TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introducing ATS 1

Bowling Event 3

Save the Squirrel 4

Blood Drive 5

Obamacare 6

Sports Shorts 7

Superstitions 8

Resurrection Mary 9

Charities / Lupus 10

New Hires 11

Tech Recycling 12

Halloween Recipes 13

Associates At Work 14

Recipes 15

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Hello Readers,

If you read this in the last edition, you might have noticed we asked “Can you find Perry’s moustache”. If you did, then you probably figured out we did not hide one last time. Congratulations to those that ’got’ it! The committee members really enjoyed hearing everyone discussing all of the possibilities!!! Of course, hidden within this issue is Perry’s moustache. For real! If you find it, please submit your answer to tmroz@customco.com no later than Friday, October 12

th for your

chance to win a gift card. Thank you,

THE NEWSLETTER COMMITTEE

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

American Transportation Solution Inc. (ATS) Brought

into The Custom Companies, Inc. Family Submitted by Bob Heinz

The Custom Companies, Inc. announces that American Transportation Solution Inc.

(ATS) has been brought into The Custom Companies, Inc. family. The addition of

American Transportation Solution Inc. will give new and existing customers a new

choice in the transportation of temperature controlled products. “When you look at our

client base and our portfolio of services; LTL, Truckload, Partial Truckload, Local

Cartage, Air Freight, Trade Show, Direct Mail and Expedited Services, the addition of

ATS seemed like a perfect fit for The Custom Companies, Inc.”, said Perry Mandera,

owner. “Our vision is to provide a broad base of shipping solutions to our customers

and we felt that the addition of ATS with its presence in the temperature controlled

marketplace added additional options for our clients and customers.” The new

acquisition will operate under The Custom Companies, Inc. umbrella which now

includes CDN Logistics, Inc., Custom Global Logistics, LLC, Choice Direct Logistics,

Inc. and Circle W Trucking, Inc.

American Transportation Solution Inc. represents a strategic marketing and operational

venture for The Custom Companies, Inc. It enhances the company’s scale, service

capabilities, and market position. The addition of American Transportation Solution

Inc. improves The Custom Companies, Inc.’s lane density and offers customers a new

option in the transport of temperature controlled products. American Transportation

Solution Inc. (ATS) is positioned to make an immediate impact in the marketplace

through the leadership and experience of Brian Villardito, Tom Wresinski, Martin

Pavlicek and Steve Nay. These gentlemen have years of sales, marketing and

operations experience in the temperature controlled transportation business. This

diverse and experienced management and sales group is committed to changing the

scope of client services and support in the industry. The Custom Companies, Inc. has

made major investments in web-based, user friendly technologies that change the way

shippers of temperature controlled freight manage their business. American

Transportation Solution Inc. will provide clients a new web-based platform that

includes, GPS Tracking, Reefer Status and Alarm Monitoring, Two-Way Reefer

Control, Geofences, Battery/Unit Control Monitoring, Trailer Pool Inventory, Location

-Remote Supervision, Over-the-Air Programming and Comprehensive Fuel

Monitoring. Continued on page 2

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 2 American Transportation Solution, Inc. (ATS) Continued

The addition of American Transportation Solution

Inc. also provides the opportunity for The Custom

Companies, Inc.’s sales force to cross-sell ATS’s

premium services, which include expedited and team

services for time critical temperature controlled

shipments, as well as CDN Logistics, Inc. and

Custom Global Logistics, LLC premium services to

an expanded and diverse customer base. While The

Custom Companies, Inc. will capitalize on

operational synergies, the company’s primary

objective is to continue to provide World Class

transportation solutions to ensure customer

satisfaction and retention. “The addition of ATS will

expand our current scope of services and give our

customers another choice in the solutions available to them,” said Perry Mandera,

owner. The Custom Companies, Inc.’s management team is very excited about the

new acquisition and the immediate opportunity for success and substantial growth

in the marketplace. In addition, the merger of American Transportation Solution,

Inc. provides new employment opportunities for the community as well as the

prospect of growth and profitability which will further solidify The Custom

Companies, Inc.’s footprint in the marketplace.

DID YOU KNOW…

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

The average citizen of Los Angeles consumes 250 tacos a year.

The University of Chicago opened on October 1, 1892.

To this day, there are vampire clubs and societies with people claiming to be real vampires.

A rat can go without water longer than a camel.

Chicago’s Western Avenue is the world’s longest street.

A small airplane can fly backwards.

LAX International Airport is the most filmed airport in the world for movies.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated in the fall of 1621 at Plymouth, MA and lasted for three days.

Boy, did we OOPS!

The Newsletter Committee wish-

es to apologize to everyone

whose anniversary was incor-

rect or was omitted. This was not

intentional and we sincerely regret our mis-

take.

And our biggest apology to Felix Torres for

introducing his new baby incorrectly –

please welcome Ezra Leo Torres to the Cus-

tom family!!!!

Page 3 Inspirational

Sayings

“Teamwork divides the task and multiplies the

success.”

“When the customer

comes first, the customer

will last.”

- Robert Half

“Right or wrong, the

customer is always

right.”

- Marshall Field

“There is only one boss,

the customer. And he can

fire everybody in the

company from the

chairman on down,

simply by spending his

money somewhere else.”

- Sam Walton

“What we do for

ourselves dies with us.

What we do for others

and the world remains

and is immortal.”

- Albert Pine

Overwhelming Success at Los Angeles Event by John Tarwater The Custom Companies held an incredible and truly unique Bowling Event on Saturday, August 25

th. The “Event” was for all current and potential accounts.

Bowling was specifically chosen because most everyone is able to participate and enjoy! It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, skilled or not, male or female; everyone can enjoy! There was plenty of bowling, cold refreshments, exceptional cuisine and loads of fun! We had over 375 folks in attendance and it was a very full house! The Custom Companies rented the entire entertainment facility and everyone “cosmic bowled”. There was even unlimited free play on all arcade games! The Custom Global Logistics team, dispatch team, office personnel, a few drivers and all of the Territory Managers were present. All of them were fortunate enough to meet the customers we work with on a daily basis, plus meet each other’s respective families to further build a long lasting relationship with each other! The purpose of the activity is to say “Thank You!” to all of our wonderful customers and welcome any potential account to the tremendous people and services of The Custom Companies. It is a rare opportunity for all of our current customers to share their successful experiences with many prospective customers. The Event was a true family event for all that attended. It commenced at 3 pm with a surprise “goodie bag” for all children that walked through the door. Kole Imports was generous enough to provide all the contents in the bags. The kids thoroughly enjoyed the astonishing black bags with The Custom Companies

logo! The event ended with plenty of enthusiastic “Thank You” comments and also many kindhearted “good bye” hugs from all. There were many breathtaking raffle prizes for all of the customers in our random drawing! The Grand Prize was a magnificent brand new iPad which was won by a truly thrilled and excited customer! Over all, the facility, the prizes, the food and beverage were amazing; however, the time spent with all

the customers and co workers was the true benefit of this Event. Long lasting memories were developed and instilled in each of our customer’s families and each of us that attended. The Custom Companies has truly set the bar for future customer events!

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

David Delgado & family

LA Sales Team-from left: John Tarwater, Ron Pearce, Jim Welsh, Ryan Camarena, Nathan Becker, Bruce Laracuente, Lisl Kinsella, Ivan Aguirre (LAX Dispatch) and Brent Tietz

Daniel Martinez &

Ivan Aguirre (LAX Dispatcher)

SAVE THE SQUIRREL Page 4

A true story from Maureen Cox

I had just sat down the other night to watch a movie and put my feet up when I heard a faint scratching noise coming from the furnace room. Then all of a sudden a loud bang followed by quite a bit of chirping. Great!! We must have a bird trapped in our house. As we froze, unsure of a plan on how to capture and re-lease our intruder, our dog made a beeline to immediately investigate. And to our surprise a baby squirrel came running out. Quickly, we grabbed a towel to throw over it to try and stop it in its tracks and prevent the dog from devouring a second dinner. Upon capture we realized this baby stood little to no chance of survival be-ing separated from its mother and decided to keep it for the night. I did lots of re-search on the Internet on how to care for an orphaned baby squirrel and what agencies will take them and nurse them back to health. This is what we did for the 12 hours we housed the squirrel:

- We kept it in a little cardboard box lined with a flannel sheet and heating pad to keep it warm. Infant squirrels need an outside heating source to keep their body heat elevated in order to survive.

- We bought Pedialyte and a plastic syringe to attempt to re-hydrate it. You are meant to do this every 2 hours as needed. If you cannot find Pedialyte, veterinari-ans recommend a mixture of 4 quarts water, 3 tablespoon sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt to replenish lost electrolytes.

- The next morning we brought it to Chicago Ridge Animal Shelter where they have a nature rehabber on site. The rehabbers then work to nurse the infant back to health, and once its reached maturity they re-introduce it into its natural habitat.

All in all I am happy we were able to save this little squirrel and be able to share this story, as you never know, with winter fast approaching, what little critter you might come across seeking shelter in your house!!

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Roland Foulkes 10-1

Javier Gutierrez 10-1

Rocky Caylor 10-4

George Smith 10-5

Clarence Cross 10-8

Israel Gonzalez 10-13

Louie Ocana 10-13

John Pecnick 10-13

Jose Morales 10-16

Jose Rodriguez 10-16

Perry Mandera 10-17

Christina Paramo 10-19

Ramone Dino 10-20

Tim Hogan 10-20

Jose Espinosa 10-21

Al Wojdak 10-21

Adam Gonzales 10-23

Danny McDaniel 10-23

Juanito DeGuzman 10-25

Wilson Rodriguez 10-25

Herb Aquino 10-26

Rafael Ibarra 10-26

Megan Luscombe10-26

Gabriel Avina 10-27

Earl Hahn 10-28

Orlando Manimtim10-29

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 5

BLOOD DRIVE

Submitted by Human Resources On behalf of The Custom Companies, Inc., LifeSource and area patients in need of blood products, our sincere gratitude and thanks to all the employees who donated at our annual blood drive. A total of 28 people presented to donate at the

blood drive. This resulted in 24 pints of blood collected!!! Since one blood donation can save up to 3 individuals, the units collected by all of the donors will potentially save 72 lives! Everyone who participated truly gave “The Gift

of Life”!!!!!

Everyone who volunteered to donate their time and/or blood at this drive should know that their efforts will help save cancer patients, critically ill newborns, severely burned patients, accident victims and many more who

have illnesses requiring blood products. This blood will be distributed to the hospitals with in the area, but please know that LifeSource distributes to all the hospitals and trauma units in Illinois. If anyone was not able to make the blood drive…they can go to any of LifeSource’s donor centers and use the group code NL08 and state that they are donating for

The Custom Companies, Inc.

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

Karl Mozina 11-2

Brad Woodbury 11-3

Mark Dannhauser 11-4

Julio Loaiza 11-4

Chuck Cecconi 11-10

Bob Deneen 11-10

James Garroutte 11-12

Tom Boyle 11-13

Kamal Salah 11-13

Joe Valentino 11-14

Tristan Miles 11-15

Manuel Vega 11-15

German Delgado 11-16

Dean Pilafas 11-17

Anthony Stram 11-17

Kevin Conte 11-19

Saul DeLuna 11-20

Josh Hines 11-20

Sheila Pajarillo 11-20

Steve Paxton 11-20

Donna Robinson 11-21

Bruce Schaller 11-21

Frank Pesek 11-23

John Angelopoulos 11-24

Dorland Henderson11-24

Gail Abdallah 11-25

Francisco Hernandez11-25

Kevin Mayer 11-26

Jay Blumenthal 11-27

Anthony Roldan 11-27

Rufus Lanier 11-28

Brent Tietz 11-28

Milly Rodriguez 11-30

The Custom Companies proudly sponsors Austin Kunert

Way to go Austin!

Page 6

Now that President Obama’s health care has survived review by the U.S. Supreme Court, what will it actually do?

What is the purpose of the law? The Affordable Care Act, or “Obamacare,” was cobbled to-gether to address two huge problems with our existing health care system. The first is that nearly 50 million Americans have no health insurance, and thus get no care until they are very sick or injured and show up at hospital emergency rooms – forcing others to assume the cost of that care. The second problem is that overall health-care costs are on an unsustainable trajecto-ry, driven by expensive new medical technologies and drugs and by a fee-for-service system that rewards doctors and hospitals for providing more tests and more treatment rather than making people well. Health-care spending now consumes 18 percent of our economy; over the last decade alone, Medicare costs and private insurance premiums have doubled. “The status quo is unacceptable,” said Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) who is also a doctor. “Everyone agrees on that.” How will the uninsured get coverage? Every state will be required to set up marketplaces known as exchanges that offer a menu of private health-insurance plans. People who do not get insurance through their employers can choose the insurance plan from the exchanges that best fit their needs and budget. Federal subsidies will be available to offset the costs for lower- and middle-income families. A family of four making between $23,050 and $92,200, for exam-ple, will be eligible for a sliding scale of tax credits for plans purchased through the exchanges. People who were prevented from obtaining insurance because of pre-existing conditions will no longer be denied coverage, and will be eligible for rates comparable to those for healthy people. For about 17 million people whose incomes are so low that they cannot afford insur-ance at all, the law will expand Medicaid coverage, at an estimated cost to the federal govern-ment of $930 billion between 2014 and 2022. (The Supreme Court ruled that the government could not force states to go along with Medicaid expansion, and more than a dozen governors have indicated that they will not participate – meaning that efforts to broaden coverage in those states may fail.)

Will the law cut costs? That remains to be seen. The cost-control mechanisms built into the law are experimental, and are based on the premise that about 30 percent of health-care is wasteful. To slow the rising costs of Medicare, the law will empower a panel of medical experts to recommend cuts in reimbursements to doctors and hospitals. A separate panel will conduct statistical studies of “outcomes” – which specific kinds of care actually work – and use its conclu-sions to pressure doctors and hospitals to provide more-cost-effective care. Some hospitals will be offered incentives to “bundle” costs based on a patient’s comprehensive treatment, rather than charging fees for every service provided.

Does ‘Obamacare’ raise taxes? Yes, although less than 10 percent of Americans will be direct-ly affected. The next taxes mainly affect “free riders” on the system who refuse to get health insurance, and taxpayers making more than $200,000 a year. Beginning in 2014, uninsured people who don’t qualify for Medicaid will have to get insurance or pay the tax penalty. The tax will begin in 2014 at $95 or 1 percent of a person’s taxable income, whichever is greater, and will rise to $695 or 2.5 percent of income by 2016. People making more than $200,000 a year, meanwhile, will pay a 0.9 percent increase in Medicare payroll taxes, and a new 3.8 percent tax on investment income. And beginning in 2018, there will be a 40 percent tax on so-called “Cadillac” health plans with lavish benefits, in an effort to discourage employers from offering those plans. Relative to the overall size of the economy, the health-care law’s tax increases – totaling about $600 billion over 10 years – are about the same size as Bill Clinton’s 1993 tax in-crease, and much smaller than Ronald Reagan’s 1982 tax hike. Will the law increase the deficit? The Congressional Budget Office says no. It estimated last year that the law’s provisions would actually reduce the deficit by $210 billion over 10 years. These savings will come from controlling Medicare costs; billions of dollars in new fees on phar-maceutical companies, insurance providers, and medical device manufacturers; and tax revenue from uninsured people and Cadillac plans. But Republicans accuse the White House of using accounting tricks, and insist the law will add at least $340 billion to the deficit over the next dec-ade. In the end, Obamacare’s impact will not become clear until it is fully implemented in 2018 – unless Republicans make good on their promise and repeal the law in January 2013.

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Name: Years:

John Santoro 5

Tom Kolzow 23

Anthony Stram 6

Matt Foley 7

Alex DeLeon 9

Jose Rodriguez 1

Sandy Warren 1

Bruce Lenau 16

Marie Huff 10

Jose Cedeno 11

Jerry Odziemiec 12

Maureen Cox 1

Jon DuJardin 13

German Melendez 2

Bob Heinz 13

Tom Mroz 20

Peter Mudiyappan 5

Julio Loaiza 5

Robert Barbosa 2

Herb Aquino 7

Ramir Sison 15

Bob Deneen 10

Jose Fabian 10

Ron Pearce 9

Jason Esser 7

Mary Holowicki 12

Francisco Hernandez 2

Elaine Heppe 17

George Maciel 10

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

The Road Ahead for Health Care

Submitted by Matt Foley

Page 7

Name: Years:

Jim Welsh 2

Ron Boyles 8

Lisa Smith 11

George Barney 11

Seferino Arias 7

Tina Miner 7

Oscar Bolanos 2

Saul DeLuna 8

Jose Garcia 6

Al Lopez 3

Alonso Blanco 9

Jeff Howard 9

Juan Alonso 2

John Dembowski 16

Mark Larson 1

Giovanni Valente 18

Rafael Ibarra 14

James Grisby 1

Chris Sharp 1

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

Sports Shorts by Jeff Guthman

The Top Ten Sports Questions Hockey in Los Angeles? Has the party stopped yet for the celebration of the Kings victory? Will there be a Hockey season next year? What can we expect from the Bulls this year? They said on the news the other day that Derrick Rose was able to dunk the ball. This would seem to indicate that he is ahead of his rehab schedule. However there is still a long way to go before we are able to see that in the game. I still feel that it could be a long time before we see the Bulls playing at a championship level. Are the Angeles for real? They look real good going into the playoffs. In Baseball if you can get into the playoffs then anything can happen. They have the hitting and any pitching staff has the ability to get hot and stay hot through the playoffs.

Are the Bears going to be the Bears that they were against Indianapolis or the team that played Green Bay? I think that it is important to remember that the Colts (even with the addition of Andrew Luck as quarterback) are a long way from being an elite team in the league. Also the Green Bay Packers are for the most part the same team that went 15 and 1 last year. The Bears

kept one of the highest scorning teams to 1 touchdown and a couple of field Goals. Their offensive front line still worries me but I think they will still make the playoffs. LA Lakers fact or fiction? As of the writing of this last article, I was pretty high on the Clippers and downgraded the Lakers. This even prompted me to bet a lunch on who would wind up with a better record between the Clippers and Lakers. It looks with the key additions, that the Lakers have made themselves the most talented team in the NBA. So it looks as if I will be buying lunch at the end of the NBA Season if not watching them in the finals. Sending a message to the Miami Heat, the baton has not been fully passed just yet. The White Sox still in first place? It is hard to believe that as of the writing of this article the White Sox are two games in front of the Tigers for winning the Central Division. There were not many people that thought the White Sox could compete. It will have to be winning the division, or go home as the divisions have a great deal of teams with better records trying to wind up with the wild card position. “I believe” Go SOX! Chicago Cub fans “Wait till next year”? What else can be said? Either you trust the new management that they are going to be able to rebuild a new and better team or not. Either way you will need to wait for next year. The Olympics are over until the winter games that will be in Russia!

We ended the Olympics with an overall medal total of 104 and an overall gold metal total of 46 . Of course, the United States always does better in the summer then the winter. The 2014 games will be held in Sochi, Russia. So the Sochi Olympics are the first Winter Olympics (and first Olympics altogether) for the Russian Federation, as the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow were in the Soviet Union.

Are we looking at another long Hockey lockout?

As of 12:00 am on September 15th the Chicago Blackhawks, along with the rest of the NHL, have been officially locked out. Until the NHL and NHLPA can come to terms with a new CBA, no hockey will be played. The effect of a possible shortened or cancelled 2012-2013 season would devastate fans, players and all those involved in the NHL. After winning the Stanley Cup in 2010, the lockout will negatively affect the Blackhawks because the once championship team is now fading. But, just like every other NHL team, the Blackhawks’ prospects will get another year to develop. Chicago: How fun would it be to see the Kings and the Blackhawks fight it out for Lord Stanley’s cup?

Will there be a NFL franchise in Los Angeles any time soon?

Still no news on this. I believe that it will happen at some time so I will keep this

here until there is some movement from the city and from the NFL,

and from the fans/voters.

The Road Ahead for Health Care

Submitted by Matt Foley

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W. Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

October

Holidays,

Special Days, Weeks & Month

Page 8

Superstitions, Omens, & Myths

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

Month:

Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

American Pharmacist Month

Apple Jack Month

Awareness Month

Breast Cancer Awareness Month Computer Learning Month

Cookie Month

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

International Drum Month

Lupus Awareness Month

National Diabetes Month

National Pizza Month

National Vegetarian Month

National Popcorn Popping Month Seafood Month

Weeks:

Week 1 Get Organized Week

Week 1 Customer Service Week Week 2 Fire Prevention Week

Days:

1 World Vegetarian Day 2 National Custodial Worker Day 2 Name Your Car Day 3 Techies Day 3 Virus Appreciation Day 4 National Golf Day 5 Do Something Nice Day 5 World Teacher's Day

7 World Smile Day 8 Columbus Day 9 Fire Prevention Day 9 Leif Erikson Day 14 Be Bald and Free Day 14 National Dessert Day 15 White Cane Safety Day 16 Bosses Day 20 Sweetest Day 22 National Nut Day 23 National Mole Day 23 TV Talk Show Host Day 24 National Bologna Day 24 United Nations Day 25 World Pasta Day 26 National Mincemeat Day 27 Make a Difference Day 27 Navy Day 28 Mother-In-Law Day 28 Plush Animal Lover's Day 29 Hermit Day 29 National Frankenstein Day 30 National Candy Corn Day 31 Halloween

What is Superstition? According to Webster's dictionary, superstition is: n. any belief that is inconsistent with the known laws of science or with what is considered true and rational; esp., such a belief in omens, the supernatural, etc.

Halloween is traditionally the time when common superstitions, folklore, myths and omens carry more weight to those who believe. Superstition origins go back thousands of years. Beliefs include good luck charms, amulets, bad luck, fortunes, cures, portents, omens and predictions, fortunes and spells.

Bad misconceptions far outweigh the good, especially around Halloween when myths run rampant. When it comes right down to it, many people still believe that omens can predict our destiny and misfortune -- particularly for the worse.

Superstitions and Bad Luck Omens Black Cats

Black cats have long been believed to be a supernatural omen since the witch hunts of the middle ages when cats were thought to be connected to evil. Since then, it is considered bad luck if a black cat crosses your path. Broken Mirrors

An ancient myth our ancestors believed was that the image in a mirror is our actual soul. A broken mirror represented the soul being astray from your body. To break the spell of misfortune, you must wait seven hours (one for each year of bad luck) before picking up the broken pieces, and bury them outside in the moonlight. Ladders In the days before the gallows, criminals were hung from the top rung of a ladder and their spirits were believed to linger underneath. Common folklore has it to be bad luck to walk beneath an open ladder and pass through the triangle of evil ghosts and spirits. Owls

If an owl looks in your window or if you see one in the daylight, bad luck and death will bestow you. Salt

At one time salt was a rare commodity and thought to have magical powers. It was unfortunate to spill salt and said to foretell family disarray and death. To ward off bad luck, throw a pinch over your shoulder and all will be well. Sparrows

Sparrows are thought to carry the souls of the dead and it is believed to bring bad luck if you kill one. Unlucky Number 13

The fear of the number 13 is still common today, and avoided in many different ways. Some buildings still do not have an official 13th floor and many people avoid driving or going anywhere on Friday the 13th.

Good Luck Superstitions Horseshoes To bring good luck, the horseshoe must be lost by a horse and found by you, with the open end facing your way. You must hang it over the door with the open end up, so the good fortune doesn't spill out. Another origin of the 'lucky horseshoe' is the belief that they ward off witches. Witches, it was once believed, were opposed to horses, which is why they rode brooms and pitchforks instead. By placing a horseshoe over a door, the witch would be reluctant to enter.

Page 8

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 -

Page 9

November

Holidays,

Special Days, Weeks & Month

Month:

Aviation History Month

Child Safety Protection Month

International Drum Month

National Adoption Awareness Month National Epilepsy Month

National Model Railroad Month

National Novel Writing Month

Native American Heritage Month

Peanut Butter Lovers Month

Real Jewelry Month

National Sleep Comfort Month

Weeks:

Week 1 Chemistry Week

Week 3 Game and Puzzle Week

Days:

1 All Saint's Day

2 All Soul's Day

2 Deviled Egg Day

3 Book Lovers Day

3 Housewife's Day

3 Sandwich Day

5 Guy Fawkes Day

6 Saxophone Day

10 Forget-Me-Not Day

10 USMC Day

11 Veteran's Day

12 Chicken Soup for the Soul Day

13 Sadie Hawkins Day

13 World Kindness Day

13 Young Readers Day

14 Operating Room Nurse Day

15 Clean Your Refrigerator Day

15 America Recycles Day

15 Great American Smoke-Out

15 National Philanthropy Day

16 Button Day

17 Homemade Bread Day

17 National Adoption Day

17 Take A Hike Day

17 World Peace Day

18 Occult Day

20 Universal Children's Day

21 World Hello Day

22 Go For a Ride Day

22 Thanksgiving

23 Black Friday

23 National Cashew Day

25 National Parfait Day

29 Square Dance Day

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

Four Leaf Clover

Clovers are believed to protect humans and animals from evil spells and is thought to be good luck to find a four leaf clover, particularly for the Irish. Rabbit's Foot

These lucky charms are thought to ward off bad luck and bring good luck. You must carry the rabbit's foot on a chain around your neck, or in your left back pocket. The older it becomes, the more good luck it brings. Wishbones Two people are to pull apart a dried breastbone of a turkey or chicken and the one who is left with the longer end will have their wish come true.

Common Myths and Folklore If the flame of a candle flickers and then turns blue, there's a spirit in the room. If a bird flies through your house, it indicates important news. If it can't get out, the news will be death. If you feel a chill up your spine, someone is walking on your future grave. A person born on Halloween will have the gift of communicating with the dead. A bat in the house is a sign of death. If a bird flies towards you, bad fortune is imminent. If your palm itches, you will soon receive money. If you scratch it, your money will never come. Crows are viewed as a bad omen, often foretelling death. If they caw, death is very near. Many Romans wore lucky charms and amulets to avert the "evil eye". If a person experiences great horror, their hair turns white. A hat on a bed will bring bad luck. Eat an apple on Christmas Eve for good health the next year.

Resurrection Mary - Urban Legend

One of the most famous, ghostly hitchhikers is Chicago’s Res-urrection Mary. (Resurrection Cemetery is located at 7201 Archer Rd., Justice, IL) Reports and eyewitness accounts at-test that beautiful, blonde, Mary was sighted on numerous occasions near Resurrection Cemetery wearing a long, white, flowing gown. The first claims began back in 1930, after young Mary attend-ed a dance at the O'Henry Ballroom (now called The Willow-

brook Ballroom) and subsequently had an argument with her boyfriend. Mary fled the scene of the fight and hitchhiked down Archer Avenue on that cold winter night when she was tragically killed in a hit-and-run accident. She was then buried in Resurrection Cemetery, which utilizes heavy bars on the front gate. Witnesses claim that Mary did not pass into the other world because they have seen her ghost haunting both Archer Avenue and the ballroom at which she danced that fateful night. Several things remain common to those who encounter Resurrection Mary. She is a young blond-haired, blue-eyed girl, simply stunning to look at. Her attire has always been a long ball gown and dancing shoes. Her skin is cold and clam-my to touch to those who have contact with her. If she was picked up by a driv-er, she disappears through the car or asks to be let off when they pass the cem-etery. In 1976, a passerby called the police after noticing a woman who appeared to be locked inside Resurrection Cemetery. When the police arrived, the woman was nowhere to be seen but there was physical evidence that the bars on the gate were bent apart. Not only that, her handprints were embedded into the bars.

Page 10

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Dear Friends and Family,

I recently registered for the 2012 ALR walk with us to Cure Lupus in Chicago, which will be held Oct. 13, 2012. 100% of all contributions to this event go to support lupus research programs that help prevent, treat and cure lupus. Please support me in this cause by making a secure, tax-deductible donation. You can also mail your contribution by check. Makes all checks payable to the Alliance for Lupus Research and my ID number in the check’s memo line: ILC-150145 The ALR walk with us to cure lupus is a national event that changes lives and brings people together united in the quest to end the suffering caused by lupus...Your support improves the lives of those living with this disease: an estimated 1.5 million Americans suffer from lupus, making lupus more common than leukemia, muscular dystrophy, multiple sclerosis and cystic fibrosis. The exact cause of lupus is not known. Lupus has no cure. I choose to walk with ALR because: 100% of all donations go to support lupus research programs because the Board of Directors funds all fundraising and administrative costs. The ALR has committed $71 million to research since 1999. The ALR is the largest private funder of lupus research in the world. Whatever you can give will help—it all adds up! I greatly appreciate your support and will keep you posted on my progress. Sincerely, http://walk.lupusresearch.com Shawna Reich, daughter of Mary Reich, ORD A/R

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

Alliance for Lupus Research

WALK with US TO CURE LUPUS

Los Angeles at a Glance by John Tarwater

Despite the stalling and sometimes stagnant economy in these uncertain times, the team in Los Angeles has been able to sustain unprecedented double digit growth in our market. 2011 witnessed a downright amazing 47% growth

in LTL Revenue over 2010! YTD in 2012 our team’s LTL growth is an astounding 22% as of the most current data!

While our LTL has experienced a growth spurt we have much work to do in growing Airfreight and Truckload business. Our corporate facility in Northlake has furnished our Los Angeles team with the support and

infrastructure, systems and people, which are in place to capitalize upon one of the largest markets in the world

for shipping!

We have recently added two very competent and dynamic individuals to assist our endeavors in growing Airfreight and Truckload business: Truckload Dispatcher, Jason Huynh and Airfreight Manager, Bruce Dunlap. These folks

know the Airfreight and Truckload business and with their support we will grow this business successfully in the

next 12 months.

A key feature that has resulted in a true benefit for our customers and growth for our terminal has been our “Do

Not Leave Behind List” that we implemented in Los Angeles Terminal. Our Territory Managers have the discretion

of adding key accounts to the list. This process ensures that shipments move on the first available schedule

leaving our facility and on the rear of the trailer for a delivery time that is unchallenged in the LTL market!

Our Los Angeles Team is looking forward to the remaining months of 2012 and the success it can bring our entire

organization. It will be our attention to detail and follow through coupled with effort and hard work that will

always separate us from the competition and pave way our way to success.

CHARITIES

The Custom Cares

Charities supports

many causes. Fol-

lowing are some of

the many organiza-

tions and founda-

tions we regularly

contribute to:

Advocate Charitable

American Cancer Society

Amer Heart Foundation

Ann’s Hope Foundation

Arthritis Foundation

Autistic Kids Foundation

Boy’s Hope, Girl’s Hope

Campus Crusade for

Christ

Christ The Jesuit Charity

Cub, Boy & Girl Scouts

of America

First Look for Charity

Good City

Illinois State Crime

Commission

Jesse White Foundation

K.I.D.D.S. for Kids

Kids Wish Network

MADD

Make-A-Wish Foundation

Misericordia

MS Bike-a-Thon

National MS Society

Our Lady of Perpetual

Hope

Operation Support Our

Troops

Skills for Life BAS

Special Olympics

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Welcome New

Hires! Raymundo Bago—Dedicated Driver

Colby Crosser—Mechanic

Javier Gutierrez—CDL Dock Manager

Jonathan Gutierrez—Dock

Jason Huynh—LAX TL Dispatcher

James Krenc—Local Driver

Salvador Lagunas—Mechanic

Troy Loske—CSR

Miguel Ortiz—Local Driver

Dominic Prete—Dock

Ursulla Rodriguez—Accounts Payable

Brian Villardito—ATS Dispatcher

Tom Wresinski—ATS Dispatcher

Brian Villardito

Salvador Lagunas Troy Loske

Javier Gutierrez

James Krenc

Justin Yager

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

Page 11

Colby Crosser

Miguel Ortiz

Victor Gurrola

Raymundo Bago

Ursulla Rodriguez Jason Huynh

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Congratulations to Jose

Cedeno (CHI Local

Driver) and his wife

Marisol on the birth of

their baby girl, Sophia.

Sophia arrived on

September 19th, at

5:50a.m., weighing in

at 7 lbs, 2 oz. and 20”

long. Both Mommy

and baby Sophia are

doing well!

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

Congratulations go out

to Josh & Janine Preci-

ado (ORD CSR) on the

birth of their daughter,

Leah Nicole. Leah en-

tered this world on Sep-

tember 27th at

11:38pm. She weighed

7lbs, 2 oz, 19-3/4” long.

Janine and Leah are

doing great!!

So you have your shiny new gadget, whether it is your laptop, Smartphone, GPS or gaming system. It’s beautiful and exceeds all your ex-pectations. But there’s a problem. The item it replaced. What do you do with your now dented, scratched and/or outdated gadget? The worst possible thing you can do is throw it in the trash. Electronics are often filled with heavy metals and hazardous chemicals that pose serious environmental and health hazards. It is not only hazardous, it may be ille-gal. Tossing out electronic equipment is strictly regulated by 25 States, in-cluding California and Illinois, with recently passed e-waste laws. Here are some alternatives to just chucking out your obsolete silicon toys:

1. Check your local community: Resources are provided by government agencies like the National Center for Electronics Recycling and the United States Department of Environ- mental Protection. The EPA also has an online list of local recyclers on their website.

2. Recycle through retailers and manufacturers: Retailers such as Best Buy, Staples, Office Depot and Radio Shack have trade in programs where you can receive credit in the form of gift cards or trade-ins. The two best manufacturers for recycling are Dell and Apple. Dell has Dell Reconnect which is partnered with any Goodwill store. If you contact Apple they will send you a free shipping label for your Apple material and, depending on the equipment, send you a gift card. Other manufac- turers such as Sony, Toshiba, Samsung, Acer, Asus Lenovo and Gateway also have recycling programs that are offered by the companies themselves.

3. Donate your electronics: You also can donate your electronics for a good cause. Two good sites that are available are The Cristina Foundation which has a list of local non- profit organizations which are nearest to you according to zip code. The World Computer Exchange also accepts working computers, monitors, hard drives and monitors. If you can’t find a non-profit you can agree with there are websites where you can either recycle or give away your old equipment such as Freecycle or GreenDisk.

4. Sell your stuff: The last option is to sell your stuff. Of course we all know about word of mouth. If you can find a buyer, your items can go to them. They get stuck with recycling and you get some cash. There are also the usual suspects of Ebay and Craigslist. Ebay takes a little online effort but you have a measure of security. Craigslist is a little bit easi-er to use but it is the wild west as far as who buys from you.

Page 12

Tech Recycling by Marcelo Domingo

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

BRAIN CELL SALAD Halloween Recipe

1 pkg. (6 oz.) blueberry Jello mix 1 carton (16 oz.) small curd cottage Cheese 1 can (16 -1/2 oz.) can blueberries In syrup -=OR=- 3/4 cup frozen blueberries, thawed Blue food coloring 2 mixing bowls

can opener Spoon

6 salad plates

Prepare Jello according to package directions. Chill 4-5 hours or until firm. Scoop cottage cheese into a bowl. Drain and set aside the syrup from the blueberries. Add the berries to the cottage cheese and mix well. Add three drops of food coloring to turn the cottage cheese a nice grayish color with blended. To serve salad, place a few spoonfuls of firm gelatin, (congealed brain fluid), onto individual serving plates. Top with a scoop of cottage cheese (brain tissue) mixture and serve. Serves 6 psycho surgeons.

www.customco.com

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

CAT'S EYES

Halloween

Recipe

1/2 cup Peanut butter

8 Ritz crackers

1 Banana; cut into 8

slices

8 Raisins or Olives

Spread peanut butter

on crackers and top

each with a slice of

banana. Place a raisin

or olive in center of

each banana to form a

cat's eye and repeat

for all banana topped

crackers.

Page 13

BOOGERS ON A STICK

Halloween Recipe

1 8 oz. jar Cheeze Whiz Green food coloring 25 pretzel sticks Waxed paper 1 long handled spoon

Platter

Melt the Cheeze Whiz in the microwave or on top of the stove, according to directions on the jar. Allow the cheese to cool slightly in the jar. Using a long handled spoon, carefully stir about three drops of green food coloring into the warm cheese, using just enough to turn the cheese a delicate snot green. To form boogers: Dip and twist the tip of each pretzel stick into the cheese, lift out, wait twenty seconds, then dip again. When cheese lumps reach an appealingly boogerish size, set pretzels, booger down, onto a sheet of waxed paper. Allow finished boogers on a stick to cool at room temperature for ten minutes or until cheese is firm. Gently pull boogers off waxed paper and arrange on a serving platter. Serves 5 to 6

booger buddies.

Halloween Recipes

Page 14

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov

Jose Fabian

CHI Dock

Time

To fall

Back

Don’t forget to turn back your clock one hour

on November

4th!!

Peter Mudiyappan

CHI Dock

Frank Pesek

CHI Driver

Juan Morales

CHI Driver

Michael Yoro

LAX Dock Supervisor

The Custom Companies, Inc. - 317 W Lake Street Northlake, IL 60164 - www.customco.com

Page 15

VOL . VI No. 4 Oct 2012 / Nov 2012

Pumpkin Dump Cake Ingredients: 1 15 oz can Pumpkin Puree 1 10 oz can Evaporated Milk 1 cup light brown sugar 3 eggs 3 TSP pumpkin pie spice 1 box yellow cake mix 1 cup (2 sticks) butter melted 1 cup coarsely crushed graham crackers or pecans ½ cup toffee bits (optional)

Instructions: Preheat oven to 350 Spray a 9 x 13 baking pan lightly with cooking/baking spray In a large bowl combine the pumpkin, evaporated milk, sugar, eggs and pumpkin pie spice. Stir to combine. Pour into your prepared pan Sprinkle entire box of cake mix on tip, followed by nuts or graham crackers and toffee chips Pour your melted butter evenly on top Bake for 45-50 minutes until center is set and edges are lightly browned Serve with ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!

May your

stuffing be

tasty

May your

turkey be

plump,

May your

potatoes and

gravy have

nary a lump.

May your

yams be

delicious and

your pies take

the prize,

and may your

Thanksgiving

dinner stay off

of your thighs! Author Unknown

Cauliflower Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

1 medium head cauliflower

1 TBS cream cheese, softened

¼ cup grated Parmesan

½ TSP minced garlic

1/8 TSP straight chicken base or bullion

1/8 TSP freshly ground black pepper

½ TSP chopped fresh or dry chives, for garnish

3 TBS unsalted butter

Instructions:

Set a stockpot of water to boil over high heat.

Clean and cut cauliflower into small pieces. Cook in boiling water for about 6 minutes, or until well done. Drain well; do not let cool and pat cooked cauliflower very dry be-tween several layers of paper towel.

In a bowl with an immersion blender, a blender or a food processor, puree the hot cau-liflower with the cream cheese, Parmesan, garlic, chicken base, and pepper until al-most smooth.

Garnish with chives, and serve hot with pats of butter.

Hint: Try roasting the garlic or putting the ready to serve cauliflower in a pan, sprinkle

cheddar cheese on top of it and put in the oven for about 6 min or until cheese is melt-

ed for a whole new taste!

Recipes

Page 16 Page 16

317 W. Lake Street

Northlake, IL

60164

Phone: 708-338-8888

Fax: 708-338-9550

E-mail: newsletter@customco.com

The Custom Companies, Inc.

The Full Service Transportation Company

www.customco.com

www.customgl.com

www.gocdn.com

Newsletter Committee Members

CUSTOMER SERVICE, SUPPORT AND CARE

At The Custom Companies, our main objective is to deliver your goods

on time and in perfect condition. We understand the importance of a

great customer/vendor relationship. Our customer service center is just a

phone call away to provide a rate quote, track a shipment, schedule a

pickup or access accurate documentation. In today’s fast paced

environment, we work to provide transportation solutions that fit every

economic situation.

Our “Customer First” program ensures that your shipments will be

delivered on time, and with the highest degree of care. In order to

maintain these standards, we measure performance levels on every

shipment. As a result, our internal operational systems are constantly

improving to provide better, more accurate service, allowing our

transportation specialists to meet your growing needs.

Marcelo Domingo

Matt Foley

Carol Guarino

Jeff Guthman

Daniel Leach

Michele Marek

Tom Mroz

Eric Pocius

John Tarwater

Additional Contributors:

Maureen Cox

Robert Heinz

Mary Reich

www.scentstooremember.scentsy.us

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