FREE !
Gifts that keep on giving LINN & BENTON COUNTIES EDITION DECEMBER 2017
Planned giving to higher institutions ensures your money benefits future generations Courtesy of Oregon State University
Donors, who understand the value of hands-on learning experiences for more successful careers, have arranged planned gifts to Oregon State University that provide lasting support for programs, like a six-week field camp (above) focused on the fundamentals of geology fieldwork. By CAROL ROSEN BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS
The holidays are a time of gifts and giving. Often, we think of giving to nonprofit organizations with the hopes of brightening the holidays for those less fortunate. In fact, most nonprofits note their largest donations arrive during the final months of the year. Because there are so many worthy organizations, community colleges and four-year universities often are forgotten, yet they rely on donations as well. Two such locations — Linn-Benton Community College in Albany, and Oregon State University in Corvallis — collect significant contributions from the local area and former students. But there’s a significant loss in important funding when people move away, enter their golden years or die. Linn-Benton Community College offers former students, and business and community members, various methods to help the college provide courses to meet the community needs.
“It need not be huge or a detriment to your family, but (your financial contribution) shares your values with your survivors.” Jim Birken
Linn-Benton Community College
“Community colleges lag the gifts given to fouryear colleges and universities because community appeals to different alums focus closer on different disciplines,” says Andrew Wyings, JIM BIRKEN development officer for the Linn-Benton Community College Foundation. While most of its general fundraising
Need some personal or professional help? Check out our SERVICE DIRECTORY on Page 4
1-877-357-2430 • nwboomerandseniornews.com
JEFF COMFORT
focuses on businesses and companies that help support current programs to train nurses and workers for skill trades and manufacturing, the school also seeks alumni and community members to check out estate and gift
planning. Most important for these educational institutions are estate and gift
planning, says Jim Birken, planned giving manager. These particular types of gifts don’t increase regular contributions but provide support for programs to help scholarships and clubs that are part of the school’s endowment. Such gifts don’t have to be large, he adds, but they often pass on shared values with survivors. Estate planning or a trust allows the gift to keep on giving even after a person has passed on, says Jeff Comfort, vice president of principal gifts and gift planning for Oregon State University Foundation. Comfort and his staff of five employees work with donors who provide gifts of $100,000 or more. These gifts don’t just benefit the school, he says, they also provide help for those donating. For example, those donating $100,000 or more receive 5 percent per year back and provide a 30 percent initial tax deduction. These gifts actually go far to recognize the donors. Scholarships, special
INSIDE
See GIFTS p. 2
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
SEE WHAT’S COMING UP IN DECEMBER
Page 4
Oregon’s oldest & largest boomer and senior publication
2 LINN-BENTON EDITION
NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • DECEMBER 2017
Of note
GIFTS
Want more information on making a donation? ■ LBCC Foundation, 541-917-4209, foundation@linnbenton.edu. ■ osufoundation.org/ giving, 541-737-3756, or email osudonorrel@osufoundation.org.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
than $1.3 million. ■ More than 100 donors made gifts to help OSU become the first Pac-12 school to sequence its mascot’s DNA. Undergraduate students working on the Beaver Genome Project are starting to work with the data.
Ar lin ire t a c t e n e ✔ dit icles class tori d h i e ea on fr ifi s Lo om ed lth ot ts o s s y he f pa r st in fo
e lin n o ts e bl ven a l e ai f av r o ns da tio len i ed t ca ll 4 ren A r ✔ Cu Re
✔ livin tirem ✔ On g d en
Have you visited us online lately?
Courtesy of Linn-Benton Community College
Planned giving benefits students in so many ways, including providing scholarships to help pay for tuition, books and living expenses.This reception at Linn-Benton Community College last spring recognized donors and scholarship recipients.
✔
Check it out today!
✔
academic chairs, buildings and so forth place their names and legacies into perpetuity Such funds go toward the school’s endowment to support $40 million in scholarships given each year, Comfort says. They also help students with financial needs in various areas including STEM, better nutrition, education, sports, research and even homes. Other examples at OSU: ■ Geology students spent six weeks in central Oregon learning the fundamentals of fieldwork. ■ Arts and sciences have benefitted with a $60 million initiative creating a new Arts and Education complex. ■ Students at Oregon State spend an average of almost $2,000 per year on textbooks. Support from the OSU Women’s Giving Circle is bringing those costs down. Leveraging $40,000 in grants, it’s providing an innovative library program that’s found ways to save students more
nwboomerandseniornews.com
■ The money supports a new scholarship helping those with humble beginnings by checking their potential instead of their academic performance. ■ The Global Experience Fund in the College of Agricultural Sciences helps students throughout OSU participate in research and educational programs around the world. Estate and gift planning allow donors to support such programs without increasing or stopping regular contributions, Birken says. It helps continue programs donors believe in and provides help and support even after death. “Even if your estate is not large, a proper will or trust should direct your personal representative to send a gift to organizations dear to your heart," he says. “It need not be huge or a detriment to your family, but shares your values with your survivors.”
What will be your legacy?
Birken and Comfort agree there are additional key advantages for providing appreciating securities such as stocks, bonds or mutual funds that are over a year old (eliminating capital gains taxes) to provide that 30 percent tax benefit. But financial instruments need to be appreciated, Comfort says, to eliminate capital gains taxes. Gifts can be outright cash, property, a business or part of a business. His staff works with donors to make it as easy as possible. Part of their job is finding which gift best fits a donor’s needs. There are deferred gift annuities, flexible gift annuities, commuted payment gift annuities, charitable remainder unitrusts, and annuity trusts, among others. Comfort happily expresses his love for the job. “I’ve been doing it for 30 years,” he says. He spent 18 years at Georgetown University’s foundation in Washington D.C., before moving to OSU about five years ago. “We have the
best leadership in the fundraising world and an incredible university president,” he says. His job is more complicated than most people would think. “My job is staying current and informed on tax and legal issues pertaining to real estate,” Comfort says. Many of the gifts the school receives are homes and property. At the same time, he must stay current on the stock market, annuities, bonds and mutual fund markets. And he spends a lot of time working with donors. “Larger gifts may begin on the phone or through letters followed almost immediately by face-to-face discussions,” Comfort says. Other duties include marketing, merchandising and sometimes appearing before various groups. Recently, he met with a group of 25 realtors in Corvallis to explain real estate gifts. But those meetings are infrequent, he adds. He’s also responsible to ensure “thank you” notes are sent and programs to bring in funds are marketed. Finally, he works with other university foundation executives from Planned Giving Pacific. It’s a collaborative community made up of about 20 people from universities on the West Coast including University of California, Berkeley, and Stanford University. ■
Make a difference today and tomorrow We can help you make the most out of what you have, protect family and loved ones...and continue to help others after your lifetime.
Contact us
to learn how using your assets can aid both yourself and your community.
www.linnbenton.edu/foundation
Buy ❧ Sell ❧ Trade
541-917-4209
6500 Pacific Blvd. SW, Albany, OR 97321
LINN-BENTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION Equal Opportunity Employer & Educator
Browsers’ Bookstore 121 NW 4th Street CORVALLIS 541-758-1121
We love to buy old books
Vol. 19 - Number 12 Oregon’s oldest & largest 50+ publication General Manager & Managing Editor - All Editions Michelle Te mte@nwseniornews.com Graphics/Production - All Editions Pam Cooley-Newberry pcooley@nwseniornews.com Accounting - Barb Calvisky bcalvisky@nwseniornews.com Circulation - 877-357-2430 Ad Sales Manager - Clark Seeley cseeley@nwseniornews.om
Browsers’ Bookstore Vol. II 1425 Pacific Blvd SE ALBANY 541-926-2612
4 Editions serving Boomers and Seniors: Linn-Benton, Marion-Polk, Metro Portland and Lane 4120 River Road N., Keizer, OR 97303 503-304-1323 / 1-877-357-2430 FAX 503-304-5394 Email: nwsn@nwseniornews.com Subscriptions: $22/year Visit us online: NWBoomerandSeniorNews.com
Northwest BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS is published monthly and locally owned and operated by Eagle Newspapers, Inc. The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted by Northwest BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS. Any use of all or any part of this publication is prohibited without written consent of the publisher. This publication is printed using soy-based inks on paper with post-consumer recycled content. No VOCs are released into the atmosphere.
Advertising Executives: Portland/Metro/Vancouver Edition Joan Riley: joan4freedom@comcast.net Lee Grover: lgrover@nwseniornews.com
Marion-Polk/Coast Edition Clark Seeley: cseeley@nwseniornews.com Jack Wallrich: jackwallrich@comcast.net
Linn-Benton Edition Clark Seeley cseeley@nwseniornews.com Lane Edition Daniel Sandoval dsandoval@nwseniornews.com Joe Clifford joseph041549@gmail.com Contributing Writers: Maggi White, Pat Snider, Grace Peterson, Barry Finnemore, Deb Allen, Mary Owen, Dan Christopher, Vanessa Salvia & Carol Rosen
Your holiday centerpiece
DECEMBER 2017 • nwboomerandseniornews.com
DIGGIN’ IT!
By GRACE PETERSON MASTER GARDENER
Have you ever looked inside those fancy refrigerators in the florist department at the grocery store and admired the pretty Christmas centerpieces made with evergreens? And then you looked at the price tag and talked yourself out of purchasing one because you’ve still got gifts to buy, food to purchase, the budget is tight and you really shouldn’t? And then, with insistent longing, mixed with piqued curiosity, you looked closer, studied it a bit and thought, I bet I could make one? Well this, my friends, is how the Christmas centerpiecemaking tradition took hold in my life. I knew collecting the evergreens and other plant material would be a cinch because it grows with abandon in my backyard. The challenging part would be finding the Oasis floral foam — that water-absorbing block that holds the whole project together. I learned that I need to shop early because it appears to be in high demand and sells out quickly. I also discovered that the other, coarser floral foams are not an adequate substitute for this project. School of hard knocks. After submerging the Oasis block in the sink filled with lukewarm water, I found a pretty container that would
hold the water-soaked Oasis. Since it was pliable, I squeezed it into the container, keeping a few inches of it above the top of the dish. I taped it so it wouldn’t come loose and, voila, the hardest part of the project was done. Now for the fun part. Next, I went outside with clippers in hand to gather my goods. First, I looked for conifer evergreens. As a gardener, I made selective cuts, careful not to damage the plant in my quest for branches and stems. Arborvitae is always a good contender because it can just about always use a haircut. I avoid clipping my dwarf conifers since even the smallest cuts can leave a serious gap. Sometimes I’d use the bottom sawed-off branches of the Christmas tree. It’s not just conifers I was after, but shiny evergreen leaves, too, such as camellia, laurel and boxwood. For color, nandina leaves would add a nice touch of red, aucuba leaves have golden yellow specks, and evergreen huckleberry has pretty red stems. Using cones, berries and lichen-encrusted branches gives the arrangement a rustic, woodsy look, while manmade embellishments such as ribbons and shiny ornaments give it a more traditional or even whimsical look. Some years, I’ve gone to the florist and purchased red and white carna-
LINN-BENTON EDITION
Photo by Grace Peterson
One of the tricks to creating a beautiful centerpiece is building the right foundation. Oasis floral foam seems to be the key to holding the whole project together.
tions which can hold their fresh look for two weeks. Other flowers can work, too. And sometimes I’ll stick a taper candle in the middle to light on Christmas Eve. A few hints: Look for Oasis blocks at craft stores, florists or online. Be sure to soak it for
several minutes before starting your project, so it will absorb as much water as possible. Using a bowl that is slightly smaller than the Oasis will allow you to squeeze the pliable Oasis into it. This will help it stay in place. If you’re using an extra-large container, you
3
can use two or more Oasis bricks. Always gather as many greens as you can. You’ll want the arrangement to be full enough to hide all hints of the Oasis. If you don’t have enough greens in your garden, nurseries often sell greens. And you can find greens you don’t have access to, such as eastern Oregon juniper, sometimes with copious berries. I’m not a professional florist but I’ve learned that it’s best to work from the outside edge in toward the center. Placing your container on a spinning lazy susan will allow you to easily work around the container, filling it in as you turn it. Be sure to keep a good pair of clippers handy and make a fresh cut on each stem before inserting it into the Oasis. You can purchase loose flower bunches like carnations, roses or lilies at the florist department of grocery stores, or at the florist. ■
Come to Timberhill Place Where Help is Always Available Should You Need It
Enjoy your own private apartment surrounded by your favoritie things. Meet new friends and get all the help you need from our qualified staff, 24-hours each day.
Timberhill Place provides three delicious meals each day, weekly housekeeping and linen services, scheduled transportation, all utilities and a full range of personal services. All this in a beautiful building, with a monthly rent you’ll find surprisingly affordable. Call 541-753-1488 for more information and a personal tour. Come discover Assisted Living at Timberhill Place!
989 Spruce Avenue in Corvallis
December
4 LINN-BENTON EDITION
Nov. 30 Philomath Christmas Tree Lighting Celebration, 6:30 p.m., Benton County Museum, 1101 Main St.
1
“Lion,” 12:30 p.m., Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave., NW. Free.
NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • DECEMBER 2017
Favorites, 7:30 p.m., LaSells Stewart Center, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. $22+. Cosusymphony.org.
Rotary Children’s Holiday Fair, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Benton County Fairgrounds, 110 SW 53rd St., Corvallis. 541-760-2529.
2017 Winter’s Eve Corvallis, 5 to 10 p.m., Madison Avenue (between 2nd and 3rd streets). $40/$45. ALCorvallis.org.
(through Dec. 5) Corvallis Nativity Festival, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 4141 NW Harrison Blvd., Corvallis. Free. CorvallisNativityFestival.org. (through Dec. 3) Friends of the Corvallis-Benton County Public Library Holiday Book Sale, 645 NW Monroe Ave.
(through Jan. 3) Pastega Holiday Light Display, 5 to 10 p.m., Benton County Fairgrounds. Canned food donations taken. Pastegachristmasdisplay.com. (through Dec. 24) See’s Candy Sale and Fundraiser, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Corvallis. See Mid-Valley Lions on Facebook. Hilltop Big Band, featuring Sherri Bird, 7:30 p.m., Old World Deli,
International Games Day, 2 to 5 p.m., Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis.
2
Holiday Wreath Workshop and Lunch, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Thyme Garden, 20546 Alsea Hwy., Alsea. $37. thymegarden.com
Christmas with the Trail Band, 7 p.m., Whiteside Theatre, 361 SW Madison Ave., Corvallis. $25/$40. Brownpapertickets.com.
10
Corvallis Community Band Holiday Concert, 1 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis.
Making Spirits Bright: A Winter Dance Concert, 7 p.m., Majestic Theatre, 115 SW 2nd St., Corvallis. Majestic.org.
Corvallis Youth Symphony Concert, 3 p.m., Austin Auditorium, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis.
3 7
Willamette Valley Symphony, 4 p.m., Ashbrook Independent School, 4045 SW Research Way, Corvallis. $18/$15. Willamettevalleysymphony.org.
Sixth Annual South Town Art Walk, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., 1515 Bethel St., Corvallis.
12
Community Celtic Christmas Concert, 7 p.m., Austin Auditorium, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. Free.
8
Holiday Crafts: Wreaths and Swags, 12:30 p.m., Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave., NW. Free.
9
Corvallis. Free.CorvallisOSU Symphony: Holiday
Christmas Bazaar, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Benton County Fairgrounds, 110 SW 53rd St., Corvallis. 541-228-2545.
Predicting Falls, 12:30 p.m., Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave., NW. Free.
15
14
Holiday Banquet, noon, Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave., NW. $9. 541-917-7760.
“Miracle on 34th Street” (1947), 12:30 p.m., Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave., NW. Free.
(through Dec. 24) Kiwanis Holiday Pie Sale, noon to 5:30 p.m., corner of
9th Street and Circle Boulevard (next to Les Schwab), Corvallis. No debit/credit cards.
16
Feed the Animals Bazaar, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Benton County Fairgrounds, 110 SW 53rd St., Corvallis. 541-908-0387. The Majestic Holiday Spectacular, 7:30 p.m., Majestic Theatre, 115 SW 2nd St., Corvallis. $12-$14. Majestic.org.
17
Corvallis Repertory Singers, 3 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1165 NW Monroe Ave., Corvallis. $10+. Repsing.org. Eugene Ballet: The Nutcracker, 3 p.m., Austin Auditorium, 875 SW 26th St., Corvallis. EugeneBallet.org.
Majestic Reader’s Theatre: “It’s a Wonderful Life,” 3 and 7 p.m., 115 SW 2nd St., Corvallis. $10-$12. Majestic.org.
19
Taking the Fear Out of Keeping a Journal, 1 p.m., Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave., NW. Free.
Art Night, 6:30 p.m., Corvallis-Benton County Public Library, 645 NW Monroe Ave. 541-766-6793.
22
Christmas and Card Craft Recycling, 12:30 p.m., Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave., NW. Free.
29
“Remember the Night” (1940), 12:30 p.m., Albany Senior Center, 489 Water Ave., NW. Free.
ADVERTISING
VISION AIDS
MEDICARE ADVANTAGE INSURANCE
IN-HOME CARE
SERVICE DIRECTORY INSURANCE
The Swanson Agency, inc. An Independent Agency Representing Nearly All Major Insurers
Individual & Group Insurance Plans for: Health ✦ Long-Term Care ✦ Life Medicare Supplements ✦ Medicare Drug Plans Tax-Deferred Annuities Rebecca Swanson, President Julie Hubert, Licensed Agent Vanessa Winn, Licensed Agent or 1-800-274-4926 www.theswansonagency.com 310 NW 5th St. Ste. 105
757-7166
ESTATE PLANNING
Affordable and Convenient Estate Planning
KAREN L. MISFELDT, ATTORNEY Wills - Trusts - Advanced Directives Powers of Attorney Probate & Estate Administration Guardianships & Conservatorships
HEILIG, MISFELDT & ARMSTRONG, LLP
541-754-7477
310 NW 7th St • Corvallis
Donna R. Green Licensed Insurance Agent
541-286-6443 NW Financial Insurance
310 NW 7th St., Corvallis
donna@nw-financial.com
GUN SHOP BUYING
Call Any Day, Any Hour, 24/7 Ask about our FREE community resource guide
CORVALLIS 541-752-9059
LOCALLY OWNED SINCE
ALBANY 541-936-3000
www.newhorizonsinhomecare.com
FINANCIAL SERVICES GUNS
PHILOMATH GUN SHOP Buy • Sell • Trade • Consign Free Estimates • Buying Collections Class Three Dealer Over 1000 Guns in Stock
541-929-2298 1120 Main Street Philomath, OR 97370 Wes & JoAnn Strobel www.guns4sale.net
1985
DECEMBER 2017 • nwboomerandseniornews.com
LINN-BENTON EDITION
$0 Premium Plans* | 1000’s of In-Network Providers | No-Cost Gym Membership
PLAN FOR TRUE HEALTH Enroll now in Providence Medicare Advantage Plans. Visit us online to find Medicare information meetings near you.
ProvidenceHealthAssurance.com/news 855-998-8569 *You must continue to pay your Medicare Part B premium. A salesperson will be present with information and applications. For accommodation of persons with special needs at sales meetings, call 1-800-457- 6064 or 503-574-5551 (TTY: 711). Providence Medicare Advantage Plans is an HMO, HMO-POS and HMO SNP plan with a Medicare and Oregon Health Plan contract. Enrollment in Providence Medicare Advantage Plans depends on contract renewal. The provider network may change at any time. You will receive notice when necessary.
H9047_2018PHA90 ACCEPTED
5
HEALTHY Vibes
6 LINN-BENTON EDITION
Get help with mental health first aid
NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • DECEMBER 2017
By HILARY HARRISON
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID INSTRUCTOR, SAMARITAN HEALTH SERVICES
As many as one in five older adults have mental health concerns that are not considered a normal part of aging, including anxiety and mood disorders such as depression. Unfortunately, far too often older adults do not seek or receive the help they need, even though most conditions respond well to treatment. Changes with body chemistry, family, friendships and living arrangements all can have an impact on mental health. While older adults may experience losses as a part of this stage of life, deep sadness that lingers may be a sign of clinical depression and higher than normal levels of worry may signal an anxiety disorder. Research shows that in any given year, one in four Ameri-
can adults has a diagnosable mental disorder, and about 6 percent of older adults have a diagnosable depressive illness. As a society, we need to understand that good mental health is as important as physical health. Untreated mental health disorders in older adults can lead to diminished function, substance abuse, poor quality of life and increased mortality. Research even shows untreated mental illness can slow healing from
physical illnesses. Some adults manage chronic mental illness for many years, but mental health problems can also appear later in life. Sometimes mental health deteriorates in response to stroke, Parkinson’s disease, cancer, arthritis, diabetes or other illnesses. Older adults without a history of substance abuse may also begin to abuse medications, alcohol or drugs. All of these factors, unfortunately,
lead older adults to have the highest suicide rate in the country. Symptoms that call for consultation with a health care professional: ■ Sadness that lasts longer than two weeks. ■ Consistent worry about issues such as money, family and health. ■ Consistent trouble sleeping or concentrating. ■ Frequent trouble remembering things or feeling confused in familiar places. ■ Having more than one alcoholic drink a day or taking more medication than prescribed. The good news is that older adults can be helped with the same success as younger people. Research shows that 80 percent of older adults recovered from depression after receiving treatment that included both psychotherapy and antidepressant medication. Getting educated can help. Samaritan Health Services of-
fers Mental Health First Aid for Older Adults, an eight-hour training that introduces participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems in adults over the age of 65, helps build an understanding of the importance of early intervention and explains how to help an older adult who is in crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. Mental Health First Aid uses role-playing and simulations to demonstrate how to assess a mental health crisis, select interventions and provide initial help, and connect older adults to professional, peer, social and self-help care. It is designed for people who regularly interact with older people. ■ Mental Health First Aid for Older Adults training is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Jan. 11, Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center. Register at 866-243-7747 or by visiting samhealth.org/mentalhealthfirstaid.
HEALTHY LIVING DIRECTORY NAME & LOCATION
Providence Medicare Advantage Plans P.O. Box 5548 Portland, OR 97228-5548 1-800-457-6064 (TTY: 711) 8 a.m.- 8 p.m. (Pacific time), seven days a week
SERVICES OFFERED
Plan for True Health Life doesn’t come with a blueprint. With Providence Medicare Advantage Plans, you can get the health coverage you need with the wellness support you want from an organization that has been serving the Northwest for generations. Enroll Today at ProvidenceHealthAssurance.com. Providence Medicare Advantage Plans is an HMO, HMO-POS, and HMO SNP plan with a Medicare and Oregon Health Plan contract. Enrollment in Providence Medicare Advantage Plans depends on contract renewal. H9047_2018RCGAPHA12
DID YOU KNOW ...
DECEMBER 2017 • nwboomerandseniornews.com ◆ The Germans are credited with first bringing evergreens into their homes and decorating them, a tradition which made its way to the United States in the 1830s. But it wasn’t until Germany’s Prince Albert introduced the tree in 1848 to his new wife, England’s Queen Victoria, that the tradition took off. ◆ Coca-Cola came up with the red suit. Santa wore a variety of colorful suits through the years — including red, blue, white, and green — but legend has it that the popular image of his red coat came from a 1930s ad by Coca Cola. ◆ Jingle Bells was originally a Thanksgiving song. James Lord Pierpont, an organist from Savannah, Georgia, first performed a song he wrote, “The One Horse Open Sleigh,” at his church’s
Thanksgiving concert. The song was re-published in 1857 and given the title it has today. ◆ Rudolph was almost named Reginald. A copywriter named Robert L. May first invented the oddball reindeer in 1939 as a marketing gimmick for Montgomery Ward’s holiday coloring books. (May considered naming the beloved misfit Reginald and Rollo.) ◆ Santa has his own zip code. Every year, letters to Santa Claus flood post offices across the world. The zip code? H0H 0H0. ◆ Mistletoe was believed to be an aphrodisiac. The holiday flora is an ancient symbol of fertility and virility. The Druids believed mistletoe
LINN-BENTON EDITION
7
was an actual aphrodisiac. ◆ The largest Christmas stocking measured 168 feet 5.65 inches long, and 70 feet 11.57 inches wide (heel to toe). It was created by the volunteer emergency services organization Pubblica Assistenza Carrara e Sezioni (Italy) in Carrara, Tuscany, Italy, in 2011. ◆ Because they viewed Christmas as a decadent Catholic holiday, the Puritans in America banned all Christmas celebrations from 1659-1681 with a penalty of five shillings for each offense. ◆ The Viking god Odin is thought to be one precursor to our modern version of Santa Claus. According to myth, Odin rode his flying horse, Sleipnir (a precursor to Santa’s reindeer), who had eight legs. In the winter, Odin gave out both gifts and punishments, and children would fill their boots or stockings with treats for Sleipnir.
REACH THOUSANDS of READERS with a FRIENDSHIP AD TO PLACE AN AD send $40 and your 30-word ad (written/typed on a sheet of paper), to NW Boomer & Senior News, 4120 River Rd. N, Keizer, OR 97303 by the 6th of the month. TO RESPOND TO AN AD, send your letter to the above address. Write the number of the ad you are responding to on the OUTSIDE of the envelope. There is no charge to respond to any ad. QUESTIONS? CALL 1-877-357-2430.
Ad Abbreviations M = Male F = Female S = Single D = Divorced W = White A = Asian B = Black H = Hispanic J = Jewish C = Christian
N/S = Non-smoker N/D = Non-drinker ISO = In Search Of LTR = Long Term Relationship WW = Widowed White
WB = Widowed Black WA = Widowed Asian WH = Widowed Hispanic LGBT= Lesbian/Gay/ Bisexual/Transgender
SWM, young 66, 5’9”, 160#s. DWM, 77 years old. ISO SWF Enjoy books, plants, moderate friend. I like dinner out, movies, hiking, birding. Seeks lady friend. road trips. N/S, N/D. #5719 Forest Grove area. #5718
C L A S S I F I E D
Looking for a new friend? Join the Friendship Club. You never know who you’ll meet.
A D S
Ads must be RECEIVED BY the 6th of the month PRIOR to publication. Go to NWBoomerandSeniorNews.com for ad form and instructions or use the form below.
9 Vacation Rental 17 Free Music LINCOLN CITY OCEAN FRONT, fantastic view, fireplace, TV/VCR/ DVD, 2 bdrms, kit/ dishwasher, no smoking, no pets. Very comfortable. 503-8433157. Email: holton@ macnet.com.
16 Units for Rent
WURLITZER ORGAN FREE! Dance, church, voices, bass, pedals, two keyboards. Rhythm stops. Good condition. U-haul. Great gift for holidays! 360573-4227.
29 Miscellaneous
FOR SALE: $1500 cememtery plot located at Belcrest Memorial Park, 1295 Browning Ave S. Salem, OR. Lot 2, section 73z, block 24. 912-246-0935.
CASH FOR GOOD CONDITION reloading equipment & supplies. BASEBALL & SPORTS 541-905-5453. MEMORABILIA wanted. Buying old WANTED: PAPA/ cards, pennants, auto- GRANDSON car or graphs, photographs, panel project. 1930’s tickets, programs, Pa- to 1060’s or parts. Call cific Coast League, 9 7 1 - 2 6 3 - 1 7 8 8 . etc. Alan, 503-481- Thanks! 0719.
BUY - SELL TRADE IT HERE!
32
CCB license through the CCB Consumer Website www.hirali censedcontractor.com or call 503378-4621.
Is it time for a
33 Wanted
CHOOSE LIFE & LOVE in diffcult times.Find Spiritual Freedom in this lifetime. Free book/into-www.eckankar.org, www.eckankar-oregon.org. CASH FOR PRE 1980 800-568-3463. sport & non-sport Cemetery Plots gum or cigarette cards, model kits, comic books, old toys, SKYLINE MEMORIAL model trains! Private GARDENS, 2 side by collector. 503-313side lots w/view in 7538. Gethsemane. Both for $2500. Includes transEQUAL HUD SUBSIDIZED UN- fer fees. Call 503-358HOUSING ITS for senior citizens 7911. OPPORTUNITY 62 or older, disabled All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair and/or handicapped. Housing Act which makes it illegal to NOTICE: Oregon state advertise “any preference limitation Accepting applications or discrimination based on race, law (ORS 701) requires at this time. We are anyone who contracts color, religion, sex, handicap, familial or national origin, or an intencommitted to provid- for construction work to status, tion, to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.” Familial ing equal housing op- be licensed with the status includes children under the Construction Contracage of 18 living with parents or legal portunities. All utilities custodians; pregnant women and Board. An active paid. Surfwood Ma- tors people securing custody of children license means the con18. nor, 4545 SW Hwy trctor is bonded and in- under This newspaper will not knowlingly accept any advertising for real estate 101, Lincoln City, 541- sured. which is in violation of the law. Our Verify the contractor’s 996-3477. readers are hereby informed that all HUD SUBSIDIZED UNITS for senior citizens 62 or older, disabled and/or handicapped is currently accepting applications for our one bedroom waiting list. We are committed to providing equal housing opportunities. All utilities paid. Briarwood Manor, 643 Manbrin, Keizer, OR 97303, 503-981-8614.
DIABETIC TEST STRIPS WANTED. Paying top dollar! Free local pickup. Call Sharon, 503-6793605.
dwellings advertised in this newspaper are available on an equal opportunity basis. To complain of discrimination call HUD Toll-free at 1-800-669-9777. The Toll-free telephone number for the hearing impaired is 1-800-927-9275.
Advertise it here and get great results!
Are you looking for a VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY? If the answer is yes, Timberhill Place Assisted Living Community in Corvallis may be the right place for you. We are looking for a few good volunteers to enhance our activity program. If you like working with seniors and have one or two free hours to spare each month this could be the opportunity that you are looking for. Must be 18 years or older and willing to submit a criminal background check. If interested, contact Ashley at 541-753-1488 or send an e-mail to tmbrpl@proaxis.com for more information.
CLASSIFIED AD FORM
Peaceful holidays?
8 LINN-BENTON EDITION
By MAGGI WHITE BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS
It’s well known that holiday family gatherings set the scene for coughing up past baggage, childhood resentments and blame games. But Polly Campbell of Beaverton has the perfect recipe for a peaceful holiday season: Manage your thought patterns the way you manage other areas of your life. If you are addicted to drama and it’s causing conflicts and stress, she says, choose another way of approaching situations that trigger frustration or anger. Instead of reacting to what others throw at you, take some deep breaths. Is unhappiness worth having the last word? Campbell is a “human potential” author who has been on a life journey figuring out how to be happy. At the age of 3, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Not being able to play with other children at recess because of her condition, the young Campbell began to hang out at the library where she discovered biographies of people who were successful, despite their own challenges. It helped her to realize she could be successful as well. She also realized she wanted to become an author and
■ It’s all about your attitude
NW BOOMER & SENIOR NEWS • DECEMBER 2017
POLLY CAMPBELL
speaker, teaching others how to live happier lives. It’s a work in progress. “Depends on the day, what I’ve eaten, what’s going on in the world, what my kid is doing,” Campbell says of her state of peace. “But, I am able to catch myself and clarify my thoughts so that I respond rather than react. I pay attention to what was triggered in my mind and slow down, take deep breaths and sometimes I go to another room for a time–out. I take in my mom and family without judgment, I accept what is, without adding to the drama.” Family dynamics, she adds,
are fraught with potential misunderstandings. “We need to let go of past history and realize that we may have created some of the problems,” she says. The key is not to take everything personally. For example, a family member arrives late to a holiday party. “All of us tend to look at things as happening to us,” she says. “The key is not to personalize. A sister wasn’t being late to me. I could have said, ‘You always do that to me,’ and inflate the situation. Generally, there was something going on that caused someone to be late that had nothing to do with me.” She says there is comfort in responding without judgment, usually triggered by something that occurred years ago. “I have no energy for conflict,” Campbell says. “I need energy to create the life I want.” She feels her best days are when there is no anger or frustration. “If someone makes a comment I give a straight answer,” Campbell says. “I don’t assume it was somehow against me. It takes practice; it’s hard work to change your patterns. I say it’s like going to the gym: You keep putting it off but you go. So that’s one time. It’s just words telling yourself you don’t want to. So, you practice
going.” Letting moments pass when family dynamics trigger thoughts reminds people that thoughts are just thoughts and they pass, like clouds in the sky. Let them go. Campbell still deals with the rheumatoid arthritis, and it makes her tired. “It has taught me compassion and to be aware that everyone has their own adversity, even if it is not recognizable,” she says. So, she paces herself when preparing for the holidays. For example, she started shopping in October for things she knew she would need for Thanksgiving. That helped lessen the chance to feel overwhelmed during the holiday. She also wears athletic shoes during the day, even though she’d prefer to wear fancy shoes. If negative feelings start to creep in, Campbell recommends finding a quiet spot for some “me” time. “We can’t control other people bringing their energy to us,” she says. “Give everyone the benefit of the doubt. It’s an opportunity for you to grow.” Allow a situation to just be what it is. “Tell yourself, ‘That’s what she does,’ and don’t whine about it,” Campbell says. “Or, if you really
don’t like going to some events, let family know you are taking a trip elsewhere and anyone who wants to join you can do so.” If you’re only doing things because it’s what others want, resentment will creep in. “Traditions can change,” she says. “As an example, in our family, my husband and daughter and I always went to a farm to cut down our Christmas tree. I hated the cold and the mud. So, I asked my family to sit down and talk about it, only to discover they hated it as well, but everyone thought the other people would be unhappy if we stopped doing it. Assumptions can be reality checks if you talk it over.” If you don’t want to do something, just decide what you want to do and ask others if they are comfortable with it. But remember that you can’t make everyone happy. If you choose to go along, “shut up and accept it,” Campbell says. “You don’t have to live up to expectations of others. There are ways to make changes that are kind and thoughtful. Too often, we make up stories of others’ reactions. Live your personal integrity. It is not selfish to be at your best. “I like to remind people of their power and goodness,” she says. ■