National Clothesline

Fans of either boxing or feel-good movies might recognize Micky Ward, this year’s featured speaker for Sanitone’s licensee meeting planned to take place in Boston from January 11 to 12 of next year.

Ward’s story was the basis for the biographical sports film “The Fighter” in 2010, which starred Mark Wahlberg as Ward and Christian Bale as his half-brother Dicky Ecklund.

The film was nominated for seven Oscars including two wins in the Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress categories for Bale and Melissa Leo, respectively.

The movie captures the up-and-down life of Ward, something many drycleaners might relate to after experiencing difficult times in recent years.

Ward began his career on a strong note, winning his first 14 professional boxing fights. However, he took a hiatus when he suffered four consecutive losses in the early 1990s, hampered by an injured right hand at the time.

Against the odds, he resumed his career and went on to win the World Boxing Union’s Intercontinental Light Welterweight title. He finished his career with a record of 38 wins (28 by knockout) and 13 losses. On three occasions, he participated in Ring magazine’s Fight of the Year, in 2001, 2002 and 2003.

Currently, he lives in Lowel, MA, where he is part owner of both a boxing gym and an outdoor hockey rink.

In addition to “A Candid Conversation with Micky Ward,” other speakers on the Sanitone program include: Jeffrey Davis, founder and chairman of Mage, LLC Management Consulting, examing how successful entrepreneurs navigate their way during tough times; Trudy Adams, director of customer service and sales for Cleaners Supply, offering her formula for great customer service; Joe Hallak, president of Hallak Cleaners in Hackensack, NJ, presenting a program called “The Complete Package;” and Paul White, president of Roth Cleaners in Bay City, MI, explaining how the best rewards in life come from unexpected places.

Also scheduled to appear will be John Jordan, president of Fabritec International/Sanitone, who will give a Fabritec update, and Jeff Hirsch, who hails from the law firm of Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP.

The event will be at the Boston Harbor Hotel in Boston.

For more information, call (800) 543-0406.

During a clothing drive held in the summer, Lapels Dry Cleaning gathered 4,073 pounds of garments to donate to Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

The two tons of clothing had been contributed to a total of 18 Lapels drycleaning stores and plants in the northeast.

“Our Massachusetts stores and our Lincoln, RI, location really stepped it up for this clothing drive,” said Kevin Dubois, CEO of Lapels Dry Cleaning. “Lapels prides itself on being environmentally friendly. A part of that is giving back to the communities we serve. We’re grateful to have a customer base that shares that spirit of giving.”

While the 17 Massachusetts plants gathered the majority of garments, the real surprise was the amount taken in by the sole store in Rhode Island where more than 600 pounds were collected.