25 minutes or until the center is cooked thoroughly.

TAKING NOISE TO HEARTAs if there weren’t enough things that put your heart health at risk, in comes yet another risk factor: noise. That’s right. New research indicates that being around loud sounds on a regular basis can do more than dam-age your hearing. It may put your heart health at risk.

The study, released by The American College of Cardiology, provides ample proof that your heart is connected to your ears. The effects of loud noises is particularly poignant for those who already have other risk fac-tors for heart disease.

During the research, scientists found that animals and people ex-posed to loud sound were more likely to experience heart failure; suf-

fer from high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high cholesterol; and have irregu-lar heart rhythms.

Granted, researchers are quick to state that while

there is a certain connection between news and high blood

pressure, it is not a cause-and-ef-fect relationship. At least not that

can be determined at this point. Rather, re-searchers hypothesize that noise pollution re-

sults in an explosion in stress hormones that endanger the good health of the entire body—arteries included.

Further research may one day determine how much noise is too much noise when it comes to your blood pressure, but for now, following guidelines for your hearing is a good start.

How much noise is bad for your ears? Any time you spend just fif-teen minutes in an environment that requires you to speak louder than normal to be heard, you permanently damage your hearing. And maybe your heart.

NO MORE HOT STUFF

Do you smoke cigarettes? Drink something alcoholic every day? Then the Annals of Internal Med-icine, everyone’s favorite journal for internal medicine physicians, warns that you may want to skip out on the hot tea.

Why? For a rather frightening reason. According to their research, downing a steaming, hot glass of tea can raise your risk for esoph-ageal cancer. The eighth most common cancer across the globe, esophageal cancer kills near-ly 400,000 people annually, and if you smoke, drink al-cohol, and down too-hot tea, you’re at as much as a fivefold higher risk for the cancer than those who have a typical risk.

Unlike many other studies, this one included a whopping 500,000 people in China and followed each of them for an average of nine and

one-half years.On the plus side, drinking hot

or even crazy, burn-your-face-off-and-watch-it-melt-into-the-sewer hot tea isn’t enough to up your risk for esophageal cancer. To make the leap into super dangerous territo-ry, you’ll need to also smoke and/or drink alcohol on a daily basis. Don’t have any interest in doing

either of these and prefer to keep your esophagus from being plagued with

cancer? Then keep it that way.

The problem happens when the hot tea hits your esoph-agus. This scorch-the-Earth tech-nique leaves your esophagus par-ticularly susceptible to carcinogens (that’s fancy speak for cancer-caus-ing stuff).

Again—don’t smoke and don’t drink excessively (more than a 12-ounce beer daily), and your esophagus should be in the clear.

Like your tea a little on the hot side? It may be time to cool down.

March 2018 jccnews.com 13

Have news for the JCC? We want to hear about it! Send your life happenings to dbrantley@checkintocash.com or call it in at (423) 473-4537. You may even win $50!

BE THE REPORTER, GET THE CASH!

SUDOKUFill in every square until each row, column, and box contain all of the numbers from 1 to 9, with no num-ber repeated twice in any row, column, or box.

RIDDLE ME THISLike to have your brain wracked with riddles? You’ve come to the right place.Riddle 1: What has a bed but doesn’t sleep and a mouth but never eats?Riddle 2: How fast do librarians travel?Riddle 3: There are three men on a boat with four cigarettes. They don’t have a lighter. How do they smoke?Riddle 4: A man was stabbed in the heart. No one tried to save him, but he didn’t die from the wound. How is that possible?Riddle 5: Which letter of the alphabet contains the most water?Riddle 6: Why did the smart phone need glasses?Riddle 7: What has a soul but doesn’t live and a tongue but can’t taste?

Answer 1: A river.Answer 2: They always book it.Answer 3: They toss one cigarette overboard to make the boat a cigarette lighter.Answer 4: He was already dead.Answer 5: The letter C.Answer 6: Because it lost all of its contacts.Answer 7: A shoe.

PROBLEM SOLVEDSolutions to last issue’s puzzles.

Lifestyles

WASH YOUR CATSubmitted by Ellie St. PierreCheck Into CashExecutive Administrative Assistant

And now, for something to tickle your funny bone...

1. Put both lids of the toilet up and add one-eighth of a cup of pet sham-poo to the water in the bowl.

2. Pick up the cat and soothe him while you carry him towards the bath-room.

3. In one smooth movement, put the cat in the toilet and close the lid. You may need to stand on the lid.

4. At this point the cat will self-agi-tate and make ample suds. Never mind the noises that come from the toilet—the cat is actually enjoying this!

5. Flush the toilet three or four times. This provides a “power-wash” and “rinse.”

6. Have someone open the front door of your home. Be sure that there are no people between the bathroom and the front door.

7. Stand well back, behind the toilet as far as you can, and quickly lift the lid.

8. The cat will rocket out of the toilet, streak through the bathroom, and run outside where he will dry himself off.

9. Both the toilet and the cat will be sparkling clean.

Yours sincerely,

WOOP FM’s FROdaddy and The Matadoor want to know if you...

REMEMBER WHEN?

During the excessive 1980s, few bands celebrat-ed excess as well as Poison, shown here display-ing an excessive commitment to looking goofy.

The Dog

And one more short one just for you.

Mergers for 2018: For all of you with any mon-ey left, be aware of the next expected mergers so that you can get in on the ground floor and make some big bucks. Watch for these consolidations in 2018.

1. Hale Business Sys-tems, Mary Kay Cosmet-ics, Fuller Brush, and W. R. Grace Co. will merge and become: Hale, Mary, Fuller, Grace.

2. Polygram Records, Warner Bros., and Zesta Crackers join forces and become: Poly, Warner Cracker.

3. 3M will merge with Goodyear and become: MMMGood.

4. Zippo Manufactur-ing, Audi Motors, Dofas-co, and Dakota Mining will merge and become: ZipAudiDoDa.

March 2018jccnews.com14 Action!

LIGHTS... CAMERA... ACTION!

All over the Jones Companies family, folks know how to capture a good ac-tion shot. Here are just a few of them!

By Cody SweetCheck Into Cash Center 40 (1724 North Lo-cust Avenue)ManagerLawrenceburg, TN—Assistant Manager Heath-er Mcdougal and I were flipping over our deals on our title and payday loans, as well as our title referrals!

By Kathy PorterCheck Into CashParalegalCleveland, TN—Here’s a picture of my grandson Nathan pinning his wrestling op-ponent in one of his matches at the TNAAU Best of the Best up in Pigeon Forge. This pin is one of the victories that lead to his winning the gold medal!

By Chad BellCheck Into Cash Center 22052 (2366 George Washington Memorial High-way)Assistant ManagerHayes, VA—My name is Chad Bell, and I’m also known as Lucy LaFur. I am 26 years old and when not working for Cen-ter 22052, I am a drag entertainer.

I have been doing drag professionally for five years. If this doesn’t scream fun, then I don’t know what does!

By Peggy LoweJones Management ServicesReceptionistCleveland, TN—Here is a shot of my cat, Macy, yawning the day away, while my other cat, Maddie, grooms herself.

By Jason and Brandy HitsonCheck Into CashMailroom Manager and CollectorCleveland, TN—On February 10, our 15-year-old son, Jakob Hitson, completed rank testing to become a level 3 third-de-gree black belt in Taekwondo. Jakob has been doing martial arts with Sr. Master Contreras for eight years now. Not only is he a student, but he is also an instructor for the younger classes, and he trains in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as well. We are super proud of him for making it this far in the TKD sport!

March 2018 jccnews.com 15

PUT THE DOC IN YOUR POC(KET)

Perks

FREE & DISCOUNT DRUG PROGRAMS

As prescription costs rise it becomes more important to shop around for the best price on prescription drugs. The following is a list of local and national pharmacies with discount programs. If you do not have access to any of these stores check their websites to see if mail order is available. You can also contact your local pharmacies to see if they have any similar programs.

These medications are free when prescribed by a Physician:Amlodipine Lisinopril / Metiormin (tablets only) / Montelu-

kast Penicillin VK / Amoxicillin / Ampicillin Sulfamethoxazole/Trimethoprim / Ciprofloxacin (excluding XR)Visit http://www.publix.com/pharmacy‐wellness/pharmacy/

Savings of at least 15% on select brand name prescriptions*A 30‐day supply of select generics for $9.99 and a 90‐day sup-

ply for $15.99* Select generic oral contraceptives for $19.99A 50‐count of Rite Aid TRUEtest diabetic test strips for $29.99Visit htts://www.riteaid.com/shop/info/pharmacy/prescrip-

tion‐savings/Fresh Reward Card Members are eligible for a 14 day supply

of the Antibiotics listed below for no cost:Amoxicillin Cephalexin Clindamycin Penicillin VK Sulfame-

thoxazole/TrimethoprimVisit http://www.cookeshometowngrocer.com/departments

to find out more information!Access to 100’s of low‐cost generics at over 2100 Pharmacies

nationwide! Visit this link to find out more: https://www.kroger.com/ myprescriptions#/login?redirectUrl=%ns&pharmacyRedi-rectUrl=%2F

Save on generic medications. Get a 30-day supply of eligible prescriptions at commonly prescribed doses for $4 or $10 for a 90-day supply. Must have a Giant Eagle Advantage Card.

Additional medications are available at a reduced rate. To see a list of medications in your state go to: https://www.gianteagle.com/Pharmacy/ Savings/4‐10‐Dollar‐Drug‐Program/Generic‐Drug‐Program/

The Meijer pharmacy offers a list of free antibiotics (Maxi-mum 14 day supply): Amoxicillin Cephalexin SMZ‐TMP

Ciprofloxacin Ampicillin Penicillin VKThey also offer: free select prenatal vitamins, free Metiormin

Immediate Release, and, free Atorvastatin Calcium. Subject to limitations. Visit https://www.meijer.com/ content/content.jsp?pageName=free_prescriptions for more information.

Schnucks Pharmacy has several discount medication pro-grams including: $9 Oral Breast Cancer Medications

$2 Oral Diabetes medications$4 30‐Day Supply of Generic Prescriptions$10 90‐Day Supply of Generic Prescriptions. Visit https://

nourish.schnucks.com/ pharmacy‐savings/ to find out more!Food City Pharmacy Discount Club gives you access to 100’s

of generic drugs for only $4,00, $9.99, and $15.00 on select quantities. There is an annual fee of $10 per family. See your local pharmacist for more

information.Costco offers a value added benefit to all Costco members that provides all eligible

members and their eligible dependents the ability to obtain savings of up to 70% off of cer-tain prescriptions. Savings are calculated at the time of the sale. Contact your local CostCo Pharmacist or visit https://www.costco.com/pharmacy/warehouse‐pickup for current pro-gram pricing information.

ShopRite Markets offer some free diabetes medication as well as children’s and prenatal vitamins. There is also a long list of $4 30‐day generics and $10 90‐day generics. Visit http://www.shoprite.com/pharmacy/ for more information!

Save on generic medications. Get a 30-day supply of eligible prescriptions for $4 or $10 for a 90 day supply. To see a list of medications go to: http://www.staterbros.com/super‐rx‐pharmacy‐ generics/

Wegmans has a list of over 100 medications that are $4 for a 30‐ day supply or $10 for a 90‐day supply.

Visit https://www.wegmans.com/pharmacy/more‐ways‐you‐can‐save.html#generics for more information.

Walmart has a list of over 150 medications that are $4 for a 30‐day supply or $10 for a 90‐day supply. They offer free home delivery with free shipping. No membership required. Visit https://www.walmart.com/cp/1078664 for more information!

Visit www.GoodRX.com or download the GoodRx App on your smart phone to com-pare the cash price (without insurance) of your medications at all pharmacies in your zip code.

PERKS OF BEING IN THE JONESCOMPANIES FAMILY

March 2018jccnews.com16 Lifestyles

HERE COMES BABY!

By Martha Lee WomacCheck Into CashInternal AuditorAthens, TN—I’m once again a new auntie! My brother, Ronnie, and his wife, Laura, are the proud parents. Bentley Milton Womac was born December 29, 2017, at Starr Regional Medical Center. He weighed 7 pounds 10 ounces, and measured 20 inches in length. He is the son of Laura and Ronnie Womac of Decatur and is the little brother of Ronnie Womac, II, and Lila Womac. He is the grandson of Kim and Daniel Koob of Calhoun and Evalee Womac and the late Tom Wom-ac of Decatur. He is the great-grandson of Delores Koob and the late Albert Koob of Cleveland, Raymond Irons and the late Beryl Irons of New Jersey, the late James Henry and the late Elsie Mae Womac of Ten Mile, and the late Donna Mae and the late Hubert Brown of Decatur.

By Victoria Lockett Sturdivant Check Into Cash Center 24004 (5550 McFarland Boulevard)Assistant Manager

Northport, AL—I’m so happy to announce that my daughter, Bella Nevaeh Sturdivant, was born on December 14, 2017. She weighed 6 pounds 6 ounc-es, and I am her very proud mother!

By Laci HullCheck Into Cash Center 18 (651 W Bockman Way, Sparta, TN)Manager Cookeville, TN—This photo was taken in Cookeville in January during our lovely Tennessee weather! This is my mini-me, Kaliyah, who loves to take action photos!

CHILLY JOY