Nut Free Flying: Jet Blue

I wanted to retract my statement about JetBlue Airways​ being a good airline for traveling nut free. While Flying on August 19, I saw the below package of cookies, and assumed they provided nut free flights. In my excitement, I didn't do my research, and provided false information.

Thank you to @jetblue for keeping people like me safe on their flights! #JetBlue #nutfree #skeeter

A photo posted by Leanne Pinard (@leannepinard) on Aug 20, 2015 at 5:08am PDT

Although they offer nut free foods (like above), they also offer tree nut products that I did not notice my first flight there. My interaction with Jet Blue also caused me to believe they were completely nut free.

Jet Blue Website According to their website, they also offer bars with nuts (Kind Bar, Cranberry and Almonds), and they offer roasted cashews. According to the Jet Blue Nut Policy, although they do not serve peanuts, they cannot guarantee a peanut free flight. Passengers may bring peanuts and eat them on the flight. You can inform flight crew that you have an allergy, and they create a buffer zone of a few rows around you asking people not to open any peanut products they may have.

Sure, this is great in theory if you do not have an air born allergy because honestly, being stuck on a plane with zero airflow that spans only 25 rows will not keep you safe if someone 4 rows ahead of you is eating peanuts. On my flight experience while leaving the plane, as I was walking up from row 19 where I was seated, there were peanuts scattered on the floor at about row 8. Please tell me how I was kept safe while walking through a row of peanuts, because I wasn't. I understand it is difficult to keep planes completely nut free but when you have an air born allergy, even walking through the mess of peanuts can cause a reaction.

I am challenging Jet Blue to take a look at their peanut/tree nut policy in order to make flights safer for all passengers. This includes providing educational materials for their passengers so they can better understand the severity of allergic reactions and why it is important that they keep products with nuts off of the plane and out of the air. A way to do this is to have a sign stating "we are nut free, if you have any nut products with you please do not eat them on board"

I hope Jet Blue accepts my challenge and becomes dedicated to keeping people safe while on board their flights.

Military with PTSD

I wanted to share a topic that has recently become something very important to me, our military. I have been meeting a lot of people recently, some of them have served honorably in our military, and I am embarrassed to say that I have not thought about what is happening and has happened overseas before. There are brave heroes fighting for our country, for the freedoms we have every single day and they are not appreciated or thanked enough. So for anyone who has served, is currently serving, will serve, or has a loved one in the military, thank you for sacrificing yourself and your family to help protect those of us who may not remember exactly what you are putting on the line. 

Specifically, I would like to bring attention to our military veterans.  When I thought of a veteran, I thought of an old man who fought in the war years ago. Obviously that is not true, veterans are of all ages. There are veterans who fought in the most recent war, that are in their 20's just like me, that are now home and starting to adjust back to civilian life. I can only imagine how difficult that may be. That is why I wanted to bring attention to our veterans and those who are currently serving in our military, and I thought that now, seeing that the 4th of July is just around the corner, this was the best time to do so.

There is an organization called Military with PTSD.  Military with PTSD is a 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to helping military and veteran families understand each other and see it from both sides. I learned about them yesterday from reading an article about their current efforts to help bring awareness to the fact that something that we view as celebratory, can be extremely traumatic or harmful for a combat veteran. Fireworks. I cannot begin to understand what exactly living with PTSD is like for each individual, I think, just like every mental illness, it is something everyone experiences differently, but I know it is extremely traumatic. Military with PTSD's most recent campaign, Explosion of Kindness 2015 provides military families with free signs that read "Combat Veteran Lives Here, Please be Courteous with Fireworks" for a $10 donation, you can cover the cost of shipping a sign, and for a $5 donation you can give a veteran a free sign according to their website. I would like to encourage everyone to make a donation to Military with PTSD in order to help spread awareness about PTSD and our veterans.

As for 4th or July, please make sure you are being respectful of these signs and of our veterans and don't forget to always thank them and their families for their service.

Thank you again to all that you do to help keep us safe. 

Education...the Key to Saving Lives

So, I have been doing quite a bit of eating out recently, and have had some interesting experiences that I wanted to share.  By now, we all know my devotion to food and latex allergy awareness, and how important it is for someone with allergies to share with their food server and the establishment that they have an allergy.  If I didn't check the gloves that restaurants used I would just always be in the hospital.

**Disclaimer: These are my experiences with the restaurants at my time of service, I do not know current policies or changes in gloves.  If you have a latex allergy or sensitivity, I would suggest you check each time you go to a food service establishment before eating there, in case there are any changes**

There are a couple of restaurants that I would like to discuss here today, Medieval Times (Lyndhurst, NJ), Houlihan's (Bridgewater, NJ) and then a hotel located on Long Island.

Let’s start with Medieval Times, this is a HUGE chain with locations everywhere, hundreds of people per show, certainly not concerned with one individual...WRONG.  My experience at Medieval Times was rocky to start, but the initiative that was taken by the manager changed my experience completely.  I first sat down, and immediately asked my waitress if I could see the box of gloves because I have a latex allergy.  She seemed to know what she was talking about and said "oh I'm sorry they are latex! Are you allergic? I will bring you anything pre-packaged that I can so you can still eat!" Obviously, this was a very accommodating environment as she was willing to do extra work so that I could still enjoy my time; but from her information, they used latex gloves and I just accepted that.  A couple minutes later the manager walked over with a box of gloves and said, "You have a latex allergy? I just wanted to let you know that there is no latex in our kitchen, and I wanted to bring you the box to show you."  I was so impressed with his professionalism and care in regard to allergies. This manager made my experience very enjoyable and made me feel safe because of how concerned he was.  According to Medieval Times main hotline, they are each individually owned and operated so there is no corporate latex-free policy.  (I reached out to the castle to find the manager’s name so that he may get the proper credit, so as soon as I hear back, I will post it here with the proper thank you!)

Houlihan's was also a mixed experience, I had called ahead to find out what kind of gloves they used, the hostess who answered the phone told me they used latex, when I asked her if she could read the box to make sure, she seemed very annoyed but did it anyway. She came back to the phone and told me that they used vinyl and then hung up on me.  I was naturally upset with her lack of understanding, but went to eat there anyway.  When I got there, I asked the waiter to see the box of gloves, and was greeted by the manager shortly after, who had the box and seemed knowledgeable on allergies and the risks involved.  I told her about my experience on the phone, and she was very apologetic and compensated us with an appetizer. From then, everyone was nice and understanding of allergies so I felt comfortable enough to go a second time. The second time I went, our waitress was fantastic! She asked as soon as we got to the table if there were any allergies she should be aware of so she could tell the kitchen and I rattled them off to her.  I was impressed that she asked at all, because it’s very rare that waiters and waitresses ask, let alone are aware of it.  We spoke briefly and she shared with me her concern for those of us with allergies, even though she does not have one herself.  Because of the kindness shown by employees of Houlihan's in Bridgewater, I feel very comfortable eating there and feel like it is a safe environment.

I had a negative experience at a hotel, and I rather not share the name but I wanted to explain why it is so important to continue to be an advocate for your allergies, so those who don't have an understanding of what we go through every day can learn a little bit more. I had asked the waitress what kind of gloves they use in the kitchen (which as you can tell, I ask everywhere I go) and she immediately said "latex", naturally, because of my experience, I asked her if she could go check the box, her response... "Seriously?!" with the biggest attitude I have ever had a waitress respond to me with.  (The gloves were in fact not latex).  We will all have experiences like I just explained, but it is important to not let people who are just unaware affect how you feel.  For a brief moment, I actually felt embarrassed to have asked, like I did something wrong. It wasn't until this moment that I realized how I was letting her control how I was feeling.  I was giving this random waitress the power to make me feel ashamed.

I quickly escaped this mind set, but was reminded of an important lesson.  Even with an allergy, you should let that empower you, not limit you.  Through education we can come together and encourage one another to be advocates.  There will always be bullies in life, there will always be people who will try to bring you down, but it is up to you to educate those people and stand up for yourself, and the millions of us who suffer from allergies.  Eight years ago I made the decision to be my own advocate and demanded to be heard about the severity of these allergies.  We can change the lives of many, make a difference, and we can all help the cause. 

Thank you for helping change the way of looking at allergies, and for helping spread awareness regarding severe allergic reactions! Education is key to saving lives!

-Leanne

"The Real World"

Growing up is such an amazing experience. For me, it is even more so because I have been stopping and reflecting on all of my "adult" decisions since graduating... Starting my job has been a great experience by itself, I have met so many hardworking, passionate, and genuine people, who inspire and encourage me every day, and I've realized it is very important to not only have co-workers like that, but people in your life who will always support you. It's a scary experience getting older and becoming more independent, but if you have a goal, and the support, it really does make a difference. 

I've watched myself change over the past few months, obviously it has been a positive change, and that is a really great feeling. In the past 6 months, I've graduated from college, started working full time, and gotten into a masters program. I have a 5 year and a 10 year plan, and I finally feel like I have a handle on life. Not everything is always good, but how can we learn to appreciate the good times, if we've never experienced bad ones? Those bad times are what allows us to notice the good times, otherwise, we would just take it all for granted. 

Part of my plan is to be a role model for those around me, and to be the best person I can be. I will never give up on my dreams, because a dream is a wish your heart makes, and I've learned you need to follow your heart. Life is too short to live with regrets, life is too short to be unhappy. Do everything that makes you happy and don't think about it twice. Be yourself because you are wonderful. Every single experience shapes who we are as individuals, embrace change, and never give up. These are lessons I would like to pass on because these lessons have been passed on to me. 

The real world isn't so scary, you just have to jump in and enjoy the ride. 

<3

End of 2013 Post

As I say goodbye to 2013 I wanted to take a second to reflect on the amazing things that have happened, I became a graduate of Binghamton University and received my Bachelors of Arts in Economics, and not only did I graduate, but I was offered and accepted a position at Seton Hall University starting in January 2014!  2013 had been a very interesting year filled with many ups and downs and 2014 has already started to take a turn for the best! I hope the whole year proves to be amazing!

I have also been preparing to compete in the Miss New York 2014 pageant, happening on January 19, 2014!  I have the confidence to know that no matter what happens, I will be the best version of myself on that stage and throughout the weekend.
















I want to wish everyone a very happy new year and that 2014 brings great things for all of my friends and family, and for everyone who is reading this blog!  May 2014 be the best year yet!

Binghamton University Makes Advances in Offering Allergy Free Foods

Today I wanted to write about something that I found very interesting and amazing all at the same time.  I was walking through the dining room in C4 at Binghamton University, and noticed that a new station was opening up offering allergy friendly foods.  Binghamton University's food service is ran by Sodexo, which services many different campus' as well as other on-site services. These Allergen Free foods are made in a separate area in the C4 dining hall without the use of the top 8 allergens.  These allergens are Milk, Eggs, Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Fish, Shellfish, Soy, and Wheat.  I found this very interesting because as you know, I am an food and latex allergy advocate and have been for the past 7 years and to my knowledge there are no other universities that offer this. Binghamton already has a Latex Free Facility, so there is no use of Latex gloves in the food service establishments across campus, but this is something new. Through my online research, I have found that some universities have offered compromises for students suffering from allergies, but nothing like this has been done. Being a Binghamton University student, I expect nothing less than our University to set a precedent for other Universities across the country.

News as recent as January of this year, there has been a legal struggle against Lesley University in Massachusetts for not providing foods for allergy suffers and thanks to the students who were apart of the law suit, the allergy advocates world is celebrating from their strives.

"DOJ's Civil Rights Division announced last month that the Americans With Disabilities Act applies to students at Lesley University in Cambridge, Ma., who claimed that the school's food services and meal plans were inadequate for their needs. It was the first food allergy-related settlement under ADA in higher education, says a DOJ spokeswoman.

In the agreement with DOJ, Lesley is required provide gluten- and allergen-free food options in its dining halls, offer special meal plans for students with allergies, and pay $50,000 in damages to the students who filed the claim in 2009, among other measures." NPR News

The day the station at Binghamton opened up, I decided to stop and speak with Tammy Coroa the manager of C4 and asked her a few questions that were on my mind about cross contamination and the station itself.  With food allergies specifically, there is a very high risk of cross contamination and usually very hard to prevent it in a setting like the resident dining halls.  Ms. Coroa had explained to me that her employees are trained and continue to be trained about the severity of allergies, as well as how to avoid cross contamination.  All of the utensils and cooking supplies for the Allergy friendly section are a light purple color, indicating to staff that they are only to be used in this one section. I had noticed they are using this kit in this facility, as well as other supplies from the same company, San Jamar. I also came across this video explaining their products  

Also they are trying to prevent cross contamination by not allowing students to place their trays down on the counter by the food, as well as giving each student a new plate if they order food from this station.  I think the concept is a great idea, and a step in the right direction to help students with food allergies feel less excluded as well as provide safe meals for them.  Like I said, definitely a step in the right direction.  

This dining service is calling Simple Servings which I think fits perfectly because again, it does not scream "I have an allergy" and I believe that is extremely important. I know I am very proud to be going to a school that is constantly making strives to keep everyone healthy and safe and is constantly setting precedents for other Universities.

There also is nothing mentioned on their website about the new allergy friendly options, so I am not sure if and how they plan to advertise this, but when they do, I think it will become a great success. As an Allergy Advocate, I love seeing this type of progression, especially when its at the school I attend!

If there are any advancements with this I will be sure to share! 

Feel free to contact me with any questions or opinions about this! I would love to hear and share with Sodexo!

American Diabetes Association Step Out Walk 2013

I wanted to encourage everyone in the Southern Tier of New York to sign up for the American Diabetes Walk on November 3, 2013.  

Click Here to Watch Action News 12

I was honored to be on WBNG back in April to talk about the walk and I am happy to be sharing it with you!  As most of you know, I was diagnosed with pre-diabetes 2 years ago and now I am at a healthy weight and not at risk for type 2 diabetes!  This organization is an amazing one and you will definitely be happy you attended this event!

FESTIVITIES: 1 mile route inside the Oakdale Mall, concerned about the distance, that's ok we encourage attendees to walk at a distance that fits their fitness level, continental breakfast, Team Photos, Red Strider Recognition, DJ, Vendors and Raffle Prizes.

If you have any questions about the walk, please feel free to contact me!

I will post again after the walk with pictures!!

xoxo

-Leanne

Jaimie Hope, Author and Advocate

I had the opportunity to speak with Jaimie Hope, a children's book author with a powerful message and a wonderful attitude towards life. Jaimie is the author of The Adventures of Baby Jaimie which is the story of a young girl with a disability and how she copes with that.  Jaimie herself having a physical disability, does not let that define who she is. When we spoke, you could hear her smile through the phone, and her positive attitude was enough to make that sun shine on that rainy day. We spoke about the message she wanted to send to people everywhere, to which she replied that she wanted to teach non disabled children what it is like to be disabled, while teaching disabled children that they are not alone and that someone out there went through the same thing they are going through now.

Not only is Jaimie an author of Children's books, but she also has written and published young adult novels, a Biography and is working on her second biography in her trilogy to be released on Halloween 2013. To purchase any of her books, visit Jamie Hope's Online Store.  Jaimie donates 50% of her proceeds from book sales to Spina Bifida Research.

Jaimie was born with Spina Bifida and unfortunately was faced with bullying in junior and senior high school.  She said she never stood up for herself but wants others in the same situation to know that it is important to be your own advocate, and that you will never be okay unless you stand up for yourself.  On a recent Blog Post, Jaimie writes "Bullying has been a recurring theme since junior high for me. I have remained silent for far to long about it, but that part of my life is done. If you ever wish to bring about real change on this topic that has become a worldwide epidemic take a stand and clearly denounce it, I have." Jaimie stands up for herself in more ways than one.  She raises funds for organizations supporting Spina Bifida research, with her current focus being on the Walk-n-Roll happening in Orlando, Florida.  The WALK-N-ROLL® for Spina Bifida is a family-friendly walk event being held to raise awareness about Spina Bifida and celebrate the accomplishments of the over 166,000 Americans living with it. All proceeds benefit the Spina Bifida Association of Central Florida's programs and services for individuals living with Spina Bifida. Please consider donating to Jaimie's online donation page with only 100 days left, Here

Jaimie also hosts her own online talk show called This Is How We Roll, if you want to appear on her show, please click here.

You can now see why I think this women is so incredible, she is so inspiring because despite her physical disabilities she is determined to be an advocate and encourage others to do the same.

Want to follow Jaimie? Take a look at her Blog, Twitter, Facebook Page, or Website.