It all started with a friendship between a rock collector and silversmith.
Heather Rieder s grandfather loved uncovering Oregon stones, a passion she shared as a 9-year-old growing up in the Boring area. Rieder would scour her backyard finding stones she would send through a tumbler to polish and smooth. She was drawn to the brilliant colors and intricate patterns.
She built up quite the collection, storing them in a box she kept with her through the years.
Rieder eventually would marry the son of the silversmith Alan Stockam a pairing that would prove to be a match made in jewelry-making heaven. About 7 years ago, the couple brought out Rieder s box of rocks, and decided to see what was inside.
Local businesses grateful for private donation
Dwight Unti s $50,000 gift provides aid to 16 businesses in East Multnomah County.
From out of no where a lifeline came to a handful of local businesses, just in time for the holiday season.
With a personal donation of $50,000 by Dwight Unti of Tokola Enterprises, 16 local businesses are receiving financial help as they contend with the economic hardships imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Tokola Properties is a real estate development, construction and property management company focused on multifamily, mixed-use and hotel development in Oregon, Washington and Arizona. Small businesses are an integral part of the community, Unti said. These folks, in most cases, invested their life savings to start these businesses. The rest of us need to do what we can to help them.