Oil feeds more than your engine.

We at Gresham Ford are so blessed to partner with other businesses in our community to work on projects that benefit the less fortunate throughout the year.   And when a business goes above and
beyond they should be recognized - so drum roll please – as we applaud Carson Oil and its employees
for going above and beyond to help “Fill-A-Bag” benefiting  SnowCap Community Charities.  They
wanted to do more than just write a check they wanted to get their employees involved -  and their employees wanted to get involved even better…so they collected non-perishable items (literally a truck load full) and took up a sizable donation (north of $1,000) to give to “Fill-A-Bag” for SnowCap.   And the most impressive part is this is just one of the many charitable projects they complete during the holiday season.

Carson Oil provides most of the oil and lubricant products here at Gresham Ford so when you have an oil change in our QuickLane, where we work on all makes and models and are open Monday thru Friday 7:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m. (winter hours) and Saturdays 8:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m., you are getting oil from a company that not only cares about the performance of your car but cares about your community also.

The morning that Shawn Ghods, Account Manager for Carson Oil showed up with all of this I unfortunately was tied up with auditors (you know all that year end stuff) so I was feeling over-regulated and wondering why do we do all this work – when regulations make it sometimes so difficult…when Shawn made me realize business is more than business-- it is about taking care of our
community….Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas from Gresham Ford proud to work with Carson Oil  a business that helps us serve our customers and our community!

Fill-A-Bag and Help to End Hunger in East County

For the past several years, we’ve participated in the Fill-A-Bag Food drive for SnowCap Community
Charities.  And this year is no different!  Last week we kicked it off with the bag folding party so be looking for those bags in the Outlook newspaper as of the 17th.  Next, we have a few dates you might want to remember: November 1st-30th- Pay it Forward at Gresham Family Chiropractic, 575 NE 2nd St, Gresham, will donate $20 to SnowCap for every patient that comes in with a Fill-A-Bag filled with non-perishable items.

November 28th-The Spirit of Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony with many fun activities for the kids during the day, Historic Downtown Gresham.  There will be a parade from downtown to the Center for the Arts Plaza at 4:30pm with the tree lighting at 5pm. For more information please call, Event Coordinator Shannon Chisom at 503-750-3785.

December 3rd  & 17th-10% of Sales between 5-8pm at Burgerville, 2975 NE Hogan Dr, Gresham, going to SnowCap.  Bring your families out for a great dinner and 10% will go to helping our neighbors right here in Gresham.

December 9th-Annual Fill-A-Bag Auction & Dinner at Riverview Community Bank, 225 NE Burnside Rd, Gresham, 6pm.  Please contact Larry Schwartz for more information, larryschwartz@riverviewbank.com (503) 912-5400.

December 11th-SnowCap Breakfast at Gresham Baptist Church, 3848 N.E. Division St., 7am.  Hosted by the Gresham Chamber of Commerce, the proceeds from this event will benefit SnowCap, My Father’s House and Human Solutions.  For more information please contact, Julie Hamatake at the Gresham Chamber of Commerce at julieh@greshamchamber.org or 503-665-1131.

January 7th-Casino Night at Balance Health & Injury Clinic, 1217 NE Burnside Rd #301, Gresham.  Details to follow.  For more information please contact, Caterina Robertson at 503-492-2625.

If anyone has any other events related to this food drive, please contact Bess Wills at Gresham Ford,
bess@greshamford.com, 503-665-0102.

You can also stop by many locations and drop off non-perishable food items or donate cash in the donation jars.  For a complete list please contact Kirsten Wageman at Kirsten@snowcap.org or 971-235-4504.

The holidays bring Fill-A-Bag benefiting Snow Cap and hungry East County Families

The Holidays are right around the corner and it is the time of the year we reflect on Thanks and giving…and for both those reasons we are excited to again be a part of “Fill-A-Bag” or “Fill-An-Envelope”.  This effort benefits SnowCap our local Food Pantry for those needing a “hand”.   Local is the key word here….these are our friends and neighbors…working single moms that just need a little extra “food” resources to make it thru the month, a Senior Citizen whose winter utility bill makes it necessary for them to have to choose food or warmth.  

While cleaning out your pantry and giving extra staples and canned items to this food drive (bags will be inserted into the newspaper the week of November 17th) are always welcome.  However, if you are going shopping to “fill the bag” you might want to consider putting money in the attached envelop or going online to SnowCap.org and make a donation.   The reason being is that SnowCap as a charter member of the Oregon Food Bank  and because of the corporate generosity (Ford Motor Company is one of them) to the Oregon Food Bank they are able to purchase a pound for food for $.05.  You cannot duplicate that at your local market so even a $1 given to SnowCap will provide a family in our community 20 pounds of food.

One hundred years ago we would have put a basket of food together and taken it to the widow the next farm over who was unable to gather crops the previous summer because “giving” is a way to show “thanks” for being blessed.  Today we do not always know who our neighbors in need are but SnowCap does and they get almost 100% of the resources given them into the hands of those that need a good neighbor!  Watch for the “Fill-A-Bag” or “Fill-An-Envelope” in this newspaper soon and when you do please share if you can!  

P.S.  If you are reading this before 4:00 p.m.  today please come down to Gresham Ford and take a “no pressure” test drive and $20 will be donated to SnowCap on your behalf!  That’s 400 pounds of food!

Did you know?

As times are changing, the automotive industry has to find innovative ways to keep up and if you think about the evolution of the automobile, it’s pretty amazing how far we’ve come!  Can you imagine (especially as a women) riding in those first vehicles?  No windows, seats as hard as stone, no heat and while they did have springs of sorts, I would imagine you still got the wind knocked out of you if you hit a pothole too fast.

Well, we all know about gas vehicles, we know about hybrids and we know about electric powered
vehicles.  But did you know Ford has a vehicle that has the best of everything in the electric/battery/gas operated world?  Meet the Hybrid-Energi!  Full electric, fully gas and everything in between.  This special vehicle will hold a charge for approximately 20 miles of driving before kicking into the gas powered engine.  What that means is, if you only drive five miles to work everyday, you will never use a drop of gas!!!

So, you could drive to work, drive to the grocery store or maybe some other in town shopping and drive home!  Plug it into your cozy garage at night, and then drive right by all those gas stations smiling and waving!

So, to put this to the test, I have recently purchased a Ford Fusion Hybrid-Energi.  I filled it with gas, documented the miles and I plan to see how long it takes me before I need to get fuel again.  I will be doing updates so stay tuned here to find out how it’s going!

Happy Halloween everyone! Stay safe out there!

No Tricks , Just Treats!

Are you looking for some safe and fun Halloween activities for you and your kids this Jack-O-Lantern season?  Well here are some local ideas you might want to check out.

Come enjoy some "boo-tiful" classical music, dress in your favorite Halloween costume and join us for some "Spooktacular" kid-friendly fun. Riverview Community Bank proudly presents The Portland Columbia Symphony Orchestra's Symphonic, “Safari Goes Halloween”, October 25th at Parkrose High School, 12003 NE Shaver St, Portland at 3pm. Engage in hands-on pre concert arts, crafts, and activities.

And watch as the, “The Sorcerer's Apprentice” comes to life with puppets from Tears of Joy. Don’t miss this fun for the entire family!  Then you can head to downtown Gresham where every year The Historic Downtown Gresham Business Association blocks off the Gresham downtown Main Ave between 1st and 5th for a safe trick-or-treat event to celebrate Halloween. Bring the kids and join other families on Main Ave, Saturday October 31st from 4pm-6pm and and get candy from local merchants who are staying open to hand out tricks and/or treats.

And from there venture on over to Greater Gresham Baptist Church, 8848 NE Division, Gresham, for their “No Tricks, Just Treats” event, 6pm-8pm.  With games and cupcake decorating, hot cider, hot chocolate and coffee too, you’re sure to find something for the whole family.

“It's late and we are sleepy, the air is cold and still. Our jack-o-lantern grins at us upon the windowsill. We're stuffed with cake and candy, and we've had a lot of fun, but now it's time to go to
bed and dream of all we've done. And we'll dream of trick-or-treating on this happy Halloween”.-Author unknown

Sam Barlow and Gresham High Schools are Partnering with Gresham Ford for a fundraising event this Saturday!

What a great way to kick off our new school year!  Drive a brand new Ford and Ford Motor Company gives $20, per drive, to your school!!  For those of you who may not have heard of this program, it’s our Annual Drive 4 UR School event and it’s happening this Saturday (tomorrow) September 19th from 10am-4pm here at Gresham Ford (1999 E Powell Blvd, Gresham).  Every year Ford Motor Company partners with us for this amazing fundraiser, and all that’s required is a quick drive around the block, fill out a form that says that you did just that, and bam!! $20 goes to the school!  It’s free, it’s painless and it’s a lot of fun!

This year, Gresham Gopher Spirit Club, Barlow Girls Basketball and Boys Baseball will be the recipients of this generous offering!  And did I mention that there is a total of $6,000 that can be earned from this one day, this one event?  It’s true!  And all that it takes is a little bit of your time!

It’s easy, no pressure, but don’t take our word for it. “Even though we no longer have children in the
high school, I always try to participate in Gresham Ford’s Drive 4 UR School event because it helps the school so much and it’s a fun way to check out what’s new in cars without feeling an ounce of pressure from anyone.  It’s all about the students!  What a generous gesture this is from Ford Motor Co. to help schools financially and require such a minimal effort on our part”, says Crismon Lewis, a father of 9 children all who were taught in the Gresham-Barlow school system.

So, come on down to Gresham Ford tomorrow, drive a gorgeous brand new car and support our local
schools!  It’s as easy as that!!

Ford Warriors in Pink and Gresham Ford Launch Initiative to Help Bring More Good Days to Those Living with Breast Cancer

DEARBORN, Mich., May 19, 2015 – Ford Motor Company, through its Warriors in Pink^® campaign, today launches The Good Day Project – a powerful call to action to bring more good days to those living with breast cancer.

For more than two decades, Ford Warriors in Pink has been committed to the fight and continues to inspire women to be proactive about their breast health. The Good Day Project takes the program a step further – encouraging people to step up and help those who are battling the disease.

“Most breast cancer patients characterize their days by ‘good days’ and ‘bad days,’” said Tracy Magee, Ford Warriors in Pink brand manager. “While many people want to help, most are unsure of the best way to show their support. We want to change this.

“Warriors in Pink is about driving awareness, and about motivating people to help in the battle against breast cancer,” added Magee. “With The Good Day Project, we hope to empower people to take real action and help provide more good days to those living with the disease.”

At the heart of the project are partnerships with Meal Train and Lyft to provide support services and resources that benefit those dealing with breast cancer and help make their day-to-day life easier.

The nationwide partnership with Meal Train – an online platform for organizing family and friends to bring meals to loved ones fighting breast cancer – allows users to gain free access to the premium service Meal Train Plus. The service not only helps organize meal deliveries, but other household needs such as errand services and childcare.

“We are thrilled to be joining forces with Ford Warriors in Pink to simplify the giving process,” said Michael Laramee, cofounder, Meal Train. “Our goal is to give users practical solutions that help provide the services they need on the days that are most helpful. Through this partnership, we hope to inspire more people to join the fight and grant small acts of kindness that lessen the burden for those living with the disease.”

Alongside the support services made available through Meal Train, Warriors in Pink will work with Lyft to offer surprise rides to and from appointments for some patients undergoing treatment. The ride-sharing service will be made available starting in June, and will roll out across 17 cities through select treatment centers. 

“Reliable transportation to and from treatment is a common challenge for patients,” said Kira Wampler, chief marketing officer, Lyft. “We are honored to be partnering with Ford Warriors in Pink to bring a dependable option to the many women seeking treatment this year.

“Together with Ford and Meal Train, we’ll help bring awareness to the small things people can do to support women fighting this disease,” added Wampler. “In the coming days, we’ll share details on how to donate a free Lyft ride to a patient in need – simply by showing your support.” 

In addition to the partnerships with Meal Train and Lyft, Ford Warriors in Pink has created new ideas, tips and tools as part of The Good Day Project to help people carry out simple acts that bring about more good days.

we hope to inspire more people to join the fight and grant small acts of kindness that lessen the burden for those living with the disease.”

Alongside the support services made available through Meal Train, Warriors in Pink will work with Lyft to offer surprise rides to and from appointments for some patients undergoing treatment. The ride-sharing service will be made available starting in June, and will roll out across 17 cities through select treatment centers. 

“Reliable transportation to and from treatment is a common challenge for patients,” said Kira Wampler, chief marketing officer, Lyft. “We are honored to be partnering with Ford Warriors in Pink to bring a dependable option to the many women seeking treatment this year.

“Together with Ford and Meal Train, we’ll help bring awareness to the small things people can do to support women fighting this disease,” added Wampler. “In the coming days, we’ll share details on how to donate a free Lyft ride to a patient in need – simply by showing your support.” 

In addition to the partnerships with Meal Train and Lyft, Ford Warriors in Pink has created new ideas, tips and tools as part of The Good Day Project to help people carry out simple acts that bring about more good days.we hope to inspire more people to join the fight and grant small acts of kindness that lessen the burden for those living with the disease.”

Additional details and resources can be found at www.fordcares.com. These include:

• A free postcard mailing service launching in June; visitors can customize a message that Warriors in Pink will send to their loved ones
• A list of books of encouragement selected by those who have had experience with breast cancer
• Spotify playlist with songs of encouragement and empowerment
• Advice from Warriors in Pink Models of Courage members on how to get through the hard days of treatment, along with inspiring ways to celebrate the good days  
• Health and financial information from the four charity partners of Ford Warriors in Pink – The Pink Fund, Susan G. Komen, Dr. Susan Love Research Foundation and Young Survival Coalition
• An opportunity to win various “good day” experiences – from flowers to relaxing spa treatments and even a grand prize of an all-new Ford Mustang

Supporting The Good Day Project is singer and songwriter Andy Grammer, whose mother died from breast cancer six years ago. Grammer recently joined Warriors in Pink in a visit to The Margie Petersen Breast Center in Los Angeles, surprising more than 50 cancer patients with a touching performance.

“We learned of my mother’s breast cancer very late, and because of that I feel it’s important to be a part of the awareness movement,” said Grammer. “I want people to know that it does not have to be all bad. You are reminded that it only takes a moment to show someone how much you love them, and these small moments can help influence their outlook.”

For more than 20 years, Ford Motor Company has worked to advance the conversation around breast cancer – inspiring the next generation of warriors in the fight, while continuing to fuel the spirit of those living with the disease. To date, Ford has contributed more than $128 million to the cause.

Gresham Ford has chosen to help the Gresham area since 2003 with the "Contribute to the Community" Program that allows customers of the Oregon Ford Dealership support those charities that are closest to their hearts.