Unleash the Power of The Press

admin

Green with envy about “green” recognition…Drysdale’s All-Natural Carpet Care recognized by green authorities.

PEABODY, MA…

According to Mark Dullea, owner of Drysdale’s All-Natural Carpet Care, it’s not so easy being green. After much trial and error, he perfected a chemical-free way to clean rugs and carpeting. That effort has been recognized by leading mainstream and green publications and authorities.

In fact, Drysdale’s All-Natural Carpet Care’s combination of superior customer service AND its cleaning of carpeting and rugs without chemicals has earned them a listing in the National Green Pages (the only carpet cleaning business in New England) and most recently inclusion in the McGraw-Hill book Build a Green Small Business. Drysdale’s has also received a “Best of Boston” award from Boston Magazine and an A rating on AngiesList.

“When you think of carpet cleaning, environmentally friendly doesn’t exactly come to mind. You think of large machines with chemicals and steam. That’s why it’s incredibly rewarding to be recognized by the National Green Pages and mentioned in Build a Green Small Business, said Dullea. “That recognition takes on even more weight when you consider that despite having two college degrees I didn’t know a thing about running a carpet cleaning business when I started Drysdale’s back in 1990.”

In addition to being chemical free, Drysdales’ employs a unique odorless,
low-moisture, process for cleaning rugs and carpets. This not only is better for the environment, but avoids potential damage to carpeting, carpet
pads, and to wood floors that can occur with “splash and dash” steam cleaners. Not to mention saving its customers hours, even days’ worth of wet carpeting.

“I think that’s the real beauty of what we offer. We not only clean rugs and carpets in an environmentally safer way, but we actually clean them better with less inconvenience to our customers,” said Dullea.

Besides cleaning carpets, Drysdale’s utilizes it’s natural cleaning process for:

●        Upholstery cleaning

●        Cleaning of tile & grout floors

●        Sterilizing of mattresses through the use of high-pressure, 300 degree
live steam (enough heat to destroy dust mite allergen)

●        Dustless sanding & refinishing of wood floors.

Perhaps the only real formula Dullea uses for his business is the formula for the business itself. For just $1995, Drysdale will provide prospective owners the equipment, supplies, training materials and the free backup technical and business assistance needed to run a successful carpet cleaning business. There are no franchise fees, no royalties and no territories. So, for less than $2,000, a budding entrepreneur can have their own green, award-winning carpet cleaning business and keep 100 percent of their earnings.

“The best part about this opportunity is you can come from any walk of life and do this business and make it fit your lifestyle. You can clean the carpets yourself or hire staff. You can be the guy recently out of work who can’t afford a prolonged job search and just wants an income. You can be just out of school or a single parent who can only work while the kids are at school. Or you can merely be the person who’s tired of working for other people and wants to run his or her own show. This is a great opportunity to start a business with a proven niche and track record for success for minimal dollars,” said Dullea.

For more information on  Drysdale’s All-Natural Carpet Care, please visit www.drysdales123.com. If you would like own and run your own green, carpet cleaning business, please visit www.carpet-cleaning-business.com or contact Mark Dullea at 617-242-9657 or markd@cybercom.net.

About Drysdale’s All-Natural Carpet Care

Drysdale’s All-Natural Carpet Care has been cleaning carpeting and rugs the chemical-free way since way back when Kermit the Frog was just a tadpole. In addition to cleaning all types of carpeting and rugs via a unique odorless, low-moisture, natural process, Drysdale’s also offers a variety of other services ranging from upholstery cleaning to sterilizing mattresses; cleaning tile & grout floors to polishing/refinishing of natural stone floors.

Drysdale’s All-Natural Carpet Care has been recognized by several reputable publications and organizations. That includes being a “Best of Boston” selection in BOSTON Magazine, maintaining a straight “A” rating on AngiesList and being the only carpet cleaning company in New England to be listed in the NATIONAL GREEN PAGES (a nonprofit) published by CoopAmerica (http://www.coopamerica.org). Most recently, Drysdales was highlighted in the McGraw-Hill book BUILD A GREEN SMALL BUSINESS, by Scott Cooney, as a national leader in more healthy home services.

For more information on Drysdale’s All-Natural Carpet Care and Drysdale’s Total Floor Care, visit (http://www.drysdales123.com). For details on the business opportunity presented by Drysdale’s All-Natural Carpet Care, please visit www.carpet-cleaning-business.com or contact Mark Dullea at 617-242-9657 or markd@cybercom.net.

Green with envy about “green” recognition…Drysdale’s All-Natural Carpet Care recognized by green authorities.Read More

Brockton’s Mayor Harrington Participates in “Mayors For Meals” National Initiative

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:””; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:none; mso-layout-grid-align:none; text-autospace:none; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {color:blue; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {color:purple; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>

Brockton Mayor James Harrington was among more than 1,000 mayors across the country to support the Meals On Wheels programs in their cities by delivering meals to seniors on March 18th in what is known as “Mayors For Meals” Day. Mayor Harrington and OCES Assistant Director Timothy Valentine and Nutrition Director Shawn Smith delivered the noontime meals to 15 Meals On Wheels clients at their homes last week.

The Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA) has designated March for their annual national campaign known as “March For Meals”. Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) of Brockton participates in this campaign each year, which is designed to increase public awareness, recruit new volunteers and encourage local fundraising.

“We have many seniors in Brockton who are unable to get to the grocery store or to one of our congregate meal sites and who otherwise would not get a nutritious daily meal. The Meals On Wheels program is absolutely essential to them,” noted OCES Executive Director Diana DiGiorgi.

The Meals On Wheels program serves Brockton residents age 60 and over, as well as disabled residents under 60. Both the Meals On Wheels program and the congregate meal sites rely on help from volunteers. Meals On Wheels currently needs volunteer drivers to deliver meals to elders throughout the Brockton area. Volunteer drivers typically deliver 15-20 meals a day, between 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. and are reimbursed for mileage. Volunteers are needed Monday through Friday, yet they may help out for any number of days per week that they desire.

Volunteers are also needed to set up, bag and distribute meals at the Belair, Manning, Caffrey and Campello congregate meal sites.

Anyone who is interested in volunteering at least two hours per week as a Meals On Wheels driver or as a helper at one of the congregate meal sites, contact Shawn Smith, Nutrition Director at OCES at (508) 584-1561.

About OCES
Incorporated in 1974, Old Colony Elder Services (OCES) is one of 27 private, non-profit Aging Services Access Points (ASAPs) in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

OCES serves elders, their families and caregivers in the towns of Abington, Avon, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Kingston, Lakeville, Marshfield, Middleboro, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Rockland, Stoughton, Wareham, West Bridgewater and Whitman.

The organization’s mission is to provide services that support the dignity and independence of elders by helping them maximize their quality of life; live safely and in good health; and, prevent
unnecessary or premature institutionalization.

The agency has 130 employees and operates more than 12 programs serving elders, their families and caregivers.  For more information call (508) 584-1561 or visit the website at www.oldcolonyelderservices.org

Brockton’s Mayor Harrington Participates in “Mayors For Meals” National InitiativeRead More

Plymouth North wrestlers pin down Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac’s “Driven Student” award for March.

PLYMOUTH, MA…

 

Whoever coined the phrase “It’s not whether you win or lose, but how you play the game.” probably didn’t have a wrestling team in mind. Yet it certainly applies to Plymouth North’s 2008-09 wrestling team, this month’s winner of the Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac Driven Student of the Month award for March.

The team finished 4-23 in its first year as a new program. Yet according to Coach Mike Grimes, his young grapplers ended the season light years ahead of where we started it. Said Grimes, “We were like any other program in that we had our ups and downs during the season, but there were more good moments than bad ones. You could see the confidence grow in the kids as the season rolled along.”

That confidence also showed itself in the chilly waters of Plymouth Harbor as the Plymouth North wrestlers made a splash at this year’s Polar Plunge, the fundraiser for Jordan Hospital’s cancer unit.  The team received the award for raising the most money for a high school team. Ironically, the team has had its share of difficulties in raising funds to purchase a mat for home meets (they’ve borrowed a mat to date).

As winners of Tracy’s Driven Student of the Month honor, the team was treated to a pizza party and received Tracy pens and key chains, courtesy of Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac.

 

“The Plymouth North wrestling team is most deserving of this month’s Driven Student award. Not only does it take discipline to be a wrestler, but it takes a real commitment to help start a program and take the lumps that can go along with that. I commend them for their efforts,” said Jeff Tracy, president of Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac.

 

Members of the 200809 Plymouth North wrestling team include: Frank Aguiar, Eric Brown, Anthony Clark, Kyle Decker, Jon Dee, Gavin Dineen, Glen Drew, Connor Elliot, Josh Hamblin, Justin Maskell, Chris Morse, Hieu Nguyen, Charlie Phachanisiri, Henry Regelado, Matt Ryan, John Sharp, Carlos Solomon, Vincent Tavernelli, Anthony Valero, Drew Wadman, Ben Waltuch and Jared Weinstock.

 

If you would like to make a contribution to the fund to purchase a wrestling mat for Plymouth North High School, please contact Kevin Farrell, Freshman Housemaster, at 508-830-0101.

 

Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac’s Driven Student program recognizes Plymouth high school students for their performance and achievements in and out of the classroom. Awarded on a monthly basis, recipients are selected by faculty and advisors at the student’s given school.

 

So easy at Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac

For more than 80 years and three generations of dealers, the Tracy family has made it so easy for customers on the South Shore and greater Plymouth area to purchase new and used automobiles. Since its beginnings in 1992, Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac has emphasized first-rate customer service and straightforward, bottom-line pricing with fair trade-ins every time–without the games or gimmicks you find at other dealerships. For more information on new and used trucks and automobiles, you can go to www.tracymotors.com or stop by the dealership, conveniently located at 137 Samoset Street, just off exit 6 on Route 3. For more information, or to make a service appointment, you can also call (800) 640-2884.

 

 

Plymouth North wrestlers pin down Tracy Chevrolet Cadillac’s “Driven Student” award for March.Read More

Double your pleasure, double your networking. SSAC/SSWBN

Double your pleasure, double your networking.

South Shore Ad Club and South Shore Women’s Business Network combine to host

a Network for Success event on Tuesday, April 7, 6 p.m. at Kingston, Mass.

 

DATELINE:  KINGSTON, MA…

 

Tough economic times require more aggressive networking. With that in mind,

South Shore Ad Club and South Shore Women’s Business Network combine to host

a “Double your pleasure, double your networking” event on Tuesday, April 7,

6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kingsbury Club, 186 Summer Street, Route 3A, Kingston,

Mass.

 

The price of admission is $25 for  non-members, $20 for members. Light

refreshments will be served.  Members and the general business community.

 

Two panelists will outline networking tips and techniques.  Stacey Shipman,

M Ed. And Joe Costantino, MBA will outline how to present a “talking logo”,

how to reduce the stress of networking, and three easy to implement

networking tactics.  After the presentation there will be ample opportunity

to practice networking skills.  Bring plenty of business cards.

 

“Networking is often the key to warm leads and new business,” noted Steve

Dubin, owner of PR Works and member of the South Shore Ad Club’s board of

directors. He added, “Yet, many of us aren’t sure how to go about networking

and how to efficiently and effectively use our time.  This event explores

the dos and don’ts of networking and affords both the time and real

prospects to practice what we’ve learned.”

 

About The South Shore Ad Club

The South Shore Ad Club is a non-profit organization committed to the

personal and professional development of communications professionals

located south of Boston. It’s the club’s  mission to improve, strengthen and

advance career goals through learning and networking opportunities; and to

serve as a resource for local and Boston-area businesses  requiring

marketing, advertising, public relations and/or communications services.

 

Space is limited. To RSVP, please contact Mary McElroy, McElroy Associates,

(781) 383-0505 or info@mcelroyassoc.net.  Payment for this function can also

be made on-line at www.SouthShoreAd.com.  Cash or checks will also be accepted at the door.

 

Double your pleasure, double your networking. SSAC/SSWBNRead More

Do you Google good to great? Protecting your online reputation.

Flowers may say “I love you” but negative comments about your business or service on a blog or consumer Web site are forever. And if a Google search on your company contains just one of these sites on the first page, you’ve got a huge problem.

Is it hopeless? Yes and no.

Yes, because you’ll never eliminate the negative post on a comment page of a blog or Web site.

No, because you can push the negative site down on searches of your company name by consistently putting out positive information on your company via blogs, press releases, “how to” and bylined articles and even creating additional Web sites on your company’s products or services.

By creating new content about your company, particularly if it’s posted on another Web site that ranks highly in the search engines—like Prfree.com or other press release distribution sites—you can push the offending site or blog down the page of searches on your company.

Ideally, you want to push the offending page as many pages back in a Google search as possible. Unfortunately, that will take a great number of press releases, blog entries and other efforts. Your immediate goal should be to knock the negative site off the first page of a Google search.

One simple way to accomplish this is to plan a series of press releases, with a minimum of one per week over the course of a few months. Be sure to post your press release on at least 10 free press release submission sites. Within a few weeks, you should start to see these releases appearing on searches for your company name. As long as there are no additional posts on the negative sites, you have a pretty good shot of knocking the negative post off the first page of searches.

Most importantly, be patient and stick to the plan. It may take a month or two or even longer to knock the negative site off the first page. But it can be done if you keep putting out new, positive content on your company.

Get proactive, keep the momentum going and get good to great on Google.

Do you Google good to great? Protecting your online reputation.Read More

Boys and Girls Club “An Evening of Stars” Gala and Auction Raises $60,000

<!– /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:””; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-fareast-font-family:”Times New Roman”;} @page Section1 {size:8.5in 11.0in; margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in; mso-header-margin:.5in; mso-footer-margin:.5in; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} –>

$60,000 was raised in support of programming for more than 4,000 youths in Marshfield and surrounding towns at the recent Boys and Girls Club “An Evening of Stars” Gala and Auction held last week at the Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston.

350 people attended the event which was held at a new venue this year. Despite the economy, guests contributed heavily realizing the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield is a great short and long term investment.

“We took a risk and broke tradition by replacing the venue and changing the date by six months and it was a great success! Our attendance was up by 25 percent; we raised more money than in previous years and our attendees were uniformly happy,” explained Dan Burke, President of the Boys and Girls Club Board of Directors.

He continued, “Everyone did an amazing job. The Boys and Girls Club gala and auction is all about great people supporting a great cause and doing it with all their heart and soul.”

A number of folks were honored during the evening for their dedication to and support of the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield including: State Representative Frank Hynes and his wife Heather; Ed Perry, owner of WATD-FM radio station in Marshfield and Molly Newcomb of Marshfield (who was the recipient of the Roche Family Outstanding Young Adult of the Year Award).

Marshfield native Jonathan Hall, the Emmy award winning journalist and investigative reporter for WHDH Channel 7 News Boston was the Master of Ceremonies for the evening and caricatures were provided by Building 19’s Mat Brown and talented graphic designer Sue Petersen.

Event attendees enjoyed their five minutes of fame as they were “interviewed” by “Joan Rivers” and the “Blues Brothers” entertained the crowd after a live auction led by Paul Vercollone. Bruins tickets and a Mexican vacation were two “big ticket” items auctioned off at a total of $10,000.

The Friends of the Marshfield Airport, ACT Smart Inc., Sovereign Bank, Roche Bros., William Last & William Chase Builders, BuytheCase.net, Rockland Federal Credit Union, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and Tufts Health Plan sponsored the event.

According to Greg Jackson, Executive Director of the club, “Nearly $60,000 was raised, which, in this current economy, and for a club our size is a tremendous accomplishment. We made lots of new friends who are interested in our mission and our future and seeing our club not only survive but also grow.”

He continued, “The auction items were a hit and we’d like to thank the 315 auction donors for their generous donations and our corporate sponsors for their support in making this event such an overwhelming success. The money raised will enable us to continue to offer great programs to our members. I’d also like to recognize and thank our Board of Directors and Event Committee members for their commitment and dedication. We couldn’t pull off an event like this without their help.”

About the Boys and Girls Club

The Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield’s purpose is to establish a safe haven for recreation and fun, which includes a variety of supervised activities for the 1,100 current members and is available to youth (between the ages of 6 to 18 years old) within the town and surrounding communities. The Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield has five Core Areas: Character and Leadership; Education and Career; Health, Sport Fitness Recreation and Life Skills; The Arts; and Technology. These Core Areas serve as the foundation for all programming.

As a privately-funded, non-profit organization, the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield relies tremendously on the generous philanthropic support of individuals.  Financial gifts assist in providing the financial strength necessary to continue the club’s mission “to enable and inspire all young people to realize their full potential as productive and responsible citizens, as well as become tomorrow’s capable leaders.”

For more information about the Boys and Girls Club of Marshfield, please contact (781) 834-CLUB (2582) or visit the club in Library Plaza or the website at MarshfieldBoysAndGirlsClub.com. The club’s mailing address is P.O. Box 311, Marshfield, MA 02050.

Boys and Girls Club “An Evening of Stars” Gala and Auction Raises $60,000Read More

Divorced and getting back in the dating game…How and when to play.

NORWELL, MA…

Going through a divorce is not a life experience you wanted, but it happens. Now, after licking your wounds, you’re ready to get out there. For many, it’s not that easy. It could have been years, even decades since you last actively sought a date. So, where do you start?

Paul A. Falzone, CEO of The Right One and Together Dating–one of the world’s largest brick-and-mortar dating services with more than 60 offices nationwide—has paired hundreds of newly divorced clients during his quarter of a century in business. He’s also been divorced himself and happily remarried now for __ years.

“When you’re newly divorced, it seems everybody either has a friend they want to set you up with or words of advice or a little pep talk to get you back out there. The truth is, only you can know when you’re ready to start dating. That’s why it’s really important to take some time, think and get a sense of where you are emotionally first before you start dating—particularly if it’s been a very long time since you’ve dated,” said Falzone.

For starters, Falzone recommends:

●        Going slow – perhaps it’s a cliché, but a divorce is a life-altering event and you do need some time to heal.

●        Avoid the bar scene – Getting out with friends and co-workers as a way to re-enter the social scene but don’t do it as a way to meet potential dates.

●        Get fit – Being ready to date again means feeling good about yourself. Starting an exercise program or going to a gym can begin that process of feeling good about  you again.

●        Be wary of dating at work – it’s natural for you to be close to people you work with, particularly if they’ve helped you through a tough time. Just be careful before entering into a relationship or even dating somebody at the office.

●        Networking – While being set up might not be your idea of getting back into the dating game, if you’re looking it couldn’t hurt to let people in your social or professional network know that you are interested in meeting new people.

●        The ex – It’s safe to say that dwelling on the ex will not do much good in dating new people. Just remember that you’re dating again for you, not to get back at him/her or to find somebody before he or she does.

●        Take your time before introducing your dates to friends and, especially family – if you think your divorce is an adjustment for you, it’s also one for family, friends and your children. Wait before introducing your date to them, especially the children.

●        No overnight guests – If you have children, wait a significant amount of time before having any overnight guests—at least until your date is something more serious and has had a chance to form some kind of a relationship with your kids.

“Getting back into the dating game doesn’t have to be scary. It can actually be an exciting time of your new life but you want to do it for the right reasons and be able to enjoy it,” said Falzone. “Take it slow, be open and upbeat, and you can find love again.”

“It’s great to be excited about somebody after a first date. What’s even better is to be even more excited after two. If’ your goal is for something lasting, there’s nothing wrong with taking it slow and making sure it really is, pun intended, the right one for you,” said Falzone.

Help is on the way
Catering to more than 300,000 members at more than 60 locations throughout North America, The Right One and Together Dating are the largest brick and mortar dating services in the industry, offering a more consistent product, a greater number of potentially compatible mates and added value of flexibility in transferring memberships to another geographic region. 
Romantic Locations

North American locations and affiliates of Together are located in:  Indiana (Ft. Wayne, Carmel, Mishawaka); Kentucky (Louisville); Louisiana (Metairie); Maryland (Columbia, Frederick); Minnesota (Edina); Nevada (Reno); New Hampshire (Hooksett, Nashua, Portsmouth and Salem); Pennsylvania (Harrisburg);Ohio (Cincinnati); South Carolina (Greenville); Texas (San Antonio) and Virginia (Falls Church).

The Right One’s offices and affiliates located throughout the United States include:  California (San Diego); Colorado (Glendale); Georgia (Atlanta); Illinois (Chicago, Downers Grove, Rockford and Normal); Massachusetts (Norwell, Newton Center, Shrewsbury and Woburn); Michigan (Bingham Farms); Nebraska (Omaha and Lincoln); New Jersey (Cherry Hill); Nevada (Las Vegas); Pennsylvania (King of Prussia); Rhode Island (Warwick); Texas (Dallas and Austin); Utah (Salt Lake City); and Wisconsin (Madison, Appleton, Elm Grove).

Singles Station Dating Company, an affiliate of The Right One and Together Dating, is the largest independently owned personal introduction service in the Southwest. In the last 25 years, Singles Station has introduced more than 100,000 couples and is responsible for thousands of successful relationships and marriages. Singles Station Dating Co. has offices conveniently located in Oklahoma (Oklahoma City and Tulsa), Arkansas (Bentonville, Fort Smith and Little Rock), Tennessee (Memphis and Nashville), Missouri (Springfield and St. Louis) and will be opening soon in Kansas (Wichita and Kansas City). For more information about Singles Station, please visit www.singlesstation.com or call 866-807-LOVE(5683).

For more information about Together Dating and The Right One, please visit their websites at www.togetherdating.com and www.therightone.com, or call (800) 818-DATE (3283).

Divorced and getting back in the dating game…How and when to play.Read More

Tough times call for creative answers…AAFD Franchisee Leadership Summit seminars address economy’s effect on franchisees.

San Diego, CA…

The American Association of Franchisees and Dealers (AAFD) will host its annual Franchisee Leadership Summit at Crowne Plaza Riverwalk in San Antonio, April 29 to May 2. While each of the previous 16 conferences have held their own special place in the history of AAFD, this year’s summit finds franchisees in the midst of the most challenging economic times in the U.S. since the great Depression.

That fact has not been lost on AAFD and they have set up an agenda of seminars that either incorporate the thriving in a difficult economy theme or address it within the content.

“While the current economy is troubling, it actually makes a great case for owning a franchise. As a franchisee you have the support of a network of fellow franchisees, not to mention franchisee associations like AAFD,” said Robert Purvin, AAFD chairman. “The seminars at this year’s Franchisee Leadership Summit illustrate not only how you can utilize the support elements of being a franchisee but be successful in a bad economy.”

This year’s seminars include:

  • The 5 Top Reasons Associations Succeed or Fail
  • The Power of the Network in Financially Difficult Times
  • Mastering Cooperation and Unity
  • How to Really Negotiate a Fair Franchise Agreement
  • Learning How to Utilize the Blogosphere in Association Communications
  • The Buying Group Strategy:  Harnessing Purchase Power:

“These seminars will be a great help to longtime franchisees and the new crop of franchise owners who are a byproduct of this current economy–senior citizens who realized their nest egg might not last, corporate refugees and recent college graduates who decided not to enter a shrinking job market,” adds Purvin.

In addition to these powerful seminars, this year’s conference will also feature annual Total Quality Franchising Awards Banquets and Gala, Franchisee Leadership Council Session, The AAFD Market Power Trade Show and AAFD Annual conference luncheon.

For complete conference information, please visit www.aafd.org or call 800-733-9858. You can also e-mail benefits@aafd.org.

About the AAFD
The AAFD is a national non-profit trade association representing the rights and interests of franchisees and independent dealers throughout the United States. Formed in 1992, the AAFD is focused on market driven reform to achieve its mission to define and promote collaborative franchise cultures that the AAFD describes as Total Quality Franchising. Since its formation the AAFD has grown to represent more than 50,000 franchised locations throughout the United States. The AAFD has members in all 50 states and represents more than 100 different franchise systems.
The AAFD’s Fair Franchising Standards, Fair Franchising Seal, Trademark

Chapters, and emphasis on Marketplace Solutions led to the Association’s recognition as a growing force in franchising. The AAFD’s Branded Partner programs add a new dimension to the value of AAFD membership. The AAFD provides a broad range of member services designed to help franchisees build market power, create legislative support of interest to franchisees, provide legal and financial support, and provide a wide range of general member benefits.
For more information about the conference or the AAFD, please call toll free – 800-733-9858 or visit www.AAFD.org.

 

Tough times call for creative answers…AAFD Franchisee Leadership Summit seminars address economy’s effect on franchisees.Read More

DirectBuy of Woodbridge awards $50,000 home makeover to area resident

Woodbridge, VA, March 19, 2009 – DirectBuy of Woodbridge, the home improvement and furnishings club with direct insider prices, is set to award $50,000 to a local family at 10:15 a.m. on Saturday, March 21, 2009, as part of the company’s national Home Makeover Program. The celebration will be highlighted by the presentation of an oversized check to George and Virginia Kirk of Catlett, Virginia.

“We are completely overjoyed,” explained Virginia Kirk. “At first we thought it was a hoax, we couldn’t believe this could happen to us. We are extremely excited and ready to get started on our home improvement projects.”

With their newfound fortune, Virginia and George “Red” Kirk will begin several home improvement projects they’ve been planning, such as installing new carpeting throughout their stairway, hallways and bedrooms, along with upgrading the foundation and updating the flooring in their garage. While deciding what additional improvements to undertake to create their dream home, the Kirks plan to use any additional prize money as a nest egg to protect their investments against today’s struggling economy.

“Over the past 12 years, we have loved having the opportunity to help families save money by utilizing DirectBuy to afford the items they normally would not be able to purchase. In this case, it is especially rewarding to help out a local Virginia family through our latest $50,000 Home Makeover Contest,” said Bruce Harvey, who owns and operates DirectBuy of Woodbridge with his wife Barb.

Over the past few years, DirectBuy has distributed more than $450,000 in prize money to both members and non-members as part of their Home Makeover Program, which is designed to help consumers create the homes of their dreams.

The DirectBuy of Woodbridge club, located at 3320 Noble Pond Way Suite 104 in Woodbridge, offers consumers thousands of items, including kitchen cabinets, flat-screen televisions and major appliances from more than 700 top manufacturers and their authorized suppliers. Members enjoy a comfortable, welcoming setting and design club where they finally have the financial control of buying direct.

To assist members with their home renovation projects, DirectBuy of Woodbridge employs interior designers and product specialists who are specially trained in one of five areas of merchandise: Home Furnishings, Home Improvement, Flooring, Entertainment/Outdoor, and Accessories. Additionally, members benefit from the use of a children’s play area, café and a member’s lounge to relax while shopping.

DirectBuy of Woodbridge members also have exclusive access to renowned designer Christopher Lowell.  Lowell has designed 12 room settings – created exclusively with products available through DirectBuy – using his Seven Layers of Design. An innovative approach to home décor, The Seven Layers of Design keeps homeowners on budget and from feeling overwhelmed by their project.

DirectBuy Membership

Consumers who are interested in joining DirectBuy of Woodbridge are encouraged to attend an exclusive Open House event, which is designed to educate families about DirectBuy’s unique business model.  The Open House also helps consumers better understand how DirectBuy members avoid traditional retail markup when purchasing brand-name merchandise. 

To request a “Free Insider’s Guide to Buying Direct” and a Visitor’s Pass to learn more about the superior value and benefits of a DirectBuy membership, call 1-800-DIRECTBUY or visit www.directbuy.com.

About DirectBuy

For more than 37 years, DirectBuy has been showing hundreds of thousands of consumers unparalleled ways to save as they shop for virtually everything for in and around their homes – from furnishings, home improvement and flooring, to entertainment and outdoor products, accessories and much, much more. With more than 160 locations in North America, DirectBuy offers its members access to approximately 700 brand-name manufacturers and their authorized suppliers in the US, and more than 500 brand-name manufacturers and authorized suppliers in Canada.

Consumers interested in seeing DirectBuy’s savings, service and selection up close may obtain a Visitor’s Pass to attend an Open House by visiting www.directbuycares.com.

DirectBuy of Woodbridge awards $50,000 home makeover to area residentRead More