CMBA Member News

How to choose tire chains

Pat Mahoney, owner of Mike’s Auto Parts, says that it’s very important to know two things before you buy chains to get you through slick winter driving situations.

First, you need to look in your owners’ manual to determine your tire clearance. The space between the tires and the wheel well varies greatly from make to make. It’s not information that is available in stores, so you should check that before you shop. The thickness of the chains you can use is dependent on this measurement. Installing the wrong type of chain can tear up your car.

Second, you need to know your tire size. If you have replaced your tires, or if your car is used, they may not be the size listed in the owners’ manual.

Quality Chain Corp, a Hillsboro-based chain manufacturer and distributor, has some great information resources to help you with chain selection on their website, qualitychaincorp.net. There’s a diagram to help you find and understand those markings on the sides of your tires as well as information on all the different types of chains, their advantages and special uses.

Once you know these things, says Pat, “you should consider your wallet and your needs. Some cars just can’t use the less-expensive chains, and some people really appreciate the benefits of more expensive chains, including ease of installation and reduced noise. But some folks can do just fine with standard chains.” The knowledgeable staff at Mike’s will be glad to help you understand all the issues and choose the right chains to get you through this winter.

Mike’s Auto Parts is located in the Milltowner Shopping Center at the northeast corner of Saltzman and Cornell, next to Walgreen’s and Ace Hardware. Call them at 503-646-0623.

Insurance agency opens in Cedar Mill

CMBA welcomes the Colleen Humphrey agency of American Family as one of the newest members. Humphrey has lived in the Cedar Mill area most of her life and graduated from Sunset High. She was happy to find space in the new building in Cedar Mill to open her American Family office.

Soon to join her office family is Judy Voang. Judy has a strong background of customer service and is in the process of completing her insurance licensing. Humphrey says, “I look forward to having her warm personality and organization skills to help care for our customers.”

She continues, “The big news for our company this year is that we have a new product we are excited about! We have a rental dwelling property program for 1-4 family dwellings that you rent to others. The rates are dramatically lower, with excellent coverage.”

“Thank you to those of you who have already welcomed us to the neighborhood. We are looking to become an integral part of the community.”

The agency is located in the new office building, next to Pars International Market, at 12923 NW Cornell Road. Their phone number is (503) 312-4752, and you can reach Colleen by email at chumphr1@amfam.com.

Virtues workshop

Delaram Hakim-Adyani is the founder of the Virtues Project, a multicultural initiative being used in schools throughout the world. Her company, Virtues Connection Portland, offers classes for educators, training sessions for schools, workshops for parents, grandparents and caregivers, as well as community development programs and personal retreats. See virtuesconnectionportland.com for more information on the Project.

A two-day workshop will be offered on Saturdays, January 23 and February 27 at the Rose Springs Center for the Healing Arts in Hillsboro. Participants will receive the tools to cultivate compassion and transform violence to virtues. Parents, educators, caregivers, and anyone who interacts with children will learn to use the Five Strategies of the Virtues Project to help children recognize the Virtues in themselves, and to create a culture of character and caring in your family and/or classroom. Registration deadline is January 15. Visit the website for more information or call 503-267-0202.

Electronics Unlimited adds staff

Karen Updegraff joins Electronics Unlimited as a Computer Service Technician. Her interest in computers and technology begin while she was still working in travel. “I learned about computers by taking them apart, finding out what the parts were, and putting the computer back together again. I also broke my computer software so many times; I figured I better learn how to fix it myself.”

In January of 2001 she left the travel industry and went to work for Everdream Corp, an outsource IT company, in their Charlotte call center as a technical support representative. In 2006 she took a job with HSBC working on-site technical support for their Charlotte, NC office. It was in 2007 the opportunity arose to transfer with HSBC to Portland, OR, and she was back in the Northwest.

Her extensive desktop support and customer support experience makes Karen an ideal candidate for a mobile technician. “I enjoy the variety of challenges you get working with different clients all the time.”

Electronics Unlimited provides on-location computer service for PCs, software and hardware upgrades, training and troubleshooting. Visit them online at eucompters.net or call 503-848-9191.

Clutter Free Gifts

Giving gifts is a great way we show people we care about them. We put a lot of effort into these gifts, but it is still often a challenge to find gifts that will not end up as clutter by New Year’s. NW Organizing Solutions offers these tips for the season:

Gift Certificates - These can be very meaningful if you thoughtfully design them to be specific to the recipient. Draw on personal information to provide things like a dinner at their favorite restaurant, a massage to help them relax after a stressful time, or a manicure before an interview.

Involvement in an Experience – Everyone has dream activities or hobbies. Think about an experience your recipient would enjoy, and give them the tickets or admission for this experience. Some examples are tuition for a series of cooking classes, game tickets for their favorite team, admission for time on a race track with a special car, or concert tickets for their favorite artist. They will enjoy the experience and recall your kindness, but they won’t be left with items that needlessly fill up space.

Financial/Charitable Donation - You can help support a cause that your recipient is involved in or appreciates. When a gift is given in their name, most charities will gladly send a card or note acknowledging them and the gift. The best part of this gift is that not only does the person you are giving to benefit from your thoughtfulness but so does the charity and the cause it addresses.

Talent - Although this is listed last, it certainly isn’t least. Perhaps you are a wonderful gardener and can help them with a few hours of spring flower planting, or you love to cook and can offer to prepare and freeze several meals for them. Maybe you are knowledgeable about computers and can offer to help them update their system. No matter what kind of skills you may possess, it is possible to give these as a gift to show you care.

Before you go shopping this year, ask yourself, “Do they really need this item or will it just become clutter in their life?” Consider doing something different and giving a more meaningful G.I.F.T.

NW Organizing Solutions offers gift certificates for home or office organizing too! Contact Beth Giles, 503-709-0791, or visit her webstie at nworganizingsolutions.com.

Managing your stress

Health 101 is a series of four classes that will be taught at Sunset Athletic Club. Open to non-SAC members, the class will be offered on Thursdays, January 7, 14, 21, 28 from 10-11 am.

Make time this winter to improve your mental health and well-being. Learn evidence-based techniques to manage your stress in ways that value your time—learn what works and what is worth doing to improve your energy, your mental and physical health and your longevity.

Learn about the effects of stress on long-term health and aging. If you have a condition that is made worse by stress and want to learn self-care techniques that will help, this is for you. People with high blood pressure, diabetes, headaches, GI problems and more can benefit from proven techniques.

You may take one or all of the sessions, which include:

• New research on why stress causes poor health and the options for self care interventions.

* The Relaxation Response which has hundreds of scientific articles supporting its effectiveness.

• Food and Stress helps you navigate the very confusing bombardment of information on the latest miracle food and supplement—what really is the evidence about how to eat to shut off stress response and improve health

• the rest of the plan--- how to tame your worry, reduce interpersonal stress and develop resiliency.

The series is taught by Lauretta Young, MD, board certified psychiatrist, recently retired from 25 years as mental health chief of Kaiser, OHSU adjunct faculty in teaching, researcher in mental health, current professor at PSU in Community Health teaching mind body medicine and public health. Dr. Young is a consultant to The Oregonian and various local TV stations on mental health issues.

The cost is $20 per class, take one or take all four. Contact Sunset Athletic Club, 503.645.3535 to register. This is not medical care or a substitute for medical care: if it is determined that you need medical care a referral will be made for such care.

This kitty had such bad hairballs that the owner and groomer agreed to start over!

Sunset Animal Clinic welcomes new groomer

Please welcome our new pet groomer to Sunset Animal Clinic. She has 5 years of professional experience in dog and cat grooming. Erica is available Monday thru Friday. Please stop by and tour the facility, and meet Erica for a grooming consultation. She will be happy to meet you and your pets’ needs.

The holidays are upon us, call us today to make an appointment: 503-690-8249.

Please check out our website: www.sunsetanimal.com for more information.

Keep on Raving in the Nave

Christ United Methodist Church is thrilled to present pianist, John Nilsen as the musical artist for the December 19th Rave in the Nave program. John Nilsen will play a cozy program of seasonal standards and his own beautiful compositions.

Tickets are $15 through the church office or at the door—cash, check or credit card. The church office is open M-F 9:30 am - 5 pm, phone #503-646-1598; email, office@cumcpdx.org.

As always, everyone is invited to join us for worship, Sunday School, our ReKindle youth program, or other program options. Please see our website, www.cumcpdx.org for more information or contact the church office-503-646-1598, office@cumcpdx.org

Stafford achieves Board Certification

Michelle, Stafford D.D.S, recently completed her Certification examinations and is now a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.

The American Board of Pediatric Dentistry verifies to the public and the health professions that a pediatric dentist has successfully completed both an advanced educational program and voluntary examination process a designed to validate the knowledge, application and performance requisite to the delivery of proficient care in pediatric dentistry.

Dr. Stafford’s pediatric dentistry practice: World of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry is located at 11790 SW Barnes Road, Suite 280. Office number is (503) 626-9700.

Stress management sessions

Westside Martial Arts, located at 13496 NW Cornell Road, is offering FREE Stress Management classes for men and women on Friday nights from 6:30-7:30 pm.

We are entering the Holiday season, traditionally the most stressful time of year. Combine that with the economy, flu, unnecessary wars, global warming, rebellious teens, changing relationships, and the loss of youth in our parents or ourselves, Life can sometimes get the best of us. However, it doesn’t have to beat us down, make us lose our self-respect, or worse, our lives.

Join us in an atmosphere of mutual respect with time-tested methods of reducing stress, increasing fitness, and self-control. Laugh Out Loud...what can it hurt? To find out more about the class and the Westside Martial Arts programs, call 503-430-7355.

New brokers add international experience

Lee Davies Real Estate is proud to announce the addition of three new brokers to the team. Combined, these brokers represent over 40 years of residential real estate experience.

Sydney Miseon Taggart comes to LDRE after 9 years with Century 21 in Beaverton. Her knowledge of Korean, Japanese and Chinese now allows our company to better serve an international clientele. Sydney’s informative, thorough, and pleasant demeanor is ideal for all clients, regardless of what language they speak. Sydney has volunteered her time and expertise with the Asian Home Buying Association for the past seven years. She will be working out of our Portland West Office on Barnes Road.

From the UK, we welcome Suzanne Newman who comes to us from Leicester England where she worked at Connell, the number one real estate company in the U.K. She is the classic example of starting at the bottom and working her way to the top of her field, as she started as the office receptionist and left the company as a principal broker overseeing the number one sales office in the company with 200 contracts per year. Suzanne has now lived in the US for 10 years in New York, Chicago, San Francisco and the last five years here in NW Portland. With her children now of school age, she can start the cycle again here at LDRE. Suzanne will be working out of our Uptown office.

Our most experienced addition is Mike Ness. Mike started his Real Estate career right after college and chose to specialize in the close-in urban areas of Portland. He is knowledgeable in all aspects of Real Estate from start to finish. Mike and Lee worked together back in 1991 on the original Forest Heights Sales Team at Barbara Sue Seal Properties and are excited to join forces again to represent buyers and sellers. Mike will be working out of our Uptown office.

To learn more about Sydney, Suzanne, or Mike, please visit our website at leedavies.com. As always, all of our seller clients are serviced by three broker teams and all of our buyers have two brokers to rely on through their home search. Please call Lee, or any of our brokers at 503.292.1500 to get started today.

DuFresnes’ free brakes program

For the month of December, we will do a free brake inspection, free pads, and free shoes if needed. Bring in six cans of food for the Food Bank, and receive all these free services.

Thanks to several of our parts distributors, we are able to continue giving you FREE brakes year after year. This is one of our ways of saying Thank You for all the 40 years of doing business with you. Also to thank you for making this a great holiday for the less fortunate. Sooooo, bring food, lots of it! Call DuFresnes to schedule your brake inspection at 503-646-2940. They are located at 10690 NW Cornell.

Faculty Biennial Exhibition at OCAC

December 3-January 28, 2010, Opening reception Thursday, December 3 from 4:00-7:00pm.

This biennial exhibition offers an opportunity to see new work created by the Oregon College of Art & Craft degree program faculty, whose members are working studio artists exhibiting both regionally and nationally. This group show also demonstrates the wide range of technical and conceptual concerns addressed by the instructors in all the College’s media-- book arts, ceramics, drawing and painting, fibers, metals, photography and wood.

New Member December!

Through the month of December: buy lunch or brunch at Hands on Café and you will receive $10 off a new OCAC membership ($25 individual, $55 dual/family) and/or 20% discount in the Craft Gallery Shop – good for one purchase January 2 -March 31, 2010

Influenza Update

H1N1 “Swine Flu” Although there are signs that H1N1 influenza prevalence has slowed down, we do not know how long the H1N1 will be endemic in the area.

Individuals who have the risk of complications if they get influenza are prioritized for immunization. These include pregnant women, caretakers of infants less than 6 months of age, children under 5 years of age and individuals with chronic lung disease, emphysema, asthma, or illnesses that put them in an immunocompromised or vulnerable state. The Washington County Health Department determines the high priority groups and distributes the vaccines to physician offices or distribution centers.

H1N1 vaccines have been in short supply, and physician offices have been getting limited numbers of vaccines. If you or a family member is at risk for complications of influenza then you should contact your physician’s office on a weekly basis to see if the vaccine is available.

Seasonal Flu—seasonal flu has not arrived in the United States yet. Usually seasonal flu recurs in December with a peak in February. There is plenty of time to get the seasonal flu vaccine. It is also in short supply, however. At this time high priority groups should try to get the vaccine when available. It is safe to take both vaccines by injection or one nasal one injectable H1N1 and seasonal vaccines at the same time, but if you take both in nasal spray form, you must separate the administration by at least 14 days.

"A Cool Rush" by Gretha Linwood

Village Gallery News

The December group show will feature artist Gretha Lindwood, who says, “Water is often a subject of my landscape paintings. My work explores how plants, animals and our unique Northwest geography respond to water’s power to nourish and shape.” A reception for the artist will be held in the gallery on December 11 from 5-7 pm. The all media show opens December 8 and runs through January 2, 2010. We are open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, Sunday 12 pm to 4 pm

The Village Gallery of Arts is a non-profit community gallery in operation over 40 years located next to the Cedar Mill Community Library. For more information and for the current schedule of classes, call (503) 644-8001 or visit their website at villagegalleryarts.org

Sunset Credit Union welcomes Santa

Mark your calendar! Santa will be visiting your CU on December 22nd from 11-1 pm. Bring the kids by with their wish list for Santa and we will provide pictures, gifts and snacks. Come enjoy the festivities! CU Members only, but membership is open to all CMBA members and all Cedar Mill businesses. Open a savings account for $5 and get all the wonderful benefits of Credit Union membership. See sspfcu.com for more information.

Also, our office hours during the December holiday are: December 24th open until 1pm; December 25th closed.

Costco holiday hours

CMBA Member Costco Aloha Store will be open November 7th to December 19th, Monday-Friday 10 am-8:30 pm, Saturday 9:30 am-7 pm, Sunday 10 am-6 pm. Christmas eve December 24th, 9am-5pm and New Years eve December 31st, 9 am-5 pm.

Packing and Shipping is a Holiday Tradition at The UPS Store

This time of year, there’s a blizzard of packing peanuts at The UPS Store® in Peterkort Towne Square at 10940 SW Barnes Rd. It’s a routine Tim & Cindy and their professionally-trained staff are used to and one they eagerly anticipate. They share their customers’ excitement as they send off gifts to loved ones across the country. Everyone has their holiday traditions, and this is theirs. It’s all about delivering the joy of the season.

Tim & Cindy and their team are often asked for advice on how to pack like a pro and offer customers the following tips:

Ship wrapped gifts ahead to your destination, especially if traveling by air.

It’s also important to use the right size box. You want to leave at least two inches between your gifts and the walls of the box and fill the space with adequate packaging materials when packing anything fragile.

Of course, if you’re in doubt, it’s always good to turn to the professionals. “That’s why we’re here,” said Tim. Our assistance is particularly important if you’re shipping fragile or unusually shaped items.

Mention this article and you’ll receive the following special prices: If they pack one box for you they’ll take $2.00 off, if they pack 2 boxes for you they’ll take $5.00 off and if they pack 3 boxes they’ll take $10.00 off. The UPS Store also offers the Pack & Ship Promise, which reimburses customers the cost of packaging materials and service as well as shipping costs in the event a center-packed item shipped via UPS is lost or damaged.

With only 19 shipping days between Thanksgiving and Christmas, good timing is critical. Mondays are typically the busiest shipping days and December 14-18 is expected to be the busiest week of the year. But procrastinators need not fear. You can ship as late as December 23 for delivery on December 24.

The UPS Store is located at 10940 SW Barnes Rd. and has convenient extended holiday hours: December 7-11, 8:30 am to 7:30 pm, December 14-18, 8:30 am to 8 pm and Saturdays December 12 & 19,, 9 am to 6 pm. They’ll also be open the following Sundays: December 6, 13 & 20,, 10 am – 5 pm. For additional information, visit www.theupsstore.com/3379.htm or call 503-646-9999.

Student composer honored

14-year old Mahsheed Massarat of Beaverton, Oregon, a student of Claudia Reinsch at the Westside Music School in Cedar Mill, was one of six national winners of the 2009 Clavinova Composition Challenge sponsored by Ogilvy Music of Denton, Texas. Mahsheed’s piece entitled “Taking Over Me” was written for piano solo with a multi-track accompaniment including parts for flute, clarinet, harp, and strings. The six winning pieces have been published and are available online at www.gomusicmedia.com

Mahsheed was honored at the Westside Music School’s Fall Ensemble and Composition Celebration held in November at the Classic Pianos recital hall.

Westside Music School is located at 13486 NW Cornell. Call 503-626-7181 for more information, or visit their website at westsidemusicschool.org.

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