Berrier Insurance Celebrates The Start of Summer!

Hooray! Summer officially begins on June 20, 2012, the longest day of year in the Northern Hemisphere. A long hot day to be shopping for commercial truck insurance, luckily we have AC!  This afternoon, at exactly 4:08PM PDT, the North Pole will tilt directly toward the sun at about 23.5 degrees, while the sun will reach its farthest distance from the equator, marking the summer solstice. Solstice is derived from the Latin words sol, meaning "sun," and sistere, meaning "to stand still." As the days become increasingly longer, the sun climbs higher and higher in the sky until it appears to stand still. Once the sun has reached its climax at the summer solstice, it will begin to descend as the days become increasingly shorter in the Northern Hemisphere until the winter solstice.  What does this occasion mean to those around the globe and how is it celebrated?

• In northern European countries such as Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway, the summer solstice (or midsummer, as it's often called) is referred to as the day that never ends. It's celebrated with bonfires, outdoor festivals, singing, dancing and food.

• Midsommardagen is Sweden's traditional midsummer festival, observed throughout the country and in full bloom during the month of June. On Midsummer's Eve, which is always on a Friday, young girls place nine different flowers under their pillows to dream of their future husbands, while on Midsummer's Day, flower wreaths are worn while men, women and children dance around the maypole.

• For thousands of years, the summer solstice has been worshiped and celebrated at Stonehenge, near Salisbury, England. Today, thousands of Druids and others gather at the sacred site, which is open for free to the public, to greet the rising sun on the longest day of the year. Throughout the night, people play music, perform rituals and party till dawn.

• Sunrise Celebration is an ethical living and organic arts and music festival powered by 100 percent renewable energy. Held on an organic farm in England, the festival has a site-wide organic food and drink policy and promotes a positive feeling of heartfelt gratitude. It's a celebration of summertime, community and creativity, featuring 13 music stages, performances, healing arts, crafts, talks and workshops.

• The present-day belief that June weddings are lucky can be traced back to the ancient Druids' celebration of "the wedding of Heaven and Earth" on the summer solstice. Traditionally the best time of year to harvest honey from the beehives, midsummer moon was referred to by pagans as the "honey moon," referencing the honey wine used in wedding ceremonies held on the summer solstice.

• The summer solstice is a magical time in Latvia when traditional folk customs are brought to life on Jani, the country's most beloved holiday. Also known as Grass Day, Jani is celebrated in the countryside, and flower and oak leaf wreaths are hung everywhere. As tradition goes, you must stay awake all night on the eve of Jani, and folks gather around huge bonfires to sing the customary Ligo ("sway") songs and eat homemade caraway cheese.

• New York welcomes summer with a collective ohm in the middle of Times Square. On June 20, thousands of participants will roll out their yoga mats at The Crossroads of the World to celebrate the longest day of the year with an all-day yoga fest. Free classes will be held from 7:30AM to 8:30PM, along with musical performances, lectures, giveaways and more!

• Since 1974, Santa Barbara, Calif., puts on an extravagant summer solstice parade, complete with over-the-top floats, flamboyant costumes, brilliant dance ensembles, creative street performers and eclectic music. But unlike other parades, this one is about getting back to basics; even the floats are man-powered. This year's theme, "Fantasy," promises not to disappoint.
  
  
  No need for a pilgrimage to stage your own summer solstice celebration. Pull from any of the above traditions or start your own: Pick wildflowers, tend to your garden, watch the sunrise, have a picnic, dance around a sacred fire, and gather with friends and family on the longest day of the year.  Not your thing? Then how about taking those extra hours of hot sunshine to shop for some new commercial truck insurance with Berrier Insurance!! Give us a call 888.472.4915

Greenest Tow Truck Company in Queens

When we read this story of how a tow truck company is going to great lengths to save a tree we had to share it with all our friends of Berrier Insurance.

Tommy Cali owner of Cove Auto Towing in Queens, didn’t have the heart to cut down an in-the-way tree 32 years ago when he converted the enclosed front porch of his 27th Ave. home into an office for his thriving business. Now he has 50-foot tree growing through the middle of his desk.

Cali built the office himself, and may be the greenest building around. “Everything is recycled,” he said proudly. “The marble floor is chippings, stuff they threw out. The windows are from a building they knocked down.”

“You’ve got tons of people that pass by everyday. They stop and take pictures. It’s a family-friendly thing.”Cali was recently offered $2.6 million for his home, he says. But he worries that a buyer would get rid of the tree to develop the property.

A rough patch of ceiling surrounds the tree trunk. “I’ve been cutting and cutting around it,” Cali said. “The tree grew a lot.” “No regrets,” Cali shrugged. “All my customers love it.”

He’s been busy in recent days wrapping the tree in Christmas lights and plans to hang ornaments. “I want to get all the branches,” he said. “We’re gonna do the whole thing all in lights.”

To read more about this story visit the NY Daily News article.

Check Out What's New in Hybrid Trucks

Berrier Insurance supports forward thinking and going green! With all of the driving that we do, and how many cars and trucks are out on the roads these days some of us worry about our environmental foot prints. Everyday there are new technologies being created and made more readily available to us. We just discovered the new hybrid electric commercial trucks that are being developed by Daimler Truck North America LLC and Wal-Mart. This new truck features a parallel hybrid system based on an electrically driven second drive axle, and uses a lithium-ion-based energy storage and electronic control algorithms that were developed in collaboration with the Daimler Trucks Global Hybrid Center in Japan. While these new trucks were specifically designed to Wal-Mart’s spec’d truck, the 72-inch raised roof Detroit Diesel DD15, DTNA also offers other products powered by alternative technologies, including the Freightliner Business Class M2 106 Hybrid and the Freightliner Business Class M2 112 natural gas lineup.

We are excited to hear that there are more options out there for truckers, we support each of you and want to make sure you are all updated on what is available to you. Make sure that if you decide to buy a new greener truck that you insure it with Berrier Insurance, we specialize in commercial truck insurance and can provide you with the information and services you need. We are dedicated to doing our part to make our world a happier, healthier, and cleaner place.

Lisa Sherer, President

Berrier Insurance Agency, Inc.