National Clothesline

This year may not be finished just yet, but cleaners can’t be blamed for looking a little ahead to 2007, which promises several excellent educational opportunities from the National Cleaners Association.

First up, however, are some classes and a webinar that remain on the calendar for 2006.

Cleaners wanting to learn “Basic Pressing and Finishing” will have an opportunity from Dec. 8-10. The three-day course meets from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday through Saturday for a total of 24 class hours.

The cost to attend is $455 for members and $595 for non-members.

NCA will also host its two-day DEC certification course in English on consecutive Sundays, Dec. 10 and 17.

Class will meet each day at NCA’s New York School of Drycleaning from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for a total of 16 hours. The school is located at 254 W. 29th St. in New York City.

Tuition is $509 for members and $975 for non-members.

NCA will also offer the DEC certification course in Korean on Jan. 21 and 28.

This December, NCA plans to host a webinar by Alan Spielvogel on “Draperies Do’s and Don’ts” on Wednesday, Dec. 20 beginning at 6 p.m. EST.

To get 2007 underway, Speilvogel will bring a “2006 Problem Garment Review” to a webinar scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 17 at 6 p.m. EST.

The cost for telephone and web-based participation is $69. That price includes an audio tape of the seminar for everyone and PowerPoint files for Web-based participants.

Those who want a webinar on CD can purchase one for $69 plus $7 shipping and handling.

NCA has several past webinars already available on CD, including: “Best Kept Secrets to Getting, Keeping and Serving Route Customers” by Rex Carrigan; “How to Put the Ka-Ching Into Your Direct Mail and How to Get More Business Now” by Brad Kent; and “Stain Removal: How to Remove Tough Stains” by Alan Spielvogel.

Also on the schedule after the first of the year, NCA will host two sessions of its Radical Drycleaning and Stain Removal course, both beginning in January.

The first will be taught in Korean and will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Jan. 22-26. The five-day course will cost members $750 each and non-members $995 each.

An English version of the class is set to take place from Jan. 29 to Feb. 2. The 40-hour course will meet Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It also costs $750 per member and $995 per non-member.

In addition to its webinars and its classes at its New York School of Dry Cleaning, NCA will also present its “Brainstorming with the Best 2007” conference Jan. 11-14, 2007.

It will be held at the Atlantis Resort and Casino, located on Paradise Island, Nassau, in the Bahamas.

This year’s lineup of guest speakers will include John DiJulius, who will present a seminar on “World Class Marketing Methods Just For You” and Jane Zellers, who will present a session designed to help cleaners develop a technical “to do” list for 2007.

Registration costs for the conference are $595 per NCA member and $695 per non-member. If spouses or significant others want to attend, registration is $245 each.