While working on water conservation and enjoying the summer, jam out to our water-themed playlist!

Purple Rain – Prince

Waterfalls – TLC

Ice, Ice Baby – Vanilla Ice

November Rain – Guns N’ Roses

No Rain – Blind Melon

Smoke on the Water – Deep Purple

Water Runs Dry – Boyz II Men

Bridge Over Troubled Water – Simon and Garfunkel

Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head – BJ Thomas

I’m Only Happy When it Rains – Garbage

Red Rain – Peter Gabriel

Set Fire to the Rain – Adele

Cake by the Ocean – DNCE

Cry Me a River – Justin Timberlake

Moon River – Henry Mancini

Take Me to the River – Talking Heads

Nightswimming – REM

Green River – Creedence Clearwater Revival

Sea of Love – The Honeydrippers

Black Water – The Doobie Brothers

I Love a Rainy Night – Eddie Rabbitt

Sitting on the Dock of the Bay – Otis Redding

Tide is High – Blondie

Service Line Warranties of America (SLWA) hosted the first annual Service Line Awareness Week from March 20-26. During the week, we focused on providing citizens educational materials to help demonstrate simple ways to improve water conservation. Here are some fun tips and facts that were featured:

• You can refill an 8-oz glass of water approximately 15,000 times for the same cost as a six-pack of soda pop.
• Americans use 5.7 billion gallons of water per day from toilet flushes, an average of 1.5 to 3.5 gallons per flush.
• Adjust mowers to a higher setting. Taller grass shades the roots and helps retain soil moisture so your lawn requires less water.
• Re-use your pasta water. Try straining your pasta water into a large pot. Once it cools, you can use it to water your plants.

In addition to the fun facts and educational materials that were provided, SLWA also ran two contests for residents. Residents were encouraged to share photos and/or stories about how they conserve water. The winner from each contest received a water conservation prize pack. Randy C. From Kansas City, Missouri, won our #SLAWeek Story Contest. Take a look at his winning story:

“We installed a 1150-gallon tank under our deck a few years ago and then added heavy gutters to collect most of the rainwater from the backside of our house. We use it to water our raised-bed gardens, wash the dogs, water the house’s foundation (something we have to do in Kansas), any power washing, and occasional lawn watering (by running it through a pump and then sprinkler). In the house, we flush one toilet with it and use it for all devices which create steam – humidifiers, irons, etc. – to avoid damage caused by our local hard water. Near-term future plans include adding a solar shower in the backyard using the rainwater; longer-term future plans include a secondary pressurized set of water lines in the house providing non-potable water where appropriate. I think our norms for water use in the US are insane – treated, drinkable water is a precious resource that takes energy to clean and then move around, and then it’s largely used thoughtlessly for things that don’t require that level of sanitation. The goal at our house is to make that division as clear as possible and then use the appropriate water source for any given task.”

Today we travel to the capital of the State of Wisconsin. Named for the fourth President of the United States, James Madison, the City offers residents and visitors entertainment, adventure, and history. It features the Wisconsin State Capitol Building, modeled after the U.S. Capitol’s dome.

Once you have taken in the sites at the Capitol Building, make your way to the Olbrich Botanical Gardens. Open year round, the gardens span 16 acres of beautiful landscapes. Featuring multiple outdoor gardens, you can enjoy the roses in the Rose Garden, absorb the beauty of the Perennial Garden, and work up an appetite at the Herb Garden.

During the cold Wisconsin winters, make your way inside to the Bolz Conservatory. This 50-foot-high glass pyramid is a tropical oasis. Home to a waterfall, a diverse tropical plant collection, and free-flying birds, you will feel like you have just stepped out of a blizzard and into the tropics! Some of the more unique plant life is located in the Conservatory, where you can observe banana, vanilla, and coffee plants before getting up close and personal with a collection of carnivorous plants. Just don’t get too close!

After wandering through all of the gardens, you are sure to have worked up an appetite. Take a stroll back down to the Square at the State Capitol Building and check out the Dane County Farmers’ Market. Choose from a selection of meats, vegetables, and cheeses and a variety of baked goods. This year-round weekly market gives residents and visitors alike the chance to sample some of the best produce and products from local vendors. For those more interested in a festival atmosphere, Memorial Day weekend offers you the chance to attend the World’s Largest Brat Fest. The event provides a carnival-like atmosphere featuring games, live music, fireworks, and of course, Bratwurst. The event has donated more than $1.6 million to local charities and grows larger every year. This year’s event sold over 163,000 Brats alone! After you have taken care of your food cravings, you can explore the many museums around the City, where you can enjoy both classic and contemporary art.

There are many great sites to enjoy in Madison, but to see Madison from the best perspective, you should navigate toward the Brodhead Airport in Middleton, Wisconsin, where you will find Ted Davis, owner and pilot for Biplane Rides of America. Mr. Davis offers local tours of the Madison area in his New Standard Model D-25 Biplane. Able to carry four passengers in the front seat with the pilot in the rear, you can take in the sights of the local area, or enjoy a tour of the Wisconsin rivers and Lake Wisconsin.

Enjoy the wind rushing through your hair, and then relax a little after your adventures in Madison.

For more information on things to do and see in Madison, visit www.visitmadison.com.

To find out how to enroll with Service Line Warranties of America, and bring yourself peace of mind, visit www.slwofa.com.

This week’s Flashback Friday continues our journey through beautiful Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO). We have already gained a wealth of history and knowledge at the National World War I Museum at the Liberty Memorial, took a swing at learning about Negro League Baseball at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM), and finally bebopped our way over to The American Jazz Museum. For the second leg of our adventure, we will explore some of the other unique experiences in KCMO.

Let’s start this ride right where we left off, in the arts. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art was voted the Best U.S. Museum in 2015 based on Yelp reviews. Admission to the museum is free. The museum features art from both American and international artists, ranging from classic styles to modern art. One of the favorite places to visit on the grounds is the Donald J. Hall Sculpture Park. The park stretches out over 22 acres. Housing more than 80 sculptures, the park is  highlighted by American artist Robert Morris’s Glass Labyrinth. Within the walls of the museum, you will find a wide variety of collections. The crown jewel of the entire collection may be Caravaggio’s “Saint John the Baptist in the Wilderness.” The Nelson-Atkins Museum is one stop where we recommend making a return trip!

The second stop on this leg is not really a stop at all. Wandering around the city, you can take time to appreciate all of the stunning fountains that KCMO has to offer. More than 30 fountains dot the city, and many are within close walking distance of one another. The City of Fountains Foundation is a non-profit corporation that is responsible for the preservation and restoration of the fountains. There are local tour groups that offer walking tours of all of the sites. Follow in the steps of people who have enjoyed fountains in the city since 1899, and take in the sights!

After our long two-part journey through KCMO, everyone is going to be a little hungry, so our final destination will satisfy those cravings. Kansas City barbeque is an integral part of local food culture. Primarily attributed to Henry Perry, who was the proprietor of an eatery that was located in a trolley barn in the legendary 18^th & Vine district, Kansas City barbeque is distinguished by the very liberal use of sauces and a wide variety of meats. Kansas City now plays host to nearly one hundred barbeque restaurants, two of the largest barbeque competitions, and the Kansas City Barbeque Society (KCBS). The KCBS is the sanctioning body for more than three hundred barbeque competitions nationwide and boasts more than 10 thousand members.

If all of our stops have not instigated your cravings for KCMO, gather more information on things to do around the City at www.visitkc.com.

To learn how to enroll with Service Line Warranties of America, and provide yourself with peace of mind, please visit www.slwofa.com.

For this week’s Flashback Friday, we are taking a journey to the City of Fountains – Kansas City, Missouri (KCMO). Kansas City is full of history and culture, and today we will explore some of the unique experiences available to visitors and residents of KCMO. Our trip will take you from the somber and historical National World War I Museum to the lively and upbeat American Jazz Museum. Kansas City offers many chances to learn and to appreciate and immerse yourself into many different areas of life, in just one city!

Part one of our journey begins at the National World War I Museum at the Liberty Memorial. The Liberty Memorial was completed in 1926 after five years of construction and was dedicated by President Calvin Coolidge on November 11 of that year. The memorial stood untouched and was enjoyed by millions until 1994. Time and Mother Nature deteriorated the structure and it was closed for safety concerns; however, the citizens of KCMO stepped up and passed a limited-run sales tax to support the restoration. In addition to the citizens, the City, State and U.S. Government provided support to expand and revitalize the area. In 2006 the site received a designation as a National Historic Landmark and the National World War I Museum opened to the public. In addition to the stunning Liberty Memorial, rising 265 feet into the sky, the museum features a glass walkway. Under the walkway there are 9,000 poppies, each representing 1,000 lives, which have been planted in memory of the 9 million people who lost their lives in World War I.

Our second stop is at the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum (NLBM). Opened in its permanent location in 1997, the NLBM showcases the accomplishments of great players, teams, and management of the Negro Leagues. The museum features a 10,000 square-foot facility with photographs, interactive displays, and a field of 12 bronze sculptures. Kansas City is most well known in the Negro Leagues for being the home of the Kansas City Monarchs and their star player Jackie Robinson. Robinson was recruited by the Brooklyn Dodgers and became the first African-American player in the modern era to play in Major League Baseball. The Negro League began to decline after this and closed its doors in the early 1960s, but its legacy forever lives on at this museum.

Our final stop on this part of our journey is just next door to the NLBM in the famous 18^th & Vine Jazz District. The American Jazz Museum, also opened in 1997, showcases jazz through a multidimensional visitor experience. Featuring interactive exhibits and films, rotating galleries, a theater, and a jazz club, the American Jazz Museum allows visitors to immerse themselves in a diverse and creative environment. The museum hosts educational programs and exhibitions and provides the community a chance to learn about the legends and enjoy the foundation of jazz music within the City. The museum also features an 18-foot memorial to Charlie “Bird” Parker. A Kansas City native, Parker is credited with providing the foundation for the genre known as “bebop.” Charlie Parker has a permanent place in the Jazz Masters Exhibit, which features his iconic saxophone on display along with photos, album covers, and listening stations.

Stay tuned next week for part two of our journey through KCMO! For more information on things to do around the City, visit www.visitkc.com.

To learn how to enroll with Service Line Warranties of America, and provide yourself with peace of mind, please visit www.slwofa.com.