National Clothesline

“Venture Beyond” is the theme for the California Cleaners Association’s Fabricare 2002 annual convention and trade show scheduled for Aug. 23-25 at the Long Beach Convention Center in Long Beach, CA.

Prior to the show, CCA will host its annual golf tournament on Thursday, Aug. 22 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Later in the evening at 6:30 p.m., the association will offer an Early Bird Cocktail reception for attendees.

The educational programming will begin Friday morning with “Contamination! Do you have it? How do you deal with it?” at 8:30 a.m. The 2 1/2 hour session will inform cleaners what to do if they find out their site has become contaminated with perc.

At 11 a.m., CCA will host a ceremony to mark the official opening of the convention. A “Spirit of America Cocktail Party” is set to take place from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. that evening.

On Saturday, “Outstanding Customer Service: Easy Steps to Take to Stand Out!” will help cleaners improve their customer service skills. The session will begin at 8 a.m.

“Fraud Busters! How to Protect Yourself From Both Sides of the Counter” will follow at 9: 45 a.m. and will focus on how to prevent credit card fraud, bad checks, and scams from customers.

From 7 to 10 p.m. that evening, CCA will offer a President’s Casino Night reception and dinner.

Sunday morning will begin with a “Pricing For Profits” seminar at 9:15 a.m. The seminar will teach attendees how to properly price their services in order to achieve a profit.

At 10:30 a.m., CCA will present a New Technologies Panel for about an hour so cleaners can find out more information on alternative solvents.

Exhibit hours will be 1 to 5 p.m. on Friday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

A complete registration package will cost members $150 and non-members $250. Member Allied Trades pay $175 and non-member Allied Trades pay $325. Registration for the golf tournament is $100 more per golfer.

Hotel accommodations can be made by calling the Hyatt Regency Long Beach at (800) 233-1234. For more information, contact CCA at (916) 443-0986.

The Coin Laundry Association is bringing its management conference to San Francisco this year.

First, a “Basics For Beginners” Pre-Conference program will start on Thursday, Sept. 26 and will give newcomers to the industry a chance to learn the ins and outs of coin laundry.

Over the course of the next three days, the educational sessions will focus on several themes, including “Employee Issues and Tax Considerations,” “Store Construction and Design Made Easy,” and “Preparing for the Unexpected.”

Pre-conference fees paid prior to Sept. 3 are $119 for CLA members and $149 for non-members. Registration packages for the three-day conference are $429 per person for CLA members and $529 for non-members if paid prior to Sept. 3.

Hotel reservations at a rate of $159 per night may be acquired by calling the Hyatt Regency San Francisco at (415) 788-1234.

For more information, call CLA at (630) 963-5547.