An Earnest Plea From The Preparedness Pro

Hey you awesome Preparedness Pro readers!

PreparednessSome of you have been wondering why you're getting all of these different e-mail notifications as subscribers to the blog. Some of you, perhaps, have felt a bit inconvenienced in your reading habits with this temporary change. Or perhaps you've felt uncomfortably inundated with the words of someone other than what you "subscribed to." Well, this change of pace is because of the MEGA contest that we've got going on right now, The Preppers Outreach Contest. We have a specific tab on this site that reads "Preppers Contest Entries" where you can go and read the various entries and vote for your favorites. But what you may not realize is really the big WHY--WHY have we put together the Preppers Outreach Contest?

How I'd Like the World to View Preparedness

You see, I'm trying to do something with this contest that I (and many of you) WISH that shows like "Doomsday Preppers" had done.  I believe they could have reached out to regular people and shown them that it's completely rational, normal and wise to be more self-reliant. Perhaps these ventures could have encouraged a person or two to give "prepping" a try in their own lifestyle.

PreparednessUnfortunately, every culture has their "drunk Uncle Harry's" that have the potential to embarrass the rest of the family.  And unfortunately, there are plenty of such characters to go around in the society of self-reliance. So naturally, such persons are going to be highlighted on a television series. It also certainly doesn't help that our own president is attempting to portray the term "self-reliance" as some sort of leprosy that should be avoided at all costs--that it's some sort of punishment or horrible consequences. Additionally, it doesn't help that even the well-meaning, relatively sane people who live a more self-reliant lifestyle are still subjected to some editing that may show them in a less than flattering manner.

That being the case, while I feel that television is still a viable media to spreading the word about self-reliance, and I think there are plenty of things that shows like "Doomsday Preppers" do right, I just wasn't satisfied with the real impact that television is having quite yet on helping to educate people on the virtues of prepping. I want MORE people to have a CLEAR message that a self-reliant lifestyle is the ONLY one that will give them and their loved ones the foundation they will need when tough times come their way. Whether that's an everyday nightmare of  the sudden loss of a spouse, unemployment, a financially draining medical crisis in the family, or a once in a lifetime kind of curveball thrown by Mother Nature, it will always turn out better if those who endure it can do so from a position of strength, otherwise known as self-reliance,  rather than being vulnerable and waiting for someone else to come to our rescue.

PreparednessSome time ago I interviewed an amazing woman named Araksya, and wrote an article about her that I shared on here. She grew up in Armenia and was there for the horrific earthquake that struck in the dead of winter leaving thousands dead and the rest homeless with their entire lives buried under the rubble. Araksya's family survived the earthquake only to be thrust into another hellacious set of circumstances--surviving the winter with nothing. Even worse, Armenia, at that time, did not produce anything of value for their own people and certainly not worth exporting to other nations; rather Armenia only functioned because other nations import to them--everything that they need. In fact, they grew very little food in Armenia at that time. (As God's grace would have it, Araksya married a wonderful man who founded FoodForEveryone.org and specializes in teaching people to be self-sufficient all over the world by being able to grow crops in any soil, anywhere. Kind of neat how Heavenly Father gives those beautiful touches to our lives sometimes, isn't it?)

PreparednessMy point is, more and more Americans are behaving nowadays like they live in Armenia during 1988. That in itself is a crisis waiting to happen in a country where we have so many possibilities still; in a country where brothers fought against brothers, sons against fathers, for the right to be free, to be INDEPENDENT, to not be relegated to a socialistic lifestyle. "Prepping" is not only "OK" but I, like many of you, believe it is the ONLY way that we have any hope that this country can be restored to it's original glory. And living a self-reliant lifestyle is something that we have the privilege of doing regardless of who's in the White House, the Senate, or the Legislature.

I believe that there are no victims, only volunteers. And I believe that there are far too many people that I care about today who don't understand that they have the ability and freedom to make their life better, much better. They have the power to make their life fulfilling and peaceful regardless of what curveballs come their way. And I believe that that ability and control lies in the extent to which they live a self-reliant life.

So, because of this belief, I worked my bootie off (dang it, it's come back again though *grin*) to round up vendors who actually cared about the state of self-reliance of their communities. As such, they were incredibly generous in what they were willing to give away as an enticement, and certainly as a sign of encouragement to get YOU, and lots more like YOU, to reach out to other people and share your story of self-reliance with them. Regardless of where you are in your efforts now vs. where you'd like to be. There are countless numbers of people that I KNOW would benefit from you telling your story. Whether that story is 5 pages or 5 sentences, it has the potential to speak to just the right person and perhaps make a difference in their life as a result. Yeah, I said that about YOU!  It's a fact; and my 3 years of doing this full-time has proven that impacting peoples lives for the good IS a consequence of sharing your voice. But you know what, my voice isn't right for everyone; but maybe YOURS is.

YOU have the ability to make a difference in someone else's life

simply by sharing your feelings on preparedness with others.

PreparednessThat being the possibility, can you really put off doing so knowing that you just might make a difference in someone's life someday when it really, really mattered?  Of course not! As preppers we LIVE and BREATHE the "what if" scenarios, right? So, what IF we could make a difference in just one person's life? If we educate others now about preparedness, then we don't have to worry about them later. You don't want to ever have to turn away someone who is truly in need someday? Fine! Then get off your "excuse" and take advantage of this opportunity, please? Share your insight, your feelings, your experiences with trying to embrace a more prepared culture. It doesn't have to be profound or worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize. It just has to be YOURS.

Think You Don't Have Time to Share Your Preparedness Story-Please Rethink That!

Yes, I know, I know. You've got grandkids coming to visit for the week, or you're busy with a full-time job and going to school full-time, or you're not feeling well. Well, ask yourself this, suppose there was a serious crisis that hit our nation tomorrow morning at 8:33 a.m. how persuasive would that excuse be then? The time for preparation is before the consequences come, right? Being prepared isn't just about food storage, tents, and a HAM radio. It's about helping those around you get prepared too; the more you help, the more prepared you will actually be.  "The maximum effective range of an excuse is zero meters", right?

PreparednessSo I understand if you feel a little off kilter because you haven't been receiving the "normal" RSS feeds in your inbox. But my hope is that not only will you find something beneficial with these entries that speaks to you, that teaches you a little something; but I hope that you may find something beneficial for others that you'd like to share with them to help them get on the board. (Remember, that doesn't happen overnight. It takes consistent exposure, patience, and genuine effort). Certainly I hope that you will think enough of those you do care about that you'll try your own hand at writing an entry--not because of the amazing prizes (and boy howdy, they really ARE amazing), but because there's no such thing as a solitary person who's prepared.

Come on, let's show the world who's REALLY NORMAL, shall we? Here are the contest details including the AMAZING list of prizes that are being donated for this purpose. Good luck and be sure to share, share, share. There's no reason this shouldn't be on every couponing site in the world wide web, or posted in every preparedness-minded forum or on your Facebook status or in your Twitter feed. After all, this isn't about promoting Preparedness Pro-- its about promoting PREPAREDNESS and that's a language we can all agree on, right? (All entries must be in my midnight of April 16th, so hurry!)

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Comments

I love all these entries in the contest. They inspire me! Keep them coming!

SO glad and relieved to hear it, Penny. I do realize that I took a chance doing it this way, but it's really how I felt it needed to be done. :-)

Hello, I was wondering why the different format. But tell you the truth I started reading the different ones and was really amazed. It has really helped me to do some more prepping myself. I have been doing this myself for about 1 yr now and it has paid off. I was laid off last September and didnt know what to do. I am a Master Cosmetologist, Massage Therapist, And Cosmetology Instructor. i have been in this industry for 28yrs. In these hard times it is hard to find something at my age. Yes I did take unemployment. It is the one thing that has helped me and my husband to survive. My daughter and granddaughter came for a week for spring break and my daughter said to me...Mom you have a lot of stuff set back you could live awhile without anything to buy...And i said yes but there are things I still need. A few cows, chickens, a tiller, and the well fixed then we would be set...My husband and i are working on it...and When god allows it we will have it...Thanks for all the things you are doing to help us prepare...and your wonderful blog..
Deborah

Keep your chin up, Deborah! I'll make sure you get invited to the Self-Employment for Preparedness webinar. You've got some great talents and experience that I'm sure we could help you position into a profitable self-employment even in these times.
Oh, and by the way, even though I've been doing this full force for so many years, I still don't have everything that I want. hee hee It's a journey, not a destination. :-)

what is the self-reliance for preparedness webinar

Hang in there! I' been prepping for years, and it got us thru a lot of hard times.....

Kellene, I love hearing about others and how and why they started prepping.
As you know I started my own blog because of yor inspiration and my own little twist of preparing on the cheap while 100% disabled.
I know I have had an impact on other folks. Some folks instead of going it alone and sitting in a bunker are actively engaging neighbors, friends and family. My handicap made it absolutely critical that I had others I could depend on for assistance. Our neighbor hood is having a little block party and we will be sharing ideas for gardening and preserving food. One thing that has really brought the neighbors together is an interest in homebrewing.
I have to say overall I have enjoyed all I have learned and I do for myself since I began prepping and I want to thank you Kellene for showing me the way. Even if I did stuff in the wrong order. LOL
Jamie

Jamie, I actually didn't know that you started the blog because of this one. Thanks for sharing that, Dear. You certainly do have a very unique perspective to share with others being on disability and being disabled the way you are. You're awe inspiring in my book, kookiness and all. :-)

Awe blush

I'm not trying to steal your thunder Kellene. Just trying to do the best I can in any circumstance. I'm simply trying to follow the lightning.
I ain't perfect and I'm learning all the time. Some things work and some things get tossed onthe trash can as they cost to much for me. It's just life, but I'm doing darn good I have over a years worth of food, Next week I''ll have a total of 500 gallons of water. The garden is ready for planting and the shopping list is a go. If I get the woodstove in by Oct. I'm good and have most bases covered.

You just like it that I'm a complete knucklehead and have fun with me. I do have to admit i will screw the pooch on most occastions. But I suck them and other folks smarten them up. I ain't there but if I get them hooked on folks my job is done

Since these prep shows are coming around I found it very interesting. Kellene's is also very helpful. But what about the around the house that you can use for food, survival and with limited funds. I have not seen much for homemade items that can be reused. Example: using capri sun juice pouches for seeds, meds or what ever you can think of. Has anyone come across items like these to reuse for something. My personal funds are very limited with a large family. Cutting all the corners necessary to survive is at the top of my list.

I LOVE multipurpose products best of all. It's certainly the mindset that my grandparents had-- "wear it out or do without" or something like that. I'd love to hear from YOU and what you reuse in your household.

The women of the Great Depression in the 1930’s knew frugality. One of their battle cries was “Use it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.” I use this simple rhyme as my frugal checklist with dealing with one of my wants or needs. :)

Yeah! That was what I was trying to remember, but even as a kid, all I remembered was "wear it out or do without." :-) (and frankly, that still made sense to me, I figured if I didn't wear something out, then I would end up doing without it because it would be quite a while before it was replaced.

Kellene,
I wanted you to know that it is because of you on Doomsday Preppers that my wife and I have become preppers! It just makes so much sense. We are actually moving to a bigger house with some property so we can have more room for prepping. I am talking with my family about it also. Thanks for being on the show.

You couldn't have said anything better, Jerod. Thanks for tolerating the abundance of e-mails during the contest and more importantly, thanks for joining us preppers! I'm hear to help. Have fun with the search bar! :-)

I think that is a great reason to have a contest like this. I have enjoyed reading the stories and learning about reasons and ways others have for prepping. Thanks for taking the time to care about helping us "regular people" look for ways to improve our preparedness efforts!

Thanks for your support AND your entry, Michael.

I'm using a RSS reader, I can't begin to understand how dreadful this must be for people using their email program with a sound alert. It's like putting spam in a blender without the cover. Make it stop!

Sorry it's so unbearable for you. You do know you can unsubscribe, right? I do like the analogy though. It's about the way I was feeling as I worked my way through 252 e-mails, and that was just this morning. But it's all for a good cause and only temporary, so I'm willing to handle it for now.

Hi Kellene
thanks for the emails with all the entries on them they have been very
inspirational I have forwarded them to prospective preppers who are
thinking about become one. We went to a meet up meeting last night
of like minded folks to start getting together to see if we mesh & what
we will do if the shtf.
God bless what you are doing to help us
sandy

Thanks for all the advise, knowledge and all walks of life. I think we can learn from all. My hubbys grandparents lived during the great depression. They are sending us (their insurance policy) of raspberrys and strawberrys! They know no matter what happens to them by sending these wonderful gifts all their kids and grandchildren will have food because my hubby and our 4 kids are growing this bountiful insurance policy. Need I say he is an avid gardner in Logan in his 80s. I have a giant food storage room and we are on 500 acres though we are close to town here in MT. So we do have land about 1hr away that gets us into the boonies if AHeckBL. We have a 1/3 acre garden, we raise sheep, goat(heavenly sausage),pigs, and chickens, and hunting is easy here. Plus we have mini horses should we need them to pull a wagon. We have fuel tanks here on the property with diesel. And eventually both homesteads will be off grid. We have 4 kids under 13yrs old that take an active part in prepping(though we never knew that name we just did it) We have goats for meat and milk and cheese and dairy items. So this is our insurance policy.We try and harvest a whole bison every year.Wheat Montana is right next to our boonies land so we have free wheat if need be. All my kids are trained including myself on how to defend ourselves, we are pro gun. But who would not be when you have Bears on your front porch, or wolves in your hay fields? Wether or not all heck breaks loose. We are striving to be self sufficient and completely off grid no matter what. This is our family vision! All our family down south(AZ, UT,NM,Colorado,CA,ID) know what we are doing. Most plan to be here if anything happens. So now my goal is to start stocking on meds so we are prepared! If you have info. on that could you please pass that along to me? Thanks for all you do, because we are soaking it up!!JR

Hi Kellene,
thanks for all you do including the latest entries, wonderful and informative, I am new to prepping, about 6 months now, and I actually found you thru "Doomsday Preppers" your so right about the show by the way, there are a couple of crazy uncle harrys! LOL. hopefully the message will not get lost. I live in California, so I have a couple of obstacles in my prepping, I have managed to put in a pretty good size garden this year and have learned how to can it. It's been one of the most awe inspiring things I've learned in a very long time, I love it! and when your finished to have that food to put up is food for the soul as well as the people! I've started buying some freeze dried food as well and am always on the look out for shelf stable food now. Your articles and advice I've come to depend on, Thank you, my question though is: could you pass on any info you have on how long your canned foods are good for? Any info would be of help, thank you again for all you do.

I appreciate all the e-mails and Kellene on TV. Living threw a 4 day blizzard and several unusual ice storms in Missouri we have learned not to get down to our last of anything. You have taught me so very much I really appreciate your help, especially not throwing out the eggs!

Kellene;
I would love to share my story of prepparing, it goes back to my childhood teaching from my parents. But the question is how does one blogg? Someone please give me the instructions to use this tool. Yes, I am one of those, who never took the time(to busy)to learn that skill on the computer.

It's really, really not hard if you do it through Wordpress. Just go to Wordpress.com and their instructions can walk you through it. I'm a total techno-idiot, so if I can do it, so can you.

Hi, Kellene. I was as much impressed with your self defense tactics as I was with your amazing food prep techniques. Do you (or others) teach your particular brand of women's self defense class?
My 24-year-old step-daughter was held up at gunpoint in broad daylight (around 2 p.m.) in her workplace yesterday. She handled herself amazingly well under the.circumstances, but had things gone south, she would have been lost.
As an old Girl Scout, I've always tried to "hope for the best, expect the worst, but be prepares for anything."
At any date, please advise re: your class or if I can come & observe/train with you to teach others. You had a few moves I'd like to learn & add to my repertoire.

We're getting the summer tour all scheduled. I will be teaching 4 of my classes in Colorado Springs next month though at the Self-Reiance Expo. I'll be sure to post details here as we have them.
I'm SO grateful that your step-daughter made it through her horrible ordeal! It's definitely a life-changing moment.

Kellene,
I absolutely love how you wrote this post encouraging everyone to participate in the contest. Not only are the entries inspiring but so was this post! Thanks for all you do. I couldn't agree more that the more people who are prepared the better off we will ALL be. That's why I'm working hard to share as much as possible with my own community.

I love following what you do and have intensified my efforts to prep. I am 70 years old this summer so I creak around. I have always had a large "pantry" to hold about a year's worth of foods but I lacked the brains to recycle the stuff in a good way and wound up with tons of pinto beans (they are still good) -thank goodness I love chile. I would like to enter your contest so am I entered now? I used to hate having to mile the goat and work with the rabbits, turkeys, chickens etc plus the garden and etc. but now I truly miss having the ability to do all the stuff I need to be doing now. Now, that's what I call rubbing my nose in it..... Keep up the wonderful work, and keep yourself well and safe.

Thanks for stopping by, Cecelia. Unfortunately entries for the contest are no longer being accepted. In fact, we're now in the voting period of the contest which ends at midnight tonight. As soon as I vet all of the entries, there are going to be 37 very happy contestants. :-)

Just double check that you've subscribed to the RSS feed on this site, Linda. We'll be moving our Facebook stuff over to this page primarily as we update the server, add a forum, and a bunch of other GREAT things too!! So just make sure you're subscribed and then you won't miss a thing.

I don't think I have received any of the emails that mentioned the contest, or the new way of receiving Preparedness Pro. I've just been trying to keep up with everything you've (and your helpers Thanks!) have been putting up on Facebook. Have I done something wrong?

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