Business Briefs: Protect Identity, Enjoy Party

Favorite

ST. HELENA, CA - (December 11, 2008) - St. Helena’s Up Valley Real Estate invites everyone to a “Community Shred Day and Holiday Open House” on Thursday, Dec. 11 at their offices, 1126 Adams St. A “Shred Solution” truck will be in the parking lot to shred unneeded documents and as a donation, participants are asked to bring two cans of non-perishable food that will be donated to the local food bank. Cessna Barrett, Up Valley Real Estate owner, said she and others have passed out fliers advertising the “Community Shred Day” and the response has been overwhelming. Brown’s Auto, for example, told her they have 100 boxes of records that need to be shredded. Barrett is requesting that people bring only paper to shred and adds there’s a five-box per person limit. Realtor Jane Wright said Napa’s Charter Oak Bank recently conducted a similar shred day and it was tremendously successful as 1,000 people showed up and the company shredded 10,000 pounds of paper.

The Holiday Open House will including hot apple cider, Champagne and Woodhouse chocolates with eatable Up Valley Real Estate logos on them. “We want to help protect against ID theft,” Wright said. Barrett added, “We need to be giving back to the community, because we are so fortunate.” The company is the second oldest, boutique and independently owned real estate agency in St. Helena, and is celebrating its 32nd year in business. As part of its community efforts, its employees pick up trash along Highway 29 from Zinfandel Lane to the Oakville Grocery four times a year. After they receive new, more reflective uniforms from Caltrans, expected sometime this month, the office staff will go out and clean up their stretch of highway. “It’s really great working with Caltrans on this program,” Barrett said.