~Page 6 www.sunnewspapers.net FLAIR The Sun /Sunday, February 16, 2014 Our name is our identity and what we are known for t recently dawned on me ILUSt how long I have worked with some people, and although I have gotten to know them well, I really only know them by their last name. The fire service is a paramil- itary organization, and much like the armed forces, we have a rank structure that is followed, a chain of command, and adapt to many of the same practices used in the military. Similar to the way military uniforms only have a service member's last name on them, so do ours. Our turn-out coats (fire jackets) typically only have our last name on the tail, or bottom part in bold letters. Our duty rosters and status boards may contain our first initial, but always have our last names, and it always seems like when the officer needs you for whatever reason, that's the only part of your name he remembers. Come to think of ISLAND ANGEL FOOD CAKE 1 box angle food cake mix 120 ounce can crushed pineapple 12 cup cream of coconut 1 8-ounce container of whipped topping 17-ounce bag of coconut flakes Empty contents of angle food cake box in a large mixing bowl. Add crushed pineapples with juice and cream of coconut to bowl and mix thoroughly. (Use only the food cake mix, do not add any ingredients from the box trust me!) Grease 9-by-13 glass cooking dish it, much like in the military, this is a better way to do things, because how many Johns, or Toms or Bobs are there in the world? Usually there is only one Vaerewyck, or Donoghue, or Jones in the station at any given time. Sometimes you get a nickname, and it may be something you've been given or, worse yet, for something virih ,:liiip I dprav I,":, ,r re l rit :rJ inq and pour batter into baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. (Use a toothpick to check the cake to make sure it's done; if not cook another 5 minutes) Remove from oven and let cool. After cake is cool, spread whipped topping evenly over top of cake and dust with coconut flakes (typically 1/3 to 12 a bag). Place in fridge for 1 hour to help the cake set up. (The cake will be so soft you may need a real sharp knife to cut it a butter knife tends to tear it.) Enjoy. really dumb you may have done. People look at my name and figure it's as hard to say as it is to spell, so they shorten it to "Vic."This doesn't bother me one bit, because my stepfa- ther's name is Mike Vick. For a long time when I was younger, I was known as FrankVick, or Mike's kid, depending what I was getting into. In a recent episode of the popular NBC show"Chicago Fire,' one of the characters, Mouch, was unhappy with his nickname. As the conversation with his fellow firefighters went on, the origin of his nickname came out. You see Mouch is a combination of the words Man and Couch. It was something given to him by his friends and co-workers, because when he's not on the rig, you can find him in the day room holding down the couch. The Firehouse Chef might be known as Cookie. And then there's the ever-so-popular nickname we all have shared, Rookie or Probie. These are the terms we affectionately call the new guy, or the guy on probation. Our name is our identity and what we are known for. A name can bring joy to others or make them cringe. It may IBy FRANK E. VAEREWYCK TiE FIREHOUSE FOODIE make you laugh when you hear a nickname, but you always remember who it is when you hear that name, and that's what makes it so special. Something else you tend to remember is a good dessert. This week I'm giving you a real easy dessert you can make at the station, at home for a sweet treat, or any occasion. Island Angel Food Cake is sure to be a hit on any table, and "That's Bringing the Firehouse Home!" HAVE A COMMENT? Firehouse Foodie, Frank E. Vaerewyck, is a graduate of Charlotte High School who began his firefighting career in Punta Gorda. He is currently with the Manassas Volunteer Fire Company 501 in Virginia. You can contact him at frank.vaerewyck@ thefirehousefoodie.com. The new world of Using digital coupons to make money on your supermarket trips ByAMYDUNN THE NEWS & OBSERVER (RALEIGH, N.C.) Lorrie Lane gets paid to shop for her groceries. Using her smartphone and digital coupon technology, the North Raleigh, N.C., microbiolo- gist estimated she made more than $600 buying groceries last year all the more remarkable given that the money added up 50 cents and $1 at a time. And that's on top of the money Lane, 52, saved by redeeming paper cou- pons the old-fashioned way. Welcome to the new world of couponing in which legions of shop- pers are clipping, clicking and swiping their way to saving money and making money while purchasing ordinary grocery and drugstore items. "It adds an element of fun,' Lane said of her digital couponing, which took off in December 2012 when she pur- chased her smartphone. Digital coupon tools vary, but here's a basic how-to: Purchase a qualifying product and snap a photo of your receipt. Upload it using a free smartphone app. Once you've saved a certain amount ranging from $5 to $20 it's time to cash out and start over. "You can see how quickly your savings tally up,' said Lane, who deposits her digital earnings in a "slush fund" she keeps at her credit union for emergencies. The newest of the digital coupon tools to emerge is Checkout 51, which launched last month and already has more than 15,000 Facebook fans and at least one mention by network television. The Canadian-based firm joins Ibotta, ReceiptHog, SavingStar and other digital ven- tures that pay consumers to shop, although the method of payment varies. Some pay in gift cards; others deposit money in Paypal ac- counts. Checkout 51 mails its shoppers a check. CHEAP WAY TO CREATE BUZZ The digital coupons mostly mirror their paper counterparts, offering money back on packaged goods. But digital cou- pons seem to be leading the way with offers on fresh foods. Current digital coupons include rebates for buying milk, eggs, blueberries and red leaf lettuce. Consumers such as Lane aren't the only ones who like these digital offers, according to John Morgan, executive direc- tor of the Association Of Coupon Professionals, which is based in Drexel Hill, Pa. The retailers like them because they don't have to wait to be reimbursed by the manufacturer. The fact that digital coupons don't hinder checkout times is also a plus. "Retailers don't want anything to slow down the lane,";' Morgan said. For manufacturers, digital coupons are a relatively inexpensive way to create buzz about their products. It's also worth noting that manufacturers are even bigger winners if shoppers buy the prod- ucts but forget to upload their receipts and collect their cash. The savviest of shop- pers, however, are using paper and digital coupons in combination to create blockbuster deals that can effectively double, triple or quadruple the value of discounts and rebates. "It's sort of become a game,' Lane said. Completely free grocery items and cash back are the prizes to the amazement of her husband and children. "He looks at me and just shakes his head (and says), 'I can't believe they paid you to get all this!" 'COLLATERAL DAMAGE' Morgan said manufac- turers are aware of deal stacking and view it as "collateral damage"as they experiment with new ways to reach consumers beyond the Sunday newspaper, which still distributes the majority of coupons. "They're testing the waters right now,"' Morgan said of digital coupons, which account for little more than 2 percent of all redeemed coupons, according to the latest report by Inmar, a Winston-Salem, N.C., firm that measures coupon MCT PHOTO Welcome to the new world of couponing in which legions of shoppers are clipping, clicking and swiping their way to saving money and making money while purchasing ordinary grocery and drugstore items. use. However, digital with new coupons added coupon is for a 14 oz. coupon use is expanding on Thursday mornings, bottle of shampoo and rapidly an estimated SavingStar recently you buy the 16 oz. bottle, 141 percent growth over added a weekly fresh you're out of luck. 2012, Inmar reported, produce rebate, but most Digital coupons may Here are a few tips other offers are added only be used once. In on how to use digital near the first of the other words, a $1 credit coupons: month, on Red Baron pizza may Most, but not all, Read the fine print only be used once - digital coupon tools on redemption. Ibotta, no matter how many require a smartphone. Checkout 51 and Red Baron pizzas you SavingStar and Checkout ReceiptHog all require purchased. 51, for example, can be consumers to snap If you're squeamish accessed on a computer photos of receipts and about giving companies or via mobile app. upload them. SavingStar access to your contact in- Check back often for does not. formation and shopping new offers. Checkout Be sure you buy the habits, digital coupons 51 offers expire weekly right product. If a digital might not be for you. j RAYMoND WINDOWS S BUILDING SUPPLY MTI HUGE SELECTION ALL SIZES -ALUMINUM & VINYL WINDOWS IMPACT & NON IMPACT FREE ESTIMATES Friendly, knowledgeable personnel on hand to answer all your questions and help with your selections. 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