Pictured is Bob Pickett talking to visitors during his "How to survive a zombie apocaypse and other disasters" seminar held recently at the I Said Read Me bookstore in Tamaqua. The seminars are in conjunction with the National Preparedness Month Coalition, which Pickett is associated with. The seminars supplement the Ready.Gov advice of "Make a kit, Make a plan, Get informed" by showing people how they can prepare for disasters by taking simple steps. This seminar was the first of a eight series of free seminars that will include low energy cooking, how to make and store food, how to filter and purify water, and how to use common, everyday items to make a disaster seem less horrific. Pickett stated, "The Zombie Apocalypse or a major disaster may be upon us, but we don't have to wind up as mindless refugees." FMI: Email Pickett at

bobpickettsr@yahoo.com or by calling (570) 668-2665.