March 2016 • FREE
What’s In A Name?
Daffodils, a sure sign that Spring is here!
by Karen Rogers
Keeping It Local Shop locally, serve locally, and sustain locally: that is what Points for Profit is all about. Over the last three years, this locally owned and operated program kept 16.5 million dollars in the LinnBenton community businesses that sponsor the program. In addition, they have given back more than $90,000 in cash, donations and volunteer hours to local non-profit organizations. “Points for Profit is about paying attention to our local community,” stated advisory board member Melinda Butler. “We make every effort to keep things local, from shopping at our business partners, to serving our local non-profit organizations.” Not just anyone can be a business partner in Points for Profit; you have to be referred by one of their non-profit or business members. Founder, Lauralee Beck, states, “We demand excellence and integrity from our members. We have to feel comfortable in referring them to our friends, family, congregation and community.” It is easy to make a difference in the community by getting involved with Points for Profit. You simply start with the first step in their slogan “shop” locally. You do business with the local sponsors listed on their website and in the monthly issues of HighPoints newspaper. Save your receipts
or a copy of your receipt, and give that receipt to one of 30 non-profit organizations vying for that $5,000 top prize each year. The next step in this company’s slogan is “serve” locally. Wenona Given, the non-profit liaison on the advisory board for Points for Profit, says, “This can be done one of two ways: by giving your receipts to one of the non-profit organizations, or by getting to know the needs of the organizations and being involved on a volunteer level.” The final step in the group’s slogan is “sustain” locally. “Every little bit helps so many. Our mission is to be a resource, to not only our non-profit organizations, but to be mindful of the needs in our community and align our connections and resources strategically to help others in need” states advisory board member Janice Jackola. The goal of the Points for Profit group is to give back $100,000 per year to the non-profit organizations. For more information on Points for Profit, visit their website at www.pointsforprofit. org, like them on Facebook www.facebook.com/ pointsforprofit, or call them at 541-791-2901. Their office is located on the second floor of Two Rivers Market in Albany.
They’re springing up everywhere in myriads of sizes, shapes and colors, one of my favorite flowers- daffodils! I love the faintly dusty smell of even the plainest ones. But wait! Are they REALLY daffodils or jonquils or narcissi in daffodils clothing? It really doesn’t matter as they are all closely related. “Daffodil” is the common name applied to any kind of narcissus but correctly refers to several of the hardy types with large single trumpet flowers. Formally, it’s Narcissus pseudonarcissus and is a European native. Jonquils are a separate species and are distinguished by rounder foliage and small golden short-cupped flowers. Usually, there are several on a stem and have a marked fragrance. They hail from Southern Europe and Algeria. Narcissus applies to the sweetly scented cluster types of various colors. They are all members of the Amaryllis family, but narcissus is the name for the entire genus. As they all hybridize readily, confusion reigns. Many are named for their developers. The colors can run from translucent white to orange and even red in the central cup. So no matter what you call them, enjoy them as their season is way, way too short. Besides, what’s in a name, anyway?