DATE Book

Listlngs are often submifted months in advance. Always verify dates and locations wtlh sponsor before making plans to attend.

Northern New York Lumber Dealers Assn. - Aug. 15, fishing derby, Clayton, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; nrla.org.

Central New York Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. - Aug. 16, clambake, Spinning Wheel, Syracuse, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; nrla.org.

Northwestern Lumber Assn. - Aug. 16, Twins baseball game, Target Field, Minneapolis, Mn.; (763) 544-6822; www.nlassn.org.

Ace Hardware Corp. - Aug. 16-18, fall market, McCormick Place South, Chicago, ll.; (630) 990-7662; www.acehardware.com.

Orgill Inc. - Aug. 16-18, dealer market, Las Vegas Convention tenter, Las Vegas, Nv.; (800) 347-2860;www.orgill.com.

New Jersey Building Materials Dealers Assn. - Aug. 20, golf, Knob Hill Goli Course, Manalapan, N.J.; Aug. 24, fishing trip, Municipal Harbor, Atlantic Highlands, N.J.; (908) 359-1184; njbmda.org.

Vermont Retail Lumber Dealers Assn. - Aug. 22, annual meeting, Country Club ofBane, Bane, Vt.; (518) 286-1010; nrla.org.

lnternational Woodworking Fair - Aug. 22-25, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta, Ga., (a04) 693-8333; www.iwfatlanta.com.

Northeastern Young Lumber Execs - Aug. 23, Red Sox game, Fenway Park, Boston, Ma.; (51 8) 286-1 01 0; nrla.org.

Southern Pressure Treaters'Assn. - Aug.23.25, summer meeting, Grove Park Inn, Asheville, N.C.; (318)619-8589;spta.org.

Northwestern Lumber Association - Aug. 23, golf, Hickory Grove Golf Course, Fennimore, Wi.; Aug. 27, Royal St. Patrick Course, Wrightstown, Wi. ; (763) tA4-6822; www nlassn.org.

BC Wood - Sept. 6-8, global buyers mission, Whistler Conference Center, Whistler, B.C. ; (877) 422-9663: www. bcwood. com.

Western Red Cedar Lumber Association - Sept. 6'8, annual meeting, Whistler, B.C.; (604) 684-0266; www.wrcla.org.

HDW Inc. - Sept. 7-9, dealer market, Shreveport Convention Center, Shreveport, La.; (800) 256-8527 ; www.hdwinc.com.

New Hampshire Retail Lumber Assn. - Sept 7-9, annual meeting with R-etail Lumber Dealers Association of Maine, Sheraton Harborside, Portsmouth, N.H. ; (51 8) 286-1 01 0; www.nrla.org.

North American Wholesale Lumber Assn. - Sept. 10'13, wood basics course, Corvallis, Or.; (800) 527-8258; www.nawla.org.

National Hardwood Lumber Assn. - Sept. 12-15, annual convention, Sheraton, Chicago, ll. ; (800) 933-031 8; www.nhla.org.

Long lsland Lumber Dealers Assn. - Sept. 13, annual meeting, Villa Lombardi's, Holbrook, N.Y.; (518) 286-1010; nrla.org.

Construction Suppliers Assn. - Sept.13-14, annual meeting, HiF ton Garden Inn, Peachtree City, Ga.; (678)674-1860;gocsa.com.

Florida Building Material Association - Sept. 13-15, golf tournament, meeting & expo, Gaylord Palms Hotel, Kissimmee, Fl.; (352) 383-0366; www.fbma.org.

True Value Co. - Sept. 18-23, fall market, Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, Ut.; www.truevaluecompany.com.

Building Component Manufacturers Conference - Sept. 19.21, Denver, Co. ; (608) 31 0-67 22: www. bcmcshow.com.

Northeastern Young Lumber Execs - Sept. 19.21, Maine lumber tour; (51 8) 286-1010; www.nrla.org.

Northeastern Lumber Manufacturers Association - Sept. 20'21, board meeting & golf outing, York Harbor Inn, York, Me.; (207) 829-6901 ; www.nelma.org.

Bf ish-Mize Co. - Sept. 21-22, fall market, Overland Park Conven' tion Center, Overland Park, Ks.; (800)995-0525: blishmize.com.

Northwestern LumberAssn. - Sept.26, shooting event, Oak Creek Sporting Club, Brainard, Ne.; Sept, 27, golf, Lake Panorama NationalGolf Course, Panora, la.; (763) 544-6822; nlassn.org.

Sending Out the Fans

"Help a family in need beat the heat" was the motto of a recent fan promotion at Westlake Hardware's two stores in Hutchison, Ks.

To get things going, Westlake offered a l5vo discount on all fans and encouraged customers to buy one or more for the local Salvation Army chapter. The charity usually buys 40 to 50 box fans at Westlake Hardware, but needed more this year because of the poor economy.

"We're all guilty of saying, 'I'll help' and then sitting at home," says assistant store manager Steve Barnum, who thought that community members would like to help.

To get the word out, Barnum used radio ads, instore flyers, word of mouth, and his wife's Facebook page. An article about the sale, published in the local newspaper, brought quite a few customers-some new-into the store.

Although customers could also buy discounted fans for their own use, most purchased fans for the Salvation Army. "The heat hit us early this year, so most people already had their own fans," says Barnum. "I was pleased with the response: about 140 fans were purchased for donation, including 60 that were paid for by a local company."

At the end of the one-week sale, Barnum delivered the donated fans to delighted officials at Salvation Army-which has suffered a serious decline in donations, but a big increase in need.

And what about next year? "We'll definitely run the promotion again," he says. "It may go companywide, too-Westlake has 89 stores-because our corporate headquarters is now interested."