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March 2019 Business News

• Cedar Mill Laundromat reopens in new location
  
• Bethany Village Spring Fling
  
• Get involved at the Cedar Mill Farmers Market
  
• Touchmark events open to the public
  
• Ackerly events open to the public
  
• New dentist at World of Smiles
  
• Village Gallery news
  
• Senior housing help
  
• How to Be a First-time Home Buyer in 2019

Cedar Mill Laundromat reopens in new location

Brian Bones is excited to reopen the popular business that was displaced because of the redevelopment of the Milltowner Center at Cornell and Saltzman. He and his crew have been working hard to bring an entirely new level of equipment and service to the community.

“A lot of our customers come in to do large items—quilts, blankets and so on,” he says. “That’s why we have focused on the high-capacity machines. The new equipment includes 10 giant 62-pound-capacity washers. These are also great for people who just want to get all their family’s wash done at once. We also have six medium 30-pound-capacity washers.”

He continues, “Reversing cylinder dryers include four 67-pound dryers, and ten 50-pound capacity units. Reversing gas dryers alternate the direction of the basket, thereby unrolling the large items from a ball and drying them in less time and with fewer wrinkles. This feature has been employed in the large industrial laundries for many years, but is all new to coin laundry dryers.”

The new laundromat will feature Wi Fi, USB charging, and 50” HDTV.

Business hours will be 6:30 am to 11 pm seven days a week. Watch for the opening later this month, in the space at the north end of the Bales Marketplace building.

Bethany Village Spring Fling

Saturday, March 16, 10 am-5 pm

Swing into spring and support your local Bethany Village businesses with a fun day of deals, discounts and special incentives! Grab a passport from any participating business, get a stamp from each business, and return the completed passport to Bethany’s Table between 10 am-5 pm for a chance to win a special Bethany Village gift basket!

Get involved at the Cedar Mill Farmers Market

We are looking to add to our market community! We are looking for a few more vendors to round out our season. Are your products locally sourced, grown or made by you? We would love to have you apply to the Cedar Mill Farmers Market! Check out our website and our Vendor Guidelines. If you think you would be a good fit, apply through www.managemymarket.com.

Musicians: Spots still open for “Tips Only” dates. We are a great venue at which to share your music, and if you have CD’s or “swag” you can bring it to sell.

Demo Chef: Are you a local chef who’d like to demo the wonderful seasonal foods that our farmers bring? We can promote your restaurant, catering business, at the same time.

Friend of the Market: If you love having Cedar Mill Farmers Market in our community and want to help us keep our wonderful programs going & our market growing, consider becoming a market sponsor! Becoming a “Friend of the Market” will support:

· The Power of Produce Kids Club – POP provides a fun opportunity for children to engage in the local food system through conversations, educational games and demonstrations, and exposure to new fruits and vegetables. In addition to participating in educational activities, POP Club kids receive tokens to spend at the market, allowing them to make their own shopping decisions.

· SNAP Match program – We give those that use their food assistance SNAP/EBT cards, a match of $5 every time shop at our market. We believe everyone should have access to fresh, local produce. Join us in helping to get more fresh local items into the grocery bags of our lower income neighbors.

· Our market in general – By sponsoring us, you help to keep us up & running so that we can continue to bring local farmers, small businesses, artisans & musicians to our community.

As a thank you, we have a few sponsorship levels & incentives! We have sponsorship levels for local businesses too.

We are a non-profit organization (501C6) so all funding will go back into the market and our market programs. Check out our website for more information www.ourcedarmillfarmersmarket.com. If you have any questions or would like more information about anything regarding the Cedar Mill Farmers Market, please contact Karen at ourcmfm@gmail.com.

Touchmark events open to the public

The public is invited to the following events at Touchmark in the West Hills. There is no charge for any of these events, but seating may be limited. To RSVP, call 503-954-1640. Touchmark is located at 840 SW Touchmark Way, adjacent to Southwest Barnes and Leahy roads.

Mardi Gras

March 5, 3 pm

Celebrate Fat Tuesday with a Mardi Gras parade fit for Bourbon Street, plus live music and New Orleans-inspired food and drink. Costumes are encouraged.

Culinary Passport: Ireland

Friday, March 15, 11:30 am

Are you or someone you care about interested in exploring assisted living? Take in the beautiful views from the Vintage Dining Room while enjoying traditional Irish fare and lively music during our travels to Ireland. Once a month, people can sample a different country’s cuisine through Touchmark’s Culinary Passport program.

Lunch & Learn: Don't Just Retire, Reformat

Thursday, March 21, 11 am

Author Dr. Lynda Falkenstein will provide a fresh perspective on retirement and living with purpose and fulfillment during this time of life. She will address key topics, such as getting focused and identifying your most important skills and knowledge. Participants will receive a copy of Falkenstein’s book, “Don’t Just Retire: Reformat! Turning Your Life Experiences into Prosperity and Personal Happiness.”

Ackerly events open to the public

These events are open to the public, but do require an RSVP. Call 503-350-3400. The Ackerly at Timberland is located at 11795 NW Cedar Falls Drive.

Mardi Gras Cocktail and Masquerade Party

Tuesday, March 5, 3-4 pm

Bring your mask and beads or snag some of ours during the cocktail party on Fat Tuesday. Enjoy traditional treats and beverages.

Senior Fitness Class

Wednesdays, March 6, 20, and April 3, 2-2:45 pm

Fitness class geared toward 55+ age group. Focus is stretch, strength and maintaining or increasing mobility and balance. RSVP is required. Please call 503-350-3400.

St. Patrick’s Day Dance at Elsie Stuhr Center

Thursday, March 14, 1:30-3:30, $5 goes to Elsie Stuhr

The Ackerly is hosting a dessert table for this regularly scheduled event. Put on your dancing shoes and join our residents and other community members while we dance to a live, local band. Open to Public.

Themed Dinner Route 66: Springfield

Thursday, March 21, 4-6

Making our 3rd stop on Route 66! Dinner and drinks are provided.

Veteran’s Social Hour

Tuesday, March 26, 10-11 am

Listen to a guest speaker and talk to fellow vets while you enjoy coffee and Danish pastries. A chance to meet new service men and be honored by The Ackerly.

New dentist at World of Smiles

We are beyond thrilled to welcome Dr. E Chioma Onwuka to World Of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry! She will join Dr. Michelle Stafford and her team who have been proudly serving the Cedar Mill area and greater Portland since 2008.

As a pediatric dentist, Dr. Onwuka values preventive dentistry as the core of her practice philosophy. For this reason, she strives to build strong relationships with her patients and their families in order to provide adequate oral health education and, in turn, quality, comprehensive dental care.

Dr. Onwuka is a board certified pediatric dentist. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Biological Sciences from Stanford University in 2006 and her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2010. Her pediatric dental training was based full time at two community clinics in Yakima, Washington. In Yakima, there is a great need for pediatric dental care and her program provided a unique training experience as she gained a very high level of clinical exposure treating children and adolescents of all ages. After residency, she spent several years working as an associate dentist in the greater Los Angeles area.

Dr. Onwuka was born and raised in Southern California, but she is excited to be back in the Pacific Northwest serving the dental needs of the children in the area. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, watching movies, and spending time with her loved ones, including her fiancé, Chidi.

Village Gallery news

Village Gallery is a non-profit educational art gallery in operation since 1963, located next to the Cedar Mill Library. Hours: Monday–Saturday 10–4; Sunday 12–4. For more information, visit www.villagegalleryarts.org or call 503-644-8001.

March Show—Baby Animals

Show Opens Monday, March 4; Reception: Sunday, March 10, 2-4, free

Join us for refreshments and enjoy meeting our talented artists. Featured artist Jo Reimer is a creative being who loves to surround herself with beauty. Making art with paint, ink, and graphite on paper and canvas gives her a daily infusion of joy. She is passionate about collage and color, and her art is how she makes sense of the world and connects with others.

Silk painting by Natasha Ramras

Featured Crafter Natasha Ramras has been interested in art since she was a child, and throughout her lifetime has explored a wide variety of media. She paints in both oil and watercolor, inspired by the beauty of the Pacific Northwest, and has also gotten hooked on the beauty of silk painting, which has similar qualities to those of watercolor. Lately she has been exploring jewelry making, using sterling silver and semiprecious stones.

Spring classes:

Please see our website for information on our complete class lineup. To register, visit or call the gallery at 503-644-8001.

Kristi Roberts—Children’s Art Classes

Mondays, March 4, 11, 18, and April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 3:45–4:45 for ages 7–11 years, 5–6 for ages 11–16 years

Come join an exciting class learning a variety of art. I will develop your child’s art ability where they are at and give them an opportunity to try out different mediums so they can find what they will enjoy. We will do units in drawing, watercolor, acrylic, pastels, clay and mixed media. I teach fine art concepts and techniques with each lesson. We will explore a variety of subjects including landscapes, people, faces, animals, cartooning and perspective. This is a weekly class and you need to register a month ahead in order to hold your spot for that month.

Mary Burgess—Watercolor on the Go!

Wednesdays, March 13, 20, 27, April 3, 10, 17, Mornings 9:30–12:30 OR Evenings 6–9

Do you love to travel? Create your own journal and mini painting kit to take with you anywhere. We will explore a multitude of fun and simple techniques for recording visual memories of your journeys, including preparation of pages before your trip to jump-start your creativity. Students will take home a handmade journal and a plethora of ideas for watercolor journaling on the go.

Susan Pfahl—Italic Calligraphy

Three-week course, Mondays, March 4, 18, 25, 7-9 pm

Write your thoughts beautifully! We will learn the Italic Script, starting from the beginning. Whether you have never held a calligraphy pen, or have done calligraphy in the past and need a refresher, this is an excellent opportunity to hone your skills.

Gretha Lindwood—Beyond Basics: Further Exploration of Soft Pastels

Five-week course, Mondays, April 1, 8, 15, 22, 29, 9-12

Express your impressions of the natural world using soft pastels. You will apply the principles of color, value and design in this fun, informative class as you continue to develop your personal style and gain a deeper understanding of the medium. Students will work from their own photos. Demonstrations and individual instruction will be given as I share tips, techniques and ideas.

Senior housing help

Your heart aches to see your aging parent struggle through their day. Maybe you’ve tried to convince yourself it’s just a phase. Cherie Henry and Catherine Camp enter this scenario daily. As Senior Living Advisors and owners of Autumn of Life Senior Housing and Advisory Services, LLC, they provide assistance to seniors and their families looking for higher levels of care.

Many adult children are balancing family, packed schedules, and full-time jobs. Often unexpectedly, they find themselves caring for their parent(s). Autumn of Life can help save countless hours of time. Cherie and Catherine are familiar with the providers’ abilities and reputations. They check county and state substantiated complaint records, visit every place they recommend, and understand licensing differences between the over 300 communities and 900 adult care homes in the Portland Metro Area. It’s overwhelming for most to research thoroughly.

It’s crucial for them to meet face-to-face with their senior client and/or their family. Whether it is a discussion in a living room or a visit in the hospital/rehab, meeting in person helps them determine where to begin their search. Their services are often referred by hospital social workers, rehab case managers, hospice caregivers, and by previous clients.

With a detailed profile of each client’s needs, wants, and finances, they narrow down a huge list to a select few. It’s not unusual for them to talk to over 40 adult care homes to find the perfect match. After gathering all pertinent information, they present their findings and accompany the client on tours, providing support and education along the way.

For their clients, Autumn of Life Senior Housing and Advisory Services is free. The adult care home or community the client chooses compensates their time, expenses, and services. Unlike many national online agencies, Autumn of Life does not share or sell a client’s personal contact information.

After their client is settled, they follow up, confirming everything is going well. Cherie says, “Our goal is for a successful outcome, no matter what course it takes. Our relationships are built from sharing knowledge, compassion and a handshake (though more often it’s a hug).”

For more information on Autumn of Life Senior Housing and Advisory Services, visit AutumnofLife.net or call (503) 701-5054.

How to Be a First-time Home Buyer in 2019
by Sunset Science Park Federal Credit Union

Buying your first home involves much more than simply making the decision to become a homeowner. Here’s how to get on the right track to becoming a first-time homeowner in 2019.

Keep (or Get) Your Credit Score in Good Standing: Your credit score is one of the most important factors in your mortgage approval, because it’s used to determine your risk as a borrower. Check for errors on your credit report. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that one in four credit reports contains a serious error. You can receive your free credit report by going to www.annualcreditreport.com.

Pay all of your bills on time: Even one reported late payment can drop your score anywhere from 60 to 110 points, depending on your credit history.

Don’t apply for new lines of credit or any other types of loans. New credit inquiries can drop your score, and taking on more debt can lower your mortgage affordability. Keep balances low on revolving credit (i.e. credit cards). Aim to keep balances less than 30% of your credit line. Most lenders recommend that your mortgage payment, including principal, interest, taxes and insurance, be less than 28% of your gross monthly income.

Start Saving: Even if you are eligible to purchase with a loan that finances 100% of the home cost, you’re still going to need some reserves. You may need some cash for new furniture, new appliances, paint, hiring a moving company, etc.

Meet with a Mortgage Specialist: In today’s hot home buying environment, a pre-approval should always be the first step in home buying. To get a pre-approval, your mortgage specialist will run your credit score and compile a loan application with the information you provide regarding income, assets, employment, etc. The lender will analyze this information and determine how much you can afford.

If you have mortgage questions or need additional information about purchasing a home, visit Stephanie at Sunset Science Park Federal Credit Union or contact her at 503-643-1335 or stephanie@sspfcu.com.

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