PEERS Meeting August 2nd

Posted on August 7, 2012 by Amanda Long

Hello everyone. 🙂 Sorry this is a little late… but here it is:

We had our monthly business meeting last week focusing on upcoming PEERS events {“Events?” you say… yea, we totally do fun stuff together}, scheduling the holiday days-off,   and bringing in new members.

Our meeting began, as it always does, with our individual 30-second commercials. Julie {Tobias Weiss Design} brought in a sample newsletter and spoke briefly about the benefits of using newsletters in your business marketing. Tara {Jeff Mills State Farm} reminded us that it’s that time of year to review your insurance policies. Peg {Citizens Bank} shared that being part of a community bank has many advantages like having a team (of staff) with decades of experience. Some team members at Citizens have been there since 1957! Joni {Essentially Healed} passed around a bottle of ‘Deep Blue’ for sore muscles and joints. Oni {Balance Point Acupuncture} reminded us that Acupuncture isn’t just for ailments, but that it’s also for relaxing & nurturing your body, mind, and spirit. Lora {Initials Inc} brought in her NEW Fall catalog! …which Amanda promptly booked a party for (invitations to follow). Karen {KidSpirit & Girls on the Run} shared with the group about the tree that spontaneously fell in the OSU MU Quad. Many of her campers preferred to play under the 80-ft. oak tree, but by fortunate coincidence were on the other side of the lawn. Read the full article here. Amanda {Amanda Photographic} reminded everyone that it’s Senior Portrait Season. High school students with the class of 2013 need to get their senior portraits taken stat! Elizabeth {Valley Eye Care} talked about child eye-safety with the bright summer sun.

Our education committee is gearing up some good information to present to the group for some of our upcoming business meetings. If you’re a woman in business, whether you own your own business or would like to represent your employer, and you would like to be a guest at a PEERS meeting please contact our President, Nadine Grzeskowiak {Gluten Free RN & RN On-Call}. If you already know one of our current members you may also contact them about sponsoring your attendance.

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PEERS Meeting | July 19th …and getting caught up.

Posted on July 19, 2012 by Amanda Long

Hello. It’s been a little while since we posted on this blog, but please know that it’s only because our businesses are boomin’!

To get you caught up a bit here are a few things that our members would like you to know:

Ilene {A&S Accounting} has noticed a large number of start-up businesses and non-profits being established in the Corvallis area. Peg W. {Pathfinder Travel} has some wonderful trips available for coupled or solo travelers. Mary {Drs. Laster, Bugni, & Jensen} wanted to remind everyone how important it is to have an established relationship with your dentist. Tara {Jeff Mills State Farm} told our group about new areas for flood zoning and reminded all the home-owners to review their policies. Joni {Essentially Healed} is busting out the Terra Shield essential oil blend for repelling mosquitoes… She hasn’t been bit yet this summer! Julie {Tobias Weiss Design} showed the group a number of different brochure styles and wants everyone to remember that they have lots of options.  Peg O. {Citizen’s Bank} reminded us that, especially in electronic services, events in one place can have effects on many people and systems. Bonnie {Rice’s Pharmacy & Gift} and the rest of the staff at the Pharmacy are focused first and foremost on excellent customer service. Amanda {Amanda Photographic} is ready for your class of 2013 students. Senior portrait season is here! Oni {Balance Point Acupuncture} has started a great referral program. 🙂 Anne {Remax Integrity} has noticed that well staged, prepared, and priced houses are FLYING off the market in Corvallis. Lora {Initials Inc} reminded us that July is the last month of the spring/summer catalog, but don’t worry she’s having an open house to show off the new one in August. Nadine {GF RN & RN On-Call} continues to share with us that Food Is Powerful. Lori {Thank You People} wants everyone to remember how important it is to show appreciation. Amy {Carefree Massage} reminded us that having regular massage will dramatically improve your overall quality of life.

I {the mysterious blog writer} will admit that I dropped the ball with our July 5th meeting post …meaning that I didn’t post. I was going to tell you, then, about a documentary that was going to show at the Darkside Cinema: “Fixing the Future”. It was a one night showing… last night. Sorry. AND I was also going to tell you about the “Buy Local Brunch” on July 7th. Sorry again. 😦 Both events had a GREAT turn out. If you went to either of these events please feel free to comment below and tell us all about it.

Today we met at Rice’s Pharmacy. It’s always a treat to be hosted by Bonnie and the enthusiastic staff there. One of the Pharmacists, Tom, gave a quick presentation about Rices’ new referral program. Next time you stop in to drop off/pick up a prescription don’t forget to take one of their referral cards. Put your name on the card and give it to a friend or family member for their first trip to Rice’s. When they turn it in with their new or transferred prescription both of you will get a $15 gift certificate! >>The only thing the gift card cannot be used on is a prescription.<< But that’s ok! Rice’s has a full store of unique gifts and helpful products. You’ll have no trouble finding the perfect gift for yourself or someone else. We welcomed Stephanie, Bonnie’s new dual member, and Elaine {Simply Home Professionals LLC} back for her second guest visit.

Until next week…

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PEERS Meeting | June 21st

Posted on June 21, 2012 by Amanda Long

We had a small group this morning at PEERS. With vacations, family-visiting, kids home from school, and all kinds of activities summers can be difficult to get EVERYONE together. Today we were missing Ilene, Karen S, Joni, Bonnie, Kate, and Shelley. Our group president was absent today, so Nadine took the lead and kept us on schedule for our commercials and referrals. 


We had two guests today, Kate Lindburg of Animal Crackers Pet Supply and president of CIBA {Corvallis Independent Business Alliance} and Elaine Forrest of Simply Home LLC. Animal Crackers is a local and independent pet supply store specializing in nutrition for dogs and cats. The have a wide assortment of food for other animals, toys, collars, and more. They are located on Kings Blvd. between Woodstock’s Pizza and Buchanan Ave. Simply Home Professionals LLC is a local general construction company. They started in business 4 yrs ago specializing in wallpaper removal, interior painting, redesign, and especially enjoy preparing homes for sale.

After our commercials and referrals Kate also talked a little bit about CIBA and what’s coming up for “Independents Week” July 1-7. {Read more here.}CIBA is hosting a “Buy Local Brunch” on Saturday July 7 from 10a-1p at the Community Hall behind the Methodist Church on Monroe Ave. They’re also hosting local business members at a Corvallis Knights {against the Kitsap Bluejackets} game on Monday July 2 at Goss Stadium …this is also the fireworks night and it’s quite the display. On the first they’ll kick off their new “Business of the Week” program followed by the Corvallis Downtown Assoc. Red, White, and Blues Festival on the Corvallis Waterfront July 3 + 4. Wow it’s going to be a busy week here in Corvallis. On top of ALL that CIBA and PEERS are teaming up to have the first Corvallis CASH MOB…

“What is a CASH MOB?” We’re glad you asked. A Cash Mob is similar in many ways to a flash mob in that a group of people meet at a set location all at once for a specific purpose. In this case the mob’s purpose is to give a single local business a concentrated amount of positive recognition, exposure, and of course business. Cash Mobs benefit the community by marketing “Buy Local” to the public, giving a monetary boost to a local establishment, and creating community and consumer awareness about new business areas. Only the organizers and the target business are aware of the location in advance. This helps generate excitement and mystery around the community and participants. Mobsters are organized about one week prior and told to meet in a designated location within walking distance to the target business; preferably in a place that is visible to the public and car-traffic. Once the group is gathered the location is revealed and everyone walks together to mob the business for about one hour. After, remaining mobsters typically gather for coffee near by. There are only three rules for a Cash Mob: 1. Bring $20 to spend.  2. Have fun.  3. Meet new people. Watch here, on the CIBA website, and on facebook for a Cash Mob gathering for “Independents Week”. You can read more here {scroll about half way down to Upcoming Events}.

Our speaker today was Amanda Long from Amanda Photographic {link to blog}. We were scheduled to do a new group portrait today, but with so many people missing we decided to wait until the fall when things settle down. …Plus maybe by then we’ll have welcomed some new members.
Amanda talked about the importance of prints during her speaking time. It seems like everyone has a digital camera or smart phone in their pocket or purse. And with pictures so easily accessible with the touch of a button or click of a mouse we’ve become detached and forgotten the importance and of printed images. Think about the pictures of yourself when you were little; think about how they’re different from the pictures you take today or the pictures of your parents and grandparents when they were young. Prints come in many shapes, sizes, formats, and have changed dramatically over the years. The colors, lack of color, feel and texture, smell, and quality of these prints help tell part of the story from when they were taken. 
When it comes to new photography many couples and families spend time planning and preparing for an annual session or special event with a Professional Photographer.  Does it make sense to have spent that time …and money just to have the beautiful photography stored on your computer? Or would you want to share them with guests and family when they visit you at home? Remember when you used to get prints in the mail from friends and family? It’s a special way to connect with the people we care about. Plus there are so many new ways to display your beloved prints. Whether it’s on high quality archival canvas, metal prints, bamboo standouts, the list goes on and on. 
Yet another reason to have your favorite photographs printed is simply that the odds of something happening to your phone or computer is high. In the event of a computer virus, dropping your phone or camera in the toilet, pool, river, down the stairs, out the window, on a carnival ride, or even something as simple as a system upgrade that your old gadgets are no longer compatible with… Your odds are good that at some point you’ll lose months or years worth of photographs. It’s true that prints can be damaged by the sun, water, and fire; but the odds of losing the same quantity of print photographs in a single event are much smaller. 
Some tips for preserving old prints: Have them restored and copied. Shadowsmith Studios {behind the Old World Deli on 2nd St} does an amazing job. Even if you don’t want the image restored  get it copied so that you can put the original in an ACID-FREE folder. Keep it in a cool DRY place where it will be safe from moisture and sun damage. If you have old film there are archival shops in the Portland area that can help you preserve the film as well as copy images to a digital format for you to view {Pro Photo Supply is awesome}.
Amanda reminded us to put acid-free matte board between our prints and the glass/plexiglass {UV coated of course} in a frame. This is to prevent the print from sticking to the glass due to humidity. Also to use acid-free papers in albums, folders, and storage. If prints just aren’t your style {and she’s not sure how that’s possible} she encourages you to get a collection of digital picture frames and load them up with images. More important than anything is the connection and emotion that comes with looking at photographs.

The End.
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PEERS Meeting | June 14

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Amanda Long

Woo! Summer is ramping up and for a lot of us that means MORE business 🙂

Our meeting began, as always, with introductions + 30-second commercials. Karen announced that KidSpirit starts in just ONE WEEK! …if you have any kiddos that need positive, safe, and fun activities for the summer KidSpirit is the place to be. Peg W. at Pathfinder Travel is noticing a younger demographic using her services. How do you know if you’re actually getting the best bang for your travel buck? Let Peg work her travel magic for you! Oni {Balance Point Acupuncture} + Joni {Essentially Healed} know that it’s allergy season in the Willamette Valley and that means discomfort for many of us. Talk to one or BOTH of them for natural and effective way to manage your allergies. Chris at Valley Eye Care reminded us that VEC has extended hours for all you folks working a 9 to 5 and to remember to protect your eyes with sunglasses {…now that the sun is back!}. Do you know who you’re doing business with? Who’s handling your money? Peg O. at Citizens Bank encourages everyone to thoroughly research the business and protect your finances.
We had a smaller group this week as we were missing Kate, Julie, Tara, Amy, AND Lora.  …miss you.
Our speakers this week were Lori with Thank You People and Anne Fahy with Remax-Integrity.

Lori has a special gift. Her way with words is unmatched. So it only makes sense that she own and operate a greeting card business. “People need to be encouraged…”, she began and reminded us that receiving a card in the mail can make all the difference in our business and personal relationships. She also has some tips for making it easier on yourself. 1. Have a nice selection of cards. Range them from ‘Thank You’ to sympathy; congratulations to happy birthday; or just something to make someone smile. 2. Keep stamps and your address book with your cards. 3. Have a really good pen to write with. It’s funny how a pen can make such a big difference in how and how often we’ll write someone.  Over the years Lori has never raised her prices (wow!) AND all the proceeds go to local charities and non-profits like South-Side Youth Outreach, Love Inc., and more. Lori will also customize a card for you… Pick a photo from her collection and write your own verse to go inside! Thank You People cards are available for purchase in local retail stores like Rice’s Gift & Pharmacy and The Book Bin.
Anne Fahy had an announcements for our group then opened the floor for a Real Estate Q&A. Anne was VERY happy to tell us that her daughter is going to join her in Real Estate as a member of her team at Remax. This is something that she’s been wanting for years now and it’s finally the right time. Her daughter will also join us at PEERS as Anne’s dual member. Yay! During the Q&A she talked about why sometimes homes sell in pockets… why houses on one street will sell like hot-cakes, but just two blocks over they sit for months. She talked about the importance of staging your For-Sale-Home to make it feel more welcoming and presentable to potential buyers. We’re very lucky in Corvallis that our housing market didn’t get hit as hard as some areas of the country in recent years – it did go down for awhile, but it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. This is partially due to the University and the constant need for housing by new and returning students. Many parents will buy a house for their student to live in while they attend OSU, then sell or rent it after they’re finished. Although this does mean that the sell-ability of a property can depend on its proximity to campus. But we’re moving forward in Corvallis! Businesses are hiring, Oregon State is enrolling more students, and this only means good things for Anne Fahy and Real Estate. 🙂
Until next week…
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PEERS Meeting – June 7th

Posted on June 7, 2012 by Amanda Long

We have been a bit off schedule with the blog… but we’re back on track now!

Wow, there’s been a LOT going on. First of all… WHAT is UP with this RAIN?!?
Last Saturday was the Girls on the Run 5K. PEERS member, Karen Swanger is the program director and with the help of our community she was again able to put together a great event for over 800 people. Several PEERS members played roles in making this event a success through donations, sponsoring teams, planning committees, and volunteering. The very next day Karen’s other program OSU KidSpirit had its opening day. She’s one busy cookie. 🙂
We’ve been missing our resident chef & caterer Kate Lynch { Forks & Corks Catering } the last few week as she’s also been quite busy spreading wonderful vittles all around Corvallis. We were so glad to see her this morning and hear about her ever growing new business.
Chris reminded us that this week is SUN WEEK at Valley Eye Care… so go in and get your sunglasses!

Amanda Long { Amanda Photographic } brought a guest today: Miranda Rommel, who shared a variety of wonderful products and skills. Miranda currently operates 3 small  businesses that are closely but not entirely related to each other. She has a line of fragrant natural soaps, creams, and lotions are under the banner of Nude Soap. Ready-to-buy as well as custom made “Fiber Friends” are very cute felted creatures – dogs, alpacas, sheep, mice, etc. These adorable little animals are also available with a moth repelling mini soap bar inside to keep your yarns and fibers safe. Miranda is also an illustrator. She has 4 self-published children’s books and is working on number 5.

Today was our monthly business meeting and we welcomed back a former member, Therese Waterhous, to be our guest speaker.
Therese owns and works at Willamette Nutrition Source. WNS is a private practice in medical nutrition therapy. They specialize in eating disorders (anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and eating disorders not otherwise specified). Therese has had training in family based therapy and use elements of it in her practice. She works with client’s medical doctors and therapists to use a team approach. WNS also sees people with metabolic syndrome/insulin resistance and provides nutrition education to a drug/alcohol rehab facility and their clients. Therese wanted to share with us the topic of Mindful Eating; which looks at the differences and sources between emotional hunger and physical (belly) hunger. Symptoms of emotional hunger/emotion based eating include: hunger increasing with rise in emotion – especially stress & sadness, inability to think through food options, open to suggestion – not caring what you eat/you just want something, engaging in automatic/repetitive eating, inability to feel satisfied, and last minute thoughts that eating will result in guilty feelings.
Before we talk about physical hunger, Therese also talked about a new-ish book called The Body Project. Its focus is to help students and young adults develop the critical thinking skills to make positive and healthy decisions about food, nutrition, and exercise. Much of the western media strongly portrays the ideal slim figure for both men and women which we begin to absorb from an early age. Diet programs and fads are pushed on us constantly from all sides. The one thing that all these diets have in common is that they tell us that something must be wrong with our bodies. The Body Project, WNS, and Therese all encourage “health at every size” and work to build positive relationships between people and their food.
On to physical (belly) hunger. This is when you’re actually hungry and in need of nutritional sustenance. Belly hunger will be based on your blood sugar level, what & when you last ate, it will not be compulsive – you can wait if needed, you’ll feel satisfied after eating, and you’ll display physical signs of hunger – grouchy, stomach grumbles, light headed.
Therese also gave us a 5-step method to self-soothe when hungry so that eating does not become impulsive and to see if your hunger is emotionally or physically based.
1. Recognize ONE scent around you.
2. Recognize TWO sounds around you.
3. Recognize THREE sensations around you – temperature, textures, pressure.
4. Recognize FOUR colors around you.
5. Recognize FIVE things in front of you.
The hunger scale is also a good tool to help gauge where you are in your hunger cycle and help maintain eating satisfaction.
10. Stuffed: so full that you fell sick.
9.  Very Uncomfortably Full: your clothes are tight.
8.  Uncomfortably Full: you feel bloated.
7.  Full: you feel a little uncomfortable.
6.  Completely Satisfied: you feel satisfied and nourished.
5.  Comfortable: satisfied but you could eat a little more.
4.  Slightly Uncomfortable: beginning to feel signs of hunger.
3.  Uncomfortable: stomach is rumbling.
2.  Very Uncomfortable: you feel irritable with “fuzzy” thinking.
1.  Weak & Light Headed: your stomach is GROWLING.
The self-soothing and grounding method along with the hunger scale can aid in more mindful eating, more positive relationship with food & your body, and prevent discomfort associated with being very full or hungry. There are a lot of great resources out there for learning better eating habits on Therese’s web page: http://willamettenutritionsource.com/affiliations_links.html
Happy Thursday… Maybe we’ll be able to get some sunshine this weekend. 🙂
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Wendy Kidder

Posted on June 1, 2012 by Amanda Long
Today our group will attend the memorial of our dear friend Wendy Kidder.
While some of us have known Wendy longer than others, we all know that it only took one hello from her to feel welcomed to any room.  After being in business for 20 years, Wendy and her company, Clean Endings, has made a significant impact on our community. Her reliable, friendly, and consistent staff have impressed Corvallis residents over the years.
In 2011 Wendy was diagnosed with breast cancer. She did everything she could to fight this disease, including cancer treatments and changing her diet. She fought with a positive attitude, grace, strength. During her treatment Wendy and Clean Endings partnered with Cleaning for a Reason, an organization that provides home cleaning service to women with cancer. Wendy was passionate about what she could do to help others no matter their need.
You can read more about Clean Endings here, Cleaning for a Reason here, and her obituary here.
Wendy is greatly missed by us all. Our thoughts, prayers, and support are with her family.
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PEERS member in the news…

Posted on May 27, 2012 by Amanda Long

Check out OSU’s Daily Barometer for an article about Karen Swanger 🙂

http://www.dailybarometer.com/running-past-the-tests-trials-of-life-1.2874506#.T8J7UNWm8nE

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Press Release for ‘Girls on the Run’ upcoming 5K

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Amanda Long

June 2nd, Corvallis will be overrun with hundreds of self-empowered, confident young girls celebrating their commitment to a healthy lifestyle.  This year, young women grades 3rd-8th  and their 5k Buddy will participate in the fourth annual Girls on the Run 5k to mark the end of their 2012 season.  The 10 week program is a life-changing, experiential learning program meant to inspire self-respect and healthy lifestyles in pre-teen girls.  The program combines physical training with uplifting, self-esteem boosting workouts.  Part of an international program, the council is hosted by an outreach program of the College of Public Health and Human Sciences.  This year Girls on the Run Willamette Valley has expanded to not only include Benton County, but Linn County as well. In the coming year, Polk, Marion, and Lincoln Counties will also join the Girls on the Run family, as well as Warm Springs Reservation.

A lot of people think, “I’m not a ‘runner’.”  GOTR has volunteers, 5K Running Buddies, and SoleMates that ranges from age 19-60!  A major feature of GOTR is that any girl grades 3rd-8th can participate regardless of their running ability. To help ensure each participant’s success, every girl in GOTR for the Willamette Valley received a new pair of running shoes for the season.  The program is also non-competitive and encourages girls of all shapes, sizes, and abilities to do their best. The benefits of the girls’ participation can be seen at school, in the home, and throughout the community.  Girls have the opportunity to make new friends, build their self-esteem and respect, and improve their overall health while having fun after school. The curriculum also includes community service projects for the girls. The program is 90% volunteer run, giving local families and businesses a common cause while building personal and professional development.

The Willamette Valley chapter has exceeded all of its five-year goals before the beginning of year four! Program Director, Karen Swanger, sees this as a sign that the area is excited about the program. In the monthly planning committee meetings Karen often uses the analogy of grant writing to talk about setting goals. When writing a grant for funding don’t ask for what you think you can get, ask for what you really want (need).  This philosophy has encouraged everyone involved with GOTR to think big. The community has stepped up to help meet the demands of the growing program’s need for coaches, Running Buddies, donations, sponsors, and parent support.  One such show of support has been enrollment in the SoleMates program. SoleMates is the adult charity running leg of GOTR. They are male and female athletes who pursue individual goals, such as running a marathon or participating in a triathlon, to raise money for their local GOTR council.  Some of the events completed by our 2012 SoleMates include: Pacific Crest Half Marathon, San Diego Rock n Roll, Surf City USA Marathon, Great Pumpkin Run, and the Corvallis Half Marathon. These events in themselves support wonderful causes and charities, and GOTR is proud to be part of that support system.

The big finish for the season is a 5K on Oregon State campus beginning and ending at Reser Stadium.  A pre-event Beaver Fun Run includes three races for children 3-12 years old starting at 9:00am. The Run To Benny (ages 3-4) is a 50 yd dash, followed the Beaver Bolt ,  a 500 yd race for 5-7 year olds, and a 1K for the 8-12 year olds. These events are for the whole family to enjoy and participate in before the 5K at 10:00am.  The 5K is a huge accomplishment and every year all the staff, coaches, Running Buddies, SoleMates, volunteers, their families, and community are so proud to see them finish!

Girls On The Run is still in need of donations, sponsorships, 5K Running Buddies, and race volunteers.  You can visit the Girls On The Run Willamette Valley website online to make a donation or become a sponsor at: http://www.gotrwillamette.org. The program uses funding to pay for curriculum packets, practice boxes full of supplies and snacks for the after-school meetings, running shoes for every participant, facilities for the 5K, and more.  If you’re looking for ways to help at the race volunteers are needed for the water stations, gear check, vendor booths, check in, and finish line at Reser Stadium. Training sessions for the 5K Running Buddies are coming up this Sunday May 20th and on Wednesday May 30th. Please visit Girls on the Run at their web page (http://www.gotrwillamette.org), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GOTRWillametteValley), or their office in Langton Hall Rm 125 on OSU campus.

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PEERS Meeting May 17th

Posted on May 21, 2012 by Amanda Long

A little bit late on the blog post, but hey that’s alright.

First we’d like to take beginning of this post to express our deep sadness and condolences over the loss of our friend and PEERS member Wendy Kidder. Our post for this week’s meeting will focus more on Wendy’s life and the impact her business, Clean Endings, made on the Corvallis community. We miss you Wendy.

There was a lot to talk about at our meeting last Thursday.
Some of our businesses and programs are ramping up for the summer! Karen from Girls On The Run has her season ending 5K run coming up on Saturday June 9th. This is a community event and everyone is welcome to join in on the festivities and cheer on our girls, as well the program is still in need of some sponsors and volunteers before their BIG day. Go here to sign up. Speaking of summer, Chris from Valley Eye Care reminded us to wear sunglasses on those bright days, especially on the little ones. to protect your eyes. Bonnie brought in some new spring items from Rice’s Pharmacy & Gift to pass around. And in Wendy’s honor Joni {Essentially Healed} shared that essential oils are not only for our bodies, but many of them are also excellent for their anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties when cleaning your home or office.
Our speakers on Thursday were Shelley and Ondria.
Shelley from Alta’s Antiques & Collectibles showed the group a wide selection of functional vintage jewelry. Everything from sweater clips to solid perfumes was on display. Shelley explained how very often the clothing that people wore in the before the 70s was more simple and plain because you were expected to dress it up (or down) with the appropriate jewelry and accessories for the occasion. Scarf clips, watch pins, dress clips, sweet heart jewelry from WWI & II, even ladies lipstick could function as a piece of jewelry. It was so fun, and sometimes funny, to see the items people used to wear. Shelley has been working with antiques and collectibles most of her life thanks to her parents who frequented antique stores, estate sales, and flea markets. So then it would make sense that for her the most difficult thing about getting dressed each morning is trying to decide what jewelry to wear. Shelley is available for home or office parties!
Ondria {Oni} from Balance Point Acupuncture decided to bring the focus of her presentation close to home and talk about acupuncture and grief.
An analogy that was recurring throughout her talk was how our bodies aren’t containers meant for holding in our emotions and energy. Instead, our bodies are like sponges. Our emotions and energy affect and change our sponge, but they pass-through, and are not held onto by it. Acupuncture can facilitate the movement and releasing of our energy in a focused and directed way. Oni explained that our internal organs are associated with different energy paths; the lungs, for example, are associated with grief. If a person is holding onto grief they may experience illness or stress in their lungs because the emotions and energy had nowhere to go. She also showed the group how to tap on our upper chests if we had low energy. How to push and massage our feet if we felt jumpy to bring us back to center and re-ground us. Lastly, Oni talked about reminding yourself that “…it’s ok to not be ok and still go on.” When you’re grieving, no you’re not ok, but that’s ok, and it’s ok to keep going.
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PEERS Meeting – May 10th @ Julie’s Farm

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Amanda Long

It’s a BEAUTIFUL day here in the Willamette Valley and a perfect day to visit Julie’s micro farm.

Firstly, our group is sending positive thoughts and feelings to our friend & PEERS member Wendy Kidder {Clean Endings} and her family. Wendy has been fighting cancer for the last several months. This week she was scheduled to have her final chemo treatment when she came down with a cold that has since caused complications and she is currently in the ICU.  Wendy has been so strong through her cancer treatment and we are all pulling together now, as a group, to be strong for her. Our thoughts and prayers are with her and her family.
Our meeting this morning started like all others with introductions and commercials. Some weeks everyone’s commercial seem to orbit around a certain topic. Today’s theme turned out to be customer service. Many of the businesses in PEERS are well established in our community; some of them with over 30 years experience. It should come as no surprise then that many of them have developed personal relationships with their clients and customers.  Peg with Citizens Bank – a community bank serving Benton, Linn, Lane and Yamhill counties in Oregon, has made customer service her #1 priority. Our hostess, Julie {Tobias-Weiss Design}, had newly designed bridal shower invitations to show us. A linen and lingerie theme made for a very cute invitation. Joni {Essentially Healed} brought some Peppermint Beadlets for us to try. A wonderful, natural way to perk yourself up at any time of day… and freshen your breath. Joni is passionate about using natural methods and treatments to help our bodies heal and stay strong. Our group actually has four members {Amy – Carefree Massage, Nadine – GF RN & RN On-Call, and Ondriah – Balance Point Acupuncture} that are here to help the community with their overall health needs. We’re a well taken care of group. 🙂 Anne Fahy {Remax Integrity} has shared the importance of preparing your home before listing it. She has always stressed that showing perspective buyers a home instead of an empty shell is critical to a quick and successful sale. Anne works very hard with her clients to give them the most effective and efficient service possible.  She shared today that while most agents had fewer than 5 transactions last year, she had over 20! Go Anne! Karen brought the summer course catalog for this year’s KidSpirit Summer Day-Camp. If you’d like more information about their program or Girls On The Run check here and here. She also brought the orders from her Initials Inc party that she hosted after the Corvallis Half Marathon back in Mid-April. …It was so fun to see what all the ladies in the group picked, including a HUGE hamper ordered by Lora that she’s going to use as a toy box. Amanda {Amanda Photographic} brought cards to showcase her services for the upcoming wedding season. The season is starting to ramp up and she’s already making plans for summer 2013!  And Ilene from A&S Accounting always reminds us that the IRS will never contact you by email. A&S Accounting is just one more business in Corvallis that is happy to help and answer questions any time of the year. All of the ladies and their businesses are proud members of the Corvallis community and are regularly involved in programs that make our little slice of Oregon a better place to live.
After the meeting we stepped outside to Julie’s mini-orchard for a new group photo! We were so excited to welcome back Tara to our group, although we were missing Kate and Wendy. Here’s the silly photo for now…

The ladies at PEERS can be pretty silly 🙂

Then it was visiting time with Julie’s new baby goats {kids} and walking around the property.

Our meeting location this week

Nadine taking her own photos of some goats.

Julie’s barn; complete with goats and chickens.

The tall grassy area is FULL of these purple flowers

Another photo of the barn. Oni says hello to one of the 6 baby goats

chickens

Mama goat and kid …he’s a jumper.

Oni with one of the younger babies 🙂

Hey, a goat!

…and another goat!

Wouldn’t it be great if everyone could have a micro farm?

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