It’s the middle of July, which means we’ve entered peak summer barbeque season. It’s a great time to get outside, throw some food over the charcoals, and socialize while dinner simmers.

But if you’re looking to perfect the act of hosting a barbecue, you’ll need more than citronella candles and a festive tablecloth. Keep these steps in mind before you send out the invitations.

In addition to fireworks, grilling, and summer vacations, July represents an excellent time to consider the Major League Baseball standings.

The month of June means the official start of summer and an assortment of commemorative days, from National Doughnut Day to the recognition of the Normandy Invasion on June 6. But it’s also the month of Father’s Day, and Junk King always likes to take time to recognize the importance of dads.

Summertime frequently means vacation time, and that can mean getting away from it all for a while.

For this Memorial Day, Junk King wishes to recognize the members of the United States Armed Forces within our organization, the ones that served and those who are no longer here because of that service. Junk King takes pride in having many veterans working in key roles within our organization, from franchise owners to employees.

As a holiday, Memorial Day holds a special position in the United States, serving as a day for everyone to remember and reflect upon the sacrifices made by those who gave their lives in service to their country.

Originally called Decoration Day, the federal holiday now known as Memorial Day dates back to before the Civil War. In those days, individuals would go to cemeteries and decorate the graves of fallen soldiers, a practice that allowed family members to visit the final resting places of their loved ones while urging others to remember the service of strangers who offered all that had to protect those they would never meet.

Such practices eventually led to modern-day observances such as parades, speeches, and dedications remembering those servicemen and women. Multiple organizations and businesses, Junk King among them, also use the day to recognize the associates and individuals that served or continue to serve in the armed forces.

Two such individuals work out of the Junk King offices in Fairfax, Virginia: Alex Powers and Dan Graham.

Enlisted in the Marines from 2000-2004, Alex Powers served as a saw gunner with 3/2 Lima Company. After returning from Iraq, Alex attended Annapolis from 2004-2006, eventually resigning his appointment halfway through to be a civilian again at the rank of Midshipman Second Class.

Likewise, Dan Graham joined the Armey in 1974, serving for nine years in tactical and strategic intelligence with assignments in the 10th Combat Engineers, HQ 3rd Infantry Division, and the Defense Intelligence Agency.

Junk King wants to thank all of the veterans that have faithfully served our country, both within our organization and throughout the United States.

As Memorial Day stands as a holiday celebrating service, Junk King wants to reflect on the idea of what it means to serve a community.

As of this writing, our Cleaning Up America tour has already made at least four stops on its multi-city relay tour. While the tour promises a fun way for participants to clean up their neighborhoods and get more involved in their communities, its mission proves especially important over the Memorial Day weekend, a time when the country reflects and honors those who gave all they had in service to others.

The methods of service don’t begin with recycling and end with military service, however. Service can also mean volunteering at a neighborhood community center or helping ship supplies to other parts of the world. It could also mean volunteering as a coach for youth sports or working with families staying at the Ronald McDonald House.

At first glance, service may seem to be only about putting in work to create something bigger than an individual can accomplish alone. But in another way, service can be a way to encourage growth. Individuals grow through the relaying of values and skills, thus helping a community grow by enriching the culture and support offered in the area’s homes, business, and organizations.

Growth also occurs by rising to meet a challenge, be it coming together for a community event or coming to understand an individual’s point of view. Growth can be difficult, even painful at times, but the results can lead to a better understanding of the world and the people who populate it.

Perhaps the hardest part of service starts with the decision to serve. Junk King encourages its associates to engage with the communities they serve, and invites further exploration into what it means to serve a community.

You Should Know When It’s Better to Rent Roll Off Dumpsters

What do things like working on a home improvement project and planning an outdoor event have in common? These might seem like completely different ventures, but there’s an important byproduct of both that you need to consider: waste. Whether you’re landscaping, remodeling, demonstrating or celebrating, there’s likely to be a significant amount of refuse left over at the end of the process. Producing waste means that you have a responsibility to deal with that waste effectively, so always make sure you have a comprehensive plan for doing so.

Are you engaged in construction work? Do you dread the never-ending task of your construction garbage removal? You're not alone. But it doesn't have to be a dreaded chore. And - here's the really good news - it doesn't have to be something you do yourself!

Foreclosed Homes Require Foreclosure Cleanouts

Preparing and selling a foreclosed home frequently requires a lot of work — changing the locks, making repairs, and getting the home ready for a new resident. Not to mention a foreclosure cleanout.

No matter what type of construction job you are engaged in - whether it's a residential or commercial project, new construction or remodel, building or demolition - it will always produce construction trash. Often huge volumes of it.