A new fridge can save you hundreds of dollars

It’s pretty common these days for families to keep a spare fridge in the garage or basement.  It keeps extra soda chilled.  Stores that side of beef you got on sale at the grocery store.  And in times like these, isn’t it wise to be buying in bulk when there’s a sale and stashing the extra in your garage?

Yes.  But, there could be an even smarter way for you to save money.

Replace the fridge with the help of Energy Trust of Oregon.  They’ll buy your old fridge for $30.00 cash and recycle it (guaranteeing 95% of the materials are recycled . . . something not many electronics recyclers can guarantee).

Then, when you go and buy a NEW unit, they’ll give you a cash rebate on any energy-efficient model.  Plus, you’ll be saving money every month (about $160 per year if you pitch a model that was made before 2001).

Considering you can buy a decent fridge for about $1,000 (depending where you go and what features you want) . . . the new fridge has paid for itself in 6 years.  Not bad, eh?

To call Energy Trust for a pick up, click here.

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OBT Fundraisers obliterated their $750K goal and will survive for another season! Read more here at Oregonlive.

http://blog.oregonlive.com/portlandarts/2009/06/oregon_ballet_theatre_lives_to.html

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Do you have a small business, community group, nonprofit or restaurant that you want to promote?  Does advertising seem too daunting or too costly?  Sign up for the Mississippi Ave street fair in July.

You’ll get face time with about 20,000 people in just one day.  Plus rates are extremely affordable.  For more info on how to get involved in this super-fun Portland summer event click here.

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SHARE Vancouver at work

Pop quiz.  What happens to all of the kids who receive free or reduced cost lunch and/or breakfast when school closes up shop for the summer?  The need doesn’t go away.  In fact, it may increase if mom or dad has to stay home from work or pay for a sitter.

Enter SHARE.  This Vancouver group offers help to the homeless year-round.  And when summer vacation hits, they provide free breakfasts, lunches and activities for those kids at local schools. 

While that, in and of itself, is cool.  What if we told you that they are expanding this summer despite a down economy?  Cooler, eh?

It’s true.  Donors stepped up and kicked in enough cash to add a new school and over a hundred new kids to their roster. 

If you want to help or get involved with SHARE click here.

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Adam Sprow - Four Years Old

This little guy is Adam.  He’s four years old, loves to swim, play on the playground at school (really anywhere there’s one of those play structures actually) and motor around on his brand new trike.

He also can’t talk, struggles with walking and will have to deal with a developmental delay his entire life.  Adam has Angelman’s Syndrome (it’s often mistaken for Autism).  Essentially, there’s a missing link in his genetic chain that delays his development.  It’s actually a very common disorder according to his mom, Elke, who was kind enough to speak with GNPDX.

It also turns out, there is a lot of research underway in the battle against AS.  Adam is in line to participate in a number of studies …. some that could directly help him and a few others that could help other children with the disorder.

Here’s the problem, the studies are in different parts of the country.  While  Adam and his entire family desperatelywant to take advantage of these opportunities (both to help their son and the sons and daughters of countless other families) travel isn’t really an option.  See, four years of monstrous medical bills and the down economy have been murder on the families’ bank account.

So, they are rolling up their sleeves and hosting a garage sale, hoping to raise enough money for airfare and a place to sleep near the hospitals.

The cool part?  This isn’t just some minor sale.  Donations are pouring in from school and church friends to the event.  BUT, the family can always use more help.

Please, if you have electronics, dishes, toys, anything that is cluttering up your house and you think would fetch a couple bucks PLEASE get in touch with Elke Sprow right away and make a donation to help Adam.

And, if you are moving or are just looking for an affordable find, mark your calendar for June 27th and check out the sale itself.  Adam needs our help.

Info:  Saturday June 27th, 8A-3P

21108 NW Wapinitia Lane, Portland

Elke Sprow:  503-895-3279 / 971-226-4656

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Portland Police

Bringing drug addicts into local classrooms.  It’s a good thing (apologies to Martha Stewart).

Really, though, it is.  Some local cops got together and decided to ask local addicts for help.  They took video cameras to the streets and interviewed users about what drugs do to your life.  It’s gritty, it’s real (and yes it’s appropriate for 8th graders).

The tapes then go to local classes with a school resource officer.  Kids get a chance to see, right from the source, what trying meth or pot can do to your life.  Then, they have a frank discussion about drugs and ask questions.

Cops like Ofc. Steve Morinville who works in the David Douglas District say the program’s getting great feedback across the board (from kids, parents and faculty).

The brueau agrees.  The team behind the program were recognized at an awards ceremony for their efforts.

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Annie Bennett a few years ago

This is Annie Bennet.  Well, it was.  For years she struggled with her waist line and her weight.  Like most of us, she believed the secret to losing pounds was simply eating less.  Makes sense, right?  But the truth is, if you only eat three ounces of potato chips (and ONLY those chips) your body is not going to be healthy.  But you can eat platefuls of grilled chicken and veggies and be in perfect health.

After years of yo-yo dieting, she figured that out.  With a passion for cooking behind her, she hit the kitchen and devised countless recipes, incorporating those good-for-you foods.

She lost seven pounds in the first week.

More than 20 pounds the first month.

Annie Bennett today

Now, this is Annie Bennett.  (You may recognize her from the cover of this month’s issue of Good Housekeeping).  Bennett created MyFreedomFit.com after shedding 75 pounds and keeping it off for a full four and a half years.  It’s a site devoted to living a healthy lifestyle where she shares all of those delicious recipes she created to shed pounds herself.  Plus, they offer one-on-one advice and counseling, personalized to your own goals.

And here is the coolest part.  Bennett is offering the first month at only $1.00.  Now, if you try the first thirty days and are getting fantastic results from their personalized counseling staff, you are welcome to stay.  But, if you just wanted to snag some jump start advice, there is no comittment (you can download all of her recipes and ideas for only a buck).

Check out the site today, we promise you won’t be dissapointed.

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OBT tracks their quest to $750K

There is this old scene that played out in a lot of classic films starring Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney.  A community center or a farm or a business of some kind is about to close and the kids all get together and put on a show, using the profits to save the day.

Judy and Mickey have NOTHING on Christopher Stowell.

Stowell is the Artistic Director for Oregon Ballet Theatre.  Despite record-setting attendance and a product unparalleled in the companies’ history, the company is at risk of closing its doors.  Donations are way down, to the tune of $750,000.  If they don’t raise that much by June, bye bye ballet.

So Stowell cracks open his address book and starts dialing some of his friends.  Little known ballet names like Joffrey Ballet … New York City Ballet … San Francisco Ballet …  Bodyvox … (and yes, there was sarcasm in that last line … these are some of the biggest names in modern dance).

When all of these companies heard about OBT’s issue, they quickly signed up to help, sending their dancers to a Portland stage for a special one night performance.

And this all adds up to Dance United, a special one night benefit for OBT.  Stowell tells GNPDX the response is a testament to OBT’s reputation across the country and they are incredibly optimistic by the response.

He also adds that this kind of response is unprecedented.  Never before has such a wide array of talent come together to aid one of their own. 

Tickets are going fast so click here to buy yours.  Oh, and if you can’t make the show, click on the link anyway to make a donation to OBT.

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It’s the classic “teach a man to fish and you’ll feed him for a lifetime” story.  At the Irvington Covenant CDC, they offer job training for people who need a little boost turning things around (people with low income, those with one run-in with the law).  Patricia Daniels with the group says they’ve seen a dramatic decrease in trade-training as more high schools focus on prepping kids for college, so they’re filling the need.

They offer a pre-apprentice program, but they also know that green industries are gaining ground.  Daniels tells GNPDX they wanted to offer training in the new, growing industry, but needed some help with funding.

Enter the United Way.  The local charity passed on a major grant (exact amount was not available but we know it’s in the 5-6 figure range) which will cover the new classes.

Daniels says it’s a major blessing.  Not only will these classes help get people back to work, but it will put them in jobs that pay well and can provide a way out from barely making ends meet.

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Jobless claims and the number of people claiming unemployment is DOWN this week for the first time in 5 months.  The dip is small, but it’s nice to have finally broken five months of increase, right?

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