NORTHEAST OHIO (October 11, 2011) — Scientists are beginning to identify links between household toxins and many illnesses, including breast cancer. Maid Brigade’s Consumer Health Advocate Marie Stegner explores the potential health risks associated with cleaning chemicals and discusses ways to protect your family’s health.

In a recent video interview, Stegner talks with Leslie Reichert, author of Joy of Green Cleaning, who shares information from two studies done by the Silent Spring Institute that have identified a connection between the amount of cleaning a woman does using laundry detergent and cleaning supplies that contain chemicals and her susceptibility for developing breast cancer.

“Chemical cleaning products expose a woman to phthalates that interact with her hormone production,” said Reichert. “When there is a disruption in hormones there is an opportunity for cancer cells to develop.”

The solution? Reichert recommends using chemical-free products, green products to freshen and clean your home and laundry. Reducing the exposure to chemical products is a healthy choice.

“Even if the relative risks of environmental factors are modest, any risk that can be modified would save many thousands of lives,” says Dr. Julia Green Brody, The Silent Spring Institute.

Maid Brigade is Green Clean Certified and is committed to healthy living and uses only green clean products and processes. If you are interested in learning more about Maid Brigade and their residential and office cleaning services, please call 330-453-6000 or 330-908-0099, or go to www.maidbrigade.com.

For more information on green products visit http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/. For more information about The Silent Spring Institute’s recommendations for a healthier home visit http://www.silentspring.org/take-action/action-kits/take-individual-action/your-home.

About Maid Brigade of Northeast Ohio
Ray and Margie Toombs are long time residents in the Akron/Canton area and have been proud local business owners since 2003. Margie is the former head of quality advancement for the Precision Steel Components business of the Timken Company, and Ray is a retired U.S. Army Officer. Maid Brigade provides quality GREEN cleaning with trained, bonded associates. Providing cleaning services for both residential and commercial properties, Maid Brigade is available for regular on-going cleaning or a one time service. Call Today for a free estimate: 330-453-6000 or 330-908-0099.

SoundPOD Wearable AAC System promotes voice output from natural location

MANSFIELD, OH (July 28, 2011) – A sleek new innovation, called the SoundPOD^TM Wearable AAC System has been developed to help those who have difficulty with speech output and offers a low-cost augmentative alternative communication device. The wearable SoundPOD can wirelessly connect to an iPod or iPad converting off the shelf consumer grade electronics into augmentative communication systems for those who have difficulties generating speech.

“Besides the tremendous communication possibilities the SoundPOD Wearable AAC System affords to those in need, it offers some revolutionary innovations,” said Paul Forbes, president of Forbes Rehab Services, Inc. “For instance, the SoundPOD speaker is about the size of a credit card and can be worn on a neck lanyard, underneath clothing, allowing the voice output to discretely come from the users upper body rather than the handheld device. This helps the listener to focus on the person rather than the handheld or mounted medical device.”

The iPod and iPad based SoundPOD use affordable AAC apps, which are fully customizable to a person’s communication needs and utilize both word and phrase prediction. Additionally, the SoundPOD allows users to benefit from other forms of communication beyond voice output such as emailing, text messaging, and instant messaging, Students and educators will also benefit from the low cost educational apps available through the iTunes store.

The SoundPOD was specifically designed for those having speech challenges as well as movement restrictions. The system can be utilized even if hand/finger dexterity issues are present. The breakaway neck lanyard uses a single handed quick-release and when removed, the SoundPOD can magnetically attach to the iPod or iPad creating an all-in-one solution. Users can easily attach the iPod based system to their wrist, arm, or belt for hands free portability of their communication system.

ABOUT FRS CUSTOM SOLUTIONS
FRS Custom Solutions is a division of Forbes Rehab Services, Inc. that has provided innovative assistive technology solutions to individuals with all levels of disabilities since 1987. Forbes Rehab Services, Inc. offers a comprehensive selection of AAC devices for those with ALS, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, stroke and veterans with disabilities. For more information on the SoundPOD Wearable AAC System visit www.frs-solutions.com.

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PENINSULA, OHIO ( June 7, 2011) — There will be a Glass Fusing One-day Primer with Marianne Hite, 10am till 2:30pm, on Saturday, June 11, 2011 at the Peninsula Art Academy on 1600 West Mill Street in Peninsula, Ohio. Registration is required.

Glass fusing is the melting together of different pieces of glass.  Learn the basics of glass fusing in a short one-day course to get your feet wet; make small dishes or tiles. We’ll cover glass cutting, compatibility of glasses, and firing processes.

The fee is $75 or $70 for PAA (Peninsula Art Academy) members, plus cost of materials used.

Contact the instructor to select date. Call 330-414-0385 to select dates or register for classes on line with by filling out the Registration Form link in the left hand column.

Peninsula Art Academy is a not-for-profit organization promoting the Arts in the Village of Peninsula and throughout Northeast Ohio, offering art instruction and educational programs. For more information visit http://www.peninsulaartacademy.com/

NORTHEAST OHIO (June 1, 2011) — This week Maid Brigade of Northeast Ohio, based in Canton, announced signing a business contract to expand their service area from southern Summit, Medina and Stark counties to include Hudson, Aurora, Twinsburg, Solon, Broadview Heights and north to Chagrin Falls, Pepper Pike and Beachwood.

“We are very excited about our expanded area of service,” said Margie Toombs, co-owner, Maid Brigade Northeast Ohio. “We have been working closely with the prior franchise owner of this new territory and feel confident that we’ll be able to grow the business on the foundation she created.”

Maid Brigade of Northeast Ohio is an award-winning franchisee of the national franchisor and has been in business since 2003. All of their cleaning staff are bonded, insured, background checked and fully trained in the green cleaning and VapurClean methods indicative of Maid Brigade. The expansion will not only enable more people to experience the Maid Brigade difference, there will also be employment opportunities because of the need for additional staff.

“We are actively looking for responsible, dedicated individuals interested in being trained in the Maid Brigade methods to service this new territory,” said Ray Toombs, co-owner, Maid Brigade, Northeast Ohio. “We are operating the Maid Brigade office in Macedonia from which our new employees will work to service this additional territory. If anyone is interested in applying, they can call either our Canton office or the office in Macedonia.”

The staff of Maid Brigade will offer the same award winning residential and office cleaning services they have offered to their existing territory. Not only have they been awarded the honor of top franchise location for their territory size in 2010, Margie Toombs was just recognized as one of the 2011 Distinguished Sales and Marketing Award Recipients by the Sales and Marketing Executives International.

Customers of the Northeast Ohio Maid Brigade are happy with their cleaning services. “I wish I would have had Maid Brigade clean my home earlier. It gives me peace of mind to know they are cleaning my home every week,” said Michelle K. a home owner in Canton. “It allows me to take care of everything else without worrying about cleaning. Now I have the energy to tackle other projects around the house because I know Maid Brigade is taking care of the cleaning. I just love them. I wish they lived with me!”

Business owners have also been pleased with the cleaning services they receive. “I use Maid Brigade to clean the office and bathrooms at Alexander’s,” said Jim Karabatsos, owner of Alexander Body and Fender Company. “They do a great job and I’d recommend them in a heart beat. One of the best parts about using Maid Brigade is that I can trust they will come in, do a thorough job and then lock up for me. I don’t have to stay after a long day of work, waiting for the cleaning crew to leave. They know just how I like them to leave the place and they’ve never disappointed me.”

This new expanded territory takes effect immediately. If you are interested in being considered for employment, please contact Maid Brigade of Northeast Ohio in Canton at 330-453-6000 or in Macedonia at 330-908-0089. If you are interested in learning more about their residential and office cleaning services, please call the same numbers, or go to www.maidbrigade.com.

About Maid Brigade of Northeast Ohio
Ray and Margie Toombs are long time residents in the Akron/Canton area and have been proud local business owners since 2003. Margie is the former head of quality advancement for the Precision Steel Components business of the Timken Company, and Ray is a retired U.S. Army Officer. Maid Brigade provides quality GREEN cleaning with trained, bonded associates. Providing cleaning services for both residential and commercial properties, Maid Brigade is available for regular on-going cleaning or a one time service. Call Today for a free estimate: 330-453-6000 or 330-908-0089.

(AKRON AND HUDSON, OHIO) — Creating a vibrant, interactive web presence is a crucial component to business owners of all sizes. AllWrite Ink, an Internet writing business, announced recently the partnership with Crystal Pirri/Belle Firm, a company focusing on membership and e-commerce web development

“If a business isn’t active on the Internet with a frequently updated website, LinkedIn participation, a YouTube channel and other social media interactions, they just don’t exist,” said Deborah Chaddock Brown, owner, AllWrite Ink. “Crystal Pirri, owner of Belle Firm and I saw a way to provide an affordable, ‘do-it-yourself’ solution for small and medium sized businesses that allow them to have an online presence they can manage and update easily.”

SEO Website Package is the new enterprise that combines a web presence with a blog and interfaces with the company’s Facebook, Twitter and YouTube connections.

“We work with customers to understand their target audience and ultimate goals and then build a site created with search engine optimization built in; from the website content to the code,” said Crystal Pirri, owner of Belle Firm. “Right out of the gate they are poised to receive good search results on a platform they can easily change and update themselves.”

Customers of SEO Website Package receive a turnkey site that is already loaded with website content for multiple pages, social media follow buttons, video and photos sections and a variety of other plug-ins and widgets that create an interactive, informative website for their potential customers. Additionally, customers receive one-on-one training in how to use their website as well as a training video to help remind them how to quickly, easily keep their site up-to-date.

“There are two things to remember with effective website content,” says Brown. “The content needs to contain the keyword phrases potential customers are searching in order to receive the best organic search results. Also when a reader visits the website they need to be engaged immediately with effective words, up-to-date messaging and easy to navigate functionality or they’ll quickly leave and go to the competition.”

SEO Website Package can be found online, and services the greater Cleveland and Akron areas. For more information, visit, www.seowebsitepackage.com.

About AllWrite Ink

AllWrite Ink writes Words People Read® helping companies communicate their message in a clear, concise manner that inspires the reader to take notice and take ACTION. Good writing doesn’t just happen – it takes active listening, research and extra effort to find just the right words. Located in Hudson, Ohio, AllWrite Ink provides content for websites, newsletter, brochures, flyers, speeches, and direct mail programs. For more information, call 330-414-8792, email: Deborah@allwriteink.com or visit the website at www.allwriteink.com.

About Crystal Pirri

Crystal Pirri is the founder and CEO of The Belle Firm, LLC, a website development and training firm. She consults for and builds sales and membership websites tailored for SEO, scalability, growth and profit. For more information visit www.crystalpirri.com.

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COLUMBUS OHIO (March 17, 2011) – Chris Brown, President of Marketing Resources & Results, Inc. and publisher of the award winning blog Branding and Marketing, presented three Internet marketing workshops at the Annual Conference of the National Network of Embroidery Professionals (NNEP) in Columbus this past month.

“Online videos, blogging and social media offer new effective marketing tools that can really help build awareness for a small business with very little additional cost,” explained Brown. “To be most effective, business owners need to develop a strategy for their participation so that they are able to connect with prospects and realize sales growth for their company.”

The three workshops were “How to Use Your Blog to Attract New Customers,” “Social Media Strategies that Market Your Business” and “Use Video to Improve Your Marketing Results.” Each 90-minute session offered concrete tips and take away tools that attendees could quickly use to understand and participate in social media marketing for their business.

Chris Brown and Jennifer Cox

Chris Brown, workshop leader with Jennifer Cox, president of NNEP “Our participants were thrilled to have Chris Brown as a presenter and I’m still hearing wonderful feedback about all they learned,” said Jennifer Cox, NNEP President and conference organizer. One workshop attendee from Michigan had this to say: “I attended two of Chris Brown’s workshops and I learned a lot. Now I just have to go home and start to practice.” In the blogging workshop Brown explained how blogs allow a business owner to connect with their readers. A business blog provides the opportunity to tell a story, incorporate video and photos to demonstrate a point, and invite readers to share in the discussion or offer their opinion. Brown suggested that attendees start by reading blogs and joining in the discussion via the comment section. When a business professional is ready to start their own blog, is in important to determine their primary topic and the target audience they hope to engage. Many business owners find blogging to be an inexpensive, effective way to interact with potential customers or clients.

The video marketing workshop included six ways business owners use video to improve their marketing efforts. It included a hands-on session where owners created their own video for posting on the Internet. Attendees also learned about creating a YouTube channel for their business, incorporating a live link back to the primary company website and using key word phrases to assist with search engine results.

Creating a strategy for online marketing participation starts with determining what the business professional wants to accomplish. Once a goal is determined, the social media vehicles that will best achieve those goals are the ones to participate in regularly.

“Marketing is such an important part of our members’ business and Internet marketing is a complex topic,” said Cox. “I know our members that attended these marketing workshops left with a better understanding.”

Most annual conferences invite speakers from within their industry to present topics that impact their members’ business. However, marketing on the Internet is now recognized as a valuable and powerful vehicle; regardless of industry and therefore, more and more conference organizers find value in offering Internet marketing workshops.

“An annual conference is a great place for learning about emerging marketing tactics,” explained Brown. “Often members of an association or organization don’t have the time away from work to hear about these new tools. At a trade show or business conference, they have time to invest on their business for growth. It is a great place to learn from marketing experts about how to use the latest marketing tools.”

Brown publishes Branding & Marketing for business professionals with an interest in improving their branding and marketing results. The online publication has over 850 articles and a subscriber base of almost 9,000 readers. Read more about marketing tools at the Branding and Marketing website, http://brandandmarket.com. For more information about the three Internet marketing workshops that Chris Brown presented or to contact her to speak at your next annual conference, call 330-656-9793.

AKRON (March 17, 2011) — National Spring Cleaning week, March 21-27th, is a chance to clean every aspect of your life from the inside of your car to the dreaded junk drawer.  Which will you tackle first?

“Spring is a wonderful time to prepare for the warm weather by cleaning and airing out your home from the long winter months,” said Margie Toombs, co-owner of Maid Brigade of Northeast Ohio. “Start by making a list of each room in the home, including the garage, and selecting one new way you will clean each room. The kitchen is a great place to start. Sanitize sponges by dampening and heating in the microwave for two minutes, but remove carefully as they will be boiling
hot.”

Mold and mildew is always a concern and spring is the perfect time to address problem areas. Salt is an inexpensive and effective ingredient to remove mold and mildew from kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Make a paste of one part salt and one part lemon juice and use this to get rid of mold and mildew from kitchen and bathroom surfaces. Polish tarnished silver by spraying the silver item with vinegar, sprinkling salt and then scrubbing with a soft cloth or sponge. Rinse
thoroughly.

In addition to salt, vinegar, lemon and baking soda are the three most effective and safe ingredients for getting rid of mold and mildew. The Maid Brigade blog is filled with suggestions and recipes for using these inexpensive kitchen ingredients to clean your home.

“To disinfect bathroom or kitchen surfaces, try white vinegar, which helps kill bacteria, mold, and viruses.  White vinegar can be used on everything from kitchen surfaces to toilet seats. Scrubbing sinks, tubs, and countertops with a paste of baking soda (or washing soda) and water effectively removes dirt rings and some stains.  For cleaning windows, fill your own spray bottle with water and either one-quarter cup white vinegar or one tablespoon lemon juice to cut
grease.”

The challenge during National Spring Cleaning week is to thoroughly clean every room in your home. “During National Spring Cleaning week, make a plan for cleaning each room in the house by the end of the week,” said Ray Toombs, co-owner of Maid Brigade. “Use this week to organize and purge your home of items that haven’t been used in the last year. Consider moving furniture and giving your entire home a makeover without spending a fortune.”

Simple purchases like new placemats for the kitchen and new bedroom linens can spruce up your home without a complete interior redesign. As always, the Green Clean Certified professionals of Maid Brigade are available to assist with your spring cleaning efforts. For more suggestions for spring cleaning your home or to schedule a cleaning from Maid Brigade of Northeast Ohio, visit http://neohio.maidbrigade.com or call 330-453-6000.

About Maid Brigade of Northeast Ohio
Ray and Margie Toombs are long time residents in the Akron/Canton area and have been proud local business owners since 2003. Margie is the former head of quality advancement for the Precision Steel Components business of the Timken Company, and Ray is a retired U.S. Army Officer. Maid Brigade provides quality GREEN cleaning with trained, bonded associates. Providing cleaning services for both residential and commercial properties, Maid Brigade is available for regular on-going cleaning or a one time service. Call Today for a free estimate: 
330-453-6000.

About Maid Brigade
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, Maid Brigade is a global residential cleaning service with more than 420 locations in the United States and Canada.  Established in 1979, it has grown its market share every year since its inception, with system-wide sales over $70 million in 2008. Unique to Maid Brigade is its Green Clean Certified® cleaning system, the only house cleaning system that uses green cleaning solutions certified by Green Seal. State of the art technology, training and ongoing support also set apart the franchisor, which helped it earn several franchising accolades, including rankings in Entrepreneur and Success magazines and awards from Franchise Research Institute, The Franchise Ratings Guide, and FranNet.  For more information, visit www.maidbrigade.com or call 888-79-GREEN.

Business Partners Extend Offer to Purchase Health & Fitness Club

 HUDSON, OHIO (March 16, 2011) – LifeCenter Plus is pleased to announce that the health and fitness club located at 5133 Darrow Road in Hudson, just north of the Stow border, has signed a definitive purchase agreement to sell the business to two area businessmen.

“We are very excited about this opportunity,” said one of the potential new owners. “LifeCenter Plus has so much promise with a great facility, qualified trainers, a strong family orientation, and a loyal membership.”

The new owners are eager to further improve the facility with the goal of creating an even more vibrant club where working out is fun.  While many of the existing programs will continue, plans are already underway to launch new programs and provide additional opportunities for family fun,  fitness, corporate wellness events, and fitness challenges such as a road race.

As one of Northeastern Ohio’s premier health and fitness facilities, LifeCenter Plus has been serving the Hudson, Stow and surrounding communities since 1978.  The LifeCenter Plus building began as an ice skating rink in the 1970’s and later became the premier Racquetball Club, which further developed into a racquet and fitness club. Today the 103,000-square foot multipurpose facility, which employs approximately 140 people, is a full-service, four-season health and fitness facility with degreed, certified fitness staff and personal trainers. The fitness club offers individually designed programs and group classes for members.  LifeCenter Plus facilities include a fitness center with TechnoGym strength-training and cardio equipment; five swimming pools including an Outdoor Aquatic Center; Spinning Studio; Pilates, Yoga and Tai Chi Studios; indoor track; rock climbing wall; the famous outdoor BootCamp program, Kids Klub fitness programs and more.

In 2008, LifeCenter Plus earned the distinction of being listed in the Guinness Book of World records with the “Largest Aqua Aerobic Display” in the world, when over 273 people performed choreographed water aerobics simultaneously in LifeCenter Plus’ two indoor pools.  Three years in a row, in 2007, 2008, and 2009, LifeCenter Plus was honored by Aquatics International Magazine with the “Best in Aquatics” Award.  The Best of Aquatics Awards celebrates the industry’s outstanding aquatics facilities of all varieties—including government, nonprofit and privately owned operations. Entries are judged on programming, promotional materials, aquatic amenities and community involvement.

LifeCenter Plus expects the sale to be completed later this spring.

For more information about LifeCenter Plus, visit the website at www.LifeCenterPlus.com or call (330) 655-2377, ext. 130

STRONGSVILLE OH (October 25, 2010) — A company’s greatest asset is their staff and so is their greatest potential liability. The cost of Human Resource management can escalate if not properly maintained and managed. “Your Partner in HR” is an online resource developed by seven HR professionals who shared a common vision: to provide professional and affordable HR services to the small business community.

“As soon as a company grows beyond a sole proprietorship, they begin to have need of human resource assistance,” says Sonya Weiland, PHR, owner of WeilandWorks. “There are safe processes and mandated requirements when it comes to hiring and firing practices and everything in between.  We developed Your Partner in HR for small business owners who need a one-stop resource for the proper forms, templates, governmental requirements, policies, training and a forum of their peers to use as a sounding board.”

Your Partner in HR was developed by seven HR professionals, each with their own area of specialty; recruitment, training, employee assessment, benefits, compensation guidelines, policy and procedure development and much more. Each brought their expertise to the new online resource, providing templates based on actual company needs.

“We are a small company that needed an end to end HR specialist who could guide us through hiring our first employees as well as helping to formalize business procedures,” said Griffin Ralston, Vice President, Marketing and Sales for Ralston Instruments, LLC. “When small business owners need HR assistance, we REALLY need their help and this website provides the professional assistance and tools needed to help make the decisions that are daunting.”

Your Partner in HR offers articles to keep small business owners aware of legislative changes, new trends in HR and valuable resources.  Those that elect to sign up for a membership have access to a wealth of continuously updated human resource information and templates as well as human resource consultations, evaluations of existing programs, training and launching  the first of the year, a discussion forum where small business owners can post their HR questions and gather responses from the experts, as well as, other business owners around the globe.

Meet Your Partners in HR:
Sonya Weiland – Founder, HR Administration and Training
Natalie Lemons – Hiring and Recruiting
Kristin Tull, Ph.D. – Employee Testing and Assessment
Amy Petrus – Compensation
Linda Cahill – Benefits
Amy Shannon – Coaching and Leadership Development
Robin Raybuck – Change Management and Outplacement

Visit www.YourPartnerinHR.com to find ways to manage your Human Resources safe and effectively.

“Your Partner in HR: Bringing HR to Small Business”
Our team combined has delivered expert advice to our clients for over 100 years.  The foundation of our experience is provided online to our members.  Full cycle HR Support is made available from creating infrastructure to supporting your long-term goals. When individual consultation is needed, our experts are available at a discounted rate to our members.  On-site training, planning and consultation are available, as well as, virtually by conference call, Skype or webinars.

For More Information
Sonya Weiland
sonya@weilandworks.com
440-227-4930

Pet Lodging Facility near Cleveland Joins Matter of Trust to Create Booms to Absorb Oil Spills

MENTOR, OHIO (July 19, 2010) – TLC Pet Lodge, a leading pet lodging and grooming facility in Northeast Ohio, has recently joined with Matter of Trust to use animal fur and hair to soak up oil spills.

“When we heard about Matter of Trust, we felt like we could really make a difference,” said Marj Green-Beyer, CKO of TLC Pet Lodge. “We groom numerous dogs and typically throw away large quantities of pet hair every day.  Now, we can turn the hair into a valuable resource to help soak up the oil spill in the gulf with the help of Matter of Trust.”

Matter of Trust is an innovative, non-profit organization that uses donated hair, fur, feathers, fleece and nylons to help with the cleanup of thousands of oil spills every year. Fur and hair are naturally very efficient at gathering oils, part of the reason we need to clean and groom our pets so often.   Since 1998 the organization has used donations of human hair and pet fur to make naturally absorbent booms and large woven mats that can be placed in the water to soak up oil.

Despite some confusion with BP’s press release, stating they already had booms they considered more sorbent, the Matter of Trust organization is still collecting hair and getting booms ready for major state cleanup efforts in areas affected by the recent spill in the Gulf. All of the clippings will be shipped by TLC Pet Lodge, at their expense, to facilities in Florida, Alabama and Louisiana to be made into booms by volunteers.

“It is just one way that we all can do our part to help in this time of environmental crisis,” said Green-Beyer. “The booms made by Matter of Trust are environmentally safe, made from renewable resources, and have already proven to be helpful in the cleanup effort of many spills over the years.”

About TLC Pet Lodge
Established in 1990, TLC Pet Lodge is a full-service pet lodging facility for dogs and cats located in Mentor, Ohio. The company does not use crates or cages. The pet friendly environment has suites and enclosures that can accommodate multiple family pets. In addition to being the only facility in Ohio to achieve the Pet Care Services Association Gold Ribbon Certificate of Accreditation, the family-owned and operated TLC Pet Lodge has a long list of impressive credentials including Certified Advanced Pet Care Technicians and a Best Groomed Dog Award Winner on staff. For more information, visit www.tlcpetlodge.com or call 440-951-4TLC (4852).