f.D. . YUR USINS 1siII~s ProsPeritY. byassociation No Comnpany is in business for logbeoethe -mail starts brining invtations to jcin varlous groupe. There are associations today dealing with . every aspect of business life, from, trade and lobà * groupe to sector-specialized associations. Wbile joining every organization that cornes along ls not a good use of either Urne or money, amre associations do offer tangible benefits, and you should consider thern carefuly. There 'are a number of broadlly-based organizations in Ontario: the.chmbes of commerce (Canadian, Ontario and local), the Caiiadian Manufacturers' Association (CMA), the Retail Council of Canada, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and the Canadian Organization cf Small Buiness. The Canadian and Ontario chambers of commerce, and their local counterparts, offer the rnost immediate benefit to a emal business. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce has its headquarters iu Ottawa, and deals primarily with the federal government, workcing to ensure that federal policies and legislation benefit (or do flot unduly hinder) chamber members. *The Ontario chamber performs. a sinillar function provincially, and local chambers represent business in dealings with local government. In Ontario, 165 local chambers are affiliated with the Ontario chamber, aud moet are alo members cf tha national organization. The different levels cooperate, exchange Information, and pass it.onto theizý membere If appropriate, however, 'a companr can be a member at al thre evelsuad receive the benefits of each directly. A large baIfrinstance W-ould have membrshp at a;à dureelevels because it is affected by federal and provincial legisiation, sud it would also want to be involved in business life locally. Another type cf business might. be a memiber of both the Ontario chamber and the local group, receivmng Ontario information directly from the provincial organization. A small local- business might be content te be a m.-mber of just the chamber in its owu coinmunity, reivn only that national sud provincial information which the local chamber considers cf particular intereet te its own members. But the local chazubers cf commerce do much more than exchange information. They offer educationa] programs and MAUREEN SAMUEL (left) and Vera Hugel, owners of Olde Silver- Thimble Quilt Shoppegon first place for thefr display at the Creative ewing and Needlework Festival at the, CNE. It was the second y «Mr ini a row that the dispiay, by artist Patricia Boi won first place. Recycirng costs FROMPAGE 5 'Mhe blue box systern as pre- sently set up is bleeding us dry.' Druum cr-iticized previous pro- vincial governmeuts for promot- lug recycling -ahead cf reuslug wsste products. He said Ontario's NDP goveru- ment should force eoft drink manufacturers te make bottlee thancan be reused. «Brewere Retail recyles 98 per cent cf ail their boutles sud they do it themselves,» said Drumrn. "How rny soft drink com- panes do the same? The~y didn't lose$6.6 million, we did lu Dur- ham Region lu four years.» Councillor Marcel Brunelle echoed Drumxu's remarks. 1I think councilor Drumm has belled the cat» said Brunelle. "f we are te handie waste management- correctlyi it needs te be more coet-effective.» business servies, and are involved in, local' issues frorn touriet promotion te lobbying for more municipal. paring lots. They are the« mont br=dy based cf any business group. «Eveyn fromn the banke te the bareare memibers, cf the chamber. cf commaerce," s, ays Elaine Rehor, assistant general manager of the Ontario Chamber cf Commerce. For a new business, chamber rnembership offers immediate, tangible benefits: moSt have a 'buy locally' poicy and publish directories cf their members and their producte. They are alo valale*. for networking. Chamber members tend te buy from each other, -help each other, sud refer clients te other members.- Membership fees Vary, depending on the size cf company involved, but for the average business, Charnber cf Commerce membership le generally a good investment. In the next column, we will look at the benefits cf membership in other national business sud trade organizations. k? "s-. c j I I. "Hi, l'm a new member. I'm a barber. 1 understand you're a banker. How about free haircuts for a par in exchange for a loan approval?" advertisement B1ind ambietion0 Brian and Diane Northeru cf Whitby have just opened a new business that promises te save tine, rnoney and a mountain cf aggrava- tion. They simpbify one cf the most tedious and finicky cleaning jobs in households snd businesses -- cleaning the blinds. The Sunehine'Blind Cleaning Company pro- mises quick, efficient service and bright, spar- kling dean blinde that will stay clean longer. Te Northerns dlean the blidab usinq a new revolutionary ultrssonic blind cleaning mainm.ýe. "Vie don't do the work, the machine doee it through soundwavee, water, and the hydro- agitation action cf two million tiny bubbles, says Diane Northern. "The sound creates the motion. The bubbles create the force te gently dlean everything inclucling the headrais and mechauisms cf tlhe blinda which actually make them easier te, operate, and prolonge the life cf the blind.» Now people don't need te shy away from buying blinde because they don't know how te, dlean them or don't want to spend the exhaus- tive time and effort involved. Northern says that the process includes a rinse that renders everythin& anti-static. The biodegradable cleaning solution used in the wash is enviroumentallyfriendly. .«Vihen people use wrndex, that creates sta- tic," saye Northern. "Blinda get dirtyagi fter ev hnsl mazed oursevswt The mchin is very new with only about 50 in the U.S. snd 10 lu Canada. The Northerns, who have lived lu WVhitby for the past two years, love the ares, sud see a large market for teir service. "we u*st aren't aware this service existe,» says Notern. "Eventualhr we hope te have bhind retailers recommern ig us. Ites the newest, moet coat-effective way cf. cleanin_" blinde sud verticals. Once people have itdu once, they won't go back te doing it them- selves." The machine alec cleans ecreene, heatlng duct sud air conditioner filtere, Jewelry, wheei.- chairs, hubcaps, teols, golf clubsasd practi- calîr anythinig that can be placdnl water. Still, the major focus cf the Sunehine Blind Cleaning Company is blinde. «Wée ffer free pick-up sud delivery, sud next-day service,» says Northern. "Vie value our custemers ighly sud are dedicated te excellence lu custemer service. You will neyer speak te su suswering machine wheu you cail. We will be here.» Business heurs are Monday te Frday, 9 a. te 7 p.m., Saturday, 10 a.m. - 3p.rn. For more information call 72,1-0001. sunShin*e BLIND CLEANING COMPA1VY 723-0001 1