National Clothesline

While the Michigan Institute of Laundering and Drycleaning has planned a good educational program for its annual convention from August 12-13, the biggest draw for the event may be the site which will host it.

Located in Gaylord, MI, the Treetops Resort is home to 81 holes of championship golf and has been ranked as one of the nation’s finest golf facilities behind only Pebble Beach and Pinehurst.

The resort also features 252 guest rooms, most of which offer breathtaking views of ski hills, golf courses, pristine woods and wetlands.

As relaxing of a setting as the Treetops Resort will be for attending cleaners, however, there will also be a busy schedule of events throughout the weekend starting with a 1 p.m. board meeting by MILD on Friday afternoon.

Afterward, a reception featuring networking and a vendor showcase will be held from 5 to 6 p.m.

Later in the evening, cleaners can enjoy an opening night barbecue dinner and an evening with comedian Craig Tornquist.

Tornquist offers a hilarious show with a balanced mix of song parodies, impressions and audience interaction. He has performed more than 1,500 stand-up comedy shows all throughout the country.

On Saturday morning, cleaners may want to kick-start their day with a buffet breakfast/vendor showcase planned from 8 to 9 a.m.

Following that, the first educational seminar of the weekend will begin at 9 a.m. Todd C. Schebor of Dykema Gossett, PLLC, will present a seminar on “Avoid the Million Dollar Mess! Environmental Compliance for Fabricare Owners.”

Schebor, an accomplished environmental law expert, will provide attendees with a compliance update and discuss ways that fabricare business owners can stay in accordance with federal and state regulations.

Another educational session on “Unemployment Cost: the Hidden Money Pit!” will take place at 10:15 a.m. and will feature Kent Downey, president of Unemployment Services, Inc.

Though many employers may think they do a good job of handling their own unemployment accounts, the truth is many could be saving thousands of dollars by avoiding some costly mistakes. Downey will draw from his two decades of experience on the matter to give cleaners some helpful tips.

Starting at noon, attendees will have several hours to spend unwinding on their own terms... such as on one of the Treetops Resort’s challenging golf courses or taking part on a canoe outing.

Those who wish to participate in either activity should contact MILD and register. Golfers will tee of at noon and must pay $110, which includes a box lunch.

That evening, the convention will conclude with a cocktail reception at 6 p.m., followed by MILD’s Annual President’s Gala & Awards ceremony.

Full registration packages are available at a rate of $155 for members and $195 for non-members. Spouses may register for $95 each and children 12 and under can sign up for $40 each.

The package includes admittance to the Friday night reception and BBQ, the Saturday buffet breakfast and awards dinner, and all of the weekend’s speaker sessions.

For more information, including hotel rates, call MILD at (517) 327-9207 or visit them online at www.mildmi.org.