Accent Mail is pleased to host its thirdmonthly meeting of the DuluthMerchants Association. Our first meetingwas under the banner of Easy MailServices located in the Peachtree HillShopping Center on Peachtree IndustrialBlvd. Accent Mail had it beginnings as apack and ship business located next to theDaluga's Honey Baked Ham store. In thethree years at that location, Carol andDennis Keller found that the bulk mail anddigital printing side of the business wasgrowing and overshadowing the packingand shipping business. In March of 2002,the Kellers decided to split the businessand sold the Easy Mail Service packing andshipping business and moved to Sharonand Bernard Robertson's Duluth PackageCenter. In late 2004, it became apparentthat Accent Mail had outgrown that spaceand relocated to its present location onChattahoochee Drive.

Accent Mail serves the digital printing -both black and white and full color -needs of its clients. In addition, AccentMail mails marketing material for itsclients. Through its use of currenttechnology, Accent Mail handles theaddressing and processing required indirect mail marketing programs for itsclients. Through its use of subscriptionsoftware, Accent Mail achieves discounts

provided by the United States PostalService. Postage costs for mailing directdelivery unit/walk sequenced marketingmaterial can be as low as 12.4 cents perpiece. Through its use of inkjettechnology and its subscription software,Accent Mail sorts, barcodes, and addressesits client's mail. Two inkjet machineshave the capacity of addressing upwardsof 20,000 pieces of mail per hour. Thispart of the business is supported byfolding, tabbing, labeling equipment and athree station inserter.

The client base of Accent Mail includes awide spectrum of businesses. We printand mail for restaurants, medicalfacilities, exercise and fitness businesses,paving companies, real estate sales andmarketing companies, homeownersassociations, non profit groups, such asthe Aurora Theatre, The Gwinnett Centerfor the Arts, The Kiwanis Club, The DuluthFall Festival, and our own DuluthMerchants Association.

Our printing facilities include two highvolume Minolta printers that together canprint upwards of 110 pieces per minute.Our two Minolta color printers have a jointcapacity of 65 sheets per minute. Allmachines have finishers that are capableof folding and stapling as well. This workswell in the printing and finishing ofbooklets and brochures as well asnewsletters like the DMA Gab-RRR.

Accent Mail's unique position in themailing and printing business is that wehave no minimums for work that wecomplete. We work with our clients tounderstand their objectives and go theextra step to make certain the customer issatisfied with our work.

Our most important asset, however, is ourstaff. We have been most fortunate tohave four dedicated and focusedassociates. Manini Patel has been with usfor five years and is very knowledgeableand proficient with all our equipment.Martha Burrell has taken overresponsibility for the design work we do,

as well as operatingour print room.Carole Nadlerworks with ouraddressingequipment andprepares thenecessarypaperwork forour transactionswith the postoffice. DonnaDaluga is ournewest associateand is workingthe finishingarea of ouroperations. Sheoperates thefolders, thetabber, thelabeler and oursealingequipment. We are delightedto be a smallpart of theDuluthcommunityscene. We workto support thearts and businesscommunity inDuluth. We finda great deal ofsatisfaction inparticipating inthe MerchantsAssociation.We've come toknow andappreciate theregulars at themeetings andlook forward toseeing themevery month.

Carol and

Dennis Keller

VOLUME 18 NO. 4 APRIL 2006

DULUTH MERCHANTS ASSOCIATION

The DMA was conceived with the idea that as business people we can best accomplish together what no one could do alone.

Tues. April 4, 2006MeetingSponsored by

DENNIS

CAROL

MARTHA

CAROLE

DONNA

MailAccent

2650 Chattahoochee DriveSuite 300

Duluth, GA 30097678.473.4643

Dear DMA Members,

Thanks to Gwinnett Community Bank, Tom Martin and his

professional staff for hosting the March meeting. If you passed up the

meeting, you missed Rick Silver, an Emory University graduate

magician, who was so entertaining, and, how he does what he does,

well, it is just magic!! Thanks to all visitors and members who attended

and benefited from this marvelous Tuesday evening.

Please remember to bring your business cards, door-prize items and

donations (for our friends at Hands of Christ, Foster Children’s

Foundation, etc.) to each meeting.

Spring is here, officially, yet, the weather does tend to get confused

with the erratic temperatures. Yet, so many trees and flowers are in

bloom to signal the beginning of a new season. With spring, we

welcome outdoor activities and the enjoyment of our beautiful

surroundings. Let’s pay attention to this beauty throughout Duluth and

what the city provides for our pleasure and delight!

The host of our April meeting is Accent Mail. Dennis and Carol

Keller are committed to the Duluth community, with unwavering

enthusiasm and devotion to the well-being and growth of the business

owner alike. Mark your calendars now for Tuesday,April 4th.

Please welcome our new board member, Chitra Parikh. Surely, her

bright smile and enthusiasm cannot be overlooked and will add to our

outstanding Board of Directors.

We also welcome your suggestions, questions, and brainstorms to

make the DMA the finest association!

As the Spring Benefit is the end of March, I will thank all participants

in advance, for their support and generosity!! So, we will just have to

wait patiently for the details and fantastic pictures in the Gab-rrr.

See you and a friend or visitor at Accent Mail on Tuesday, April 4th at

6:00PM. Participation, without a doubt, brings enjoyment, satisfaction

and entertainment; all it takes is to show up!!!

Best regards,Jennifer IngallsDMA President

2006 OFFICERS

JENNIFER INGALLSPresident

RICHARD DALUGAVice President

ALISA WILLIAMSSecretary

JOHN MONKTreasurer

Duluth MerchantsAssociationwww.duluthmerchants.com

2

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Pam Adams 770.564.0876

Richard Daluga 770.366.4561

Laura Heck 770.814.8984

Jennifer Ingalls 770.490.0812

Marion Maloof 770.923.1111

John Monk 770.495.8900

Thom Mash 770.689.2600

Lois Martin 770.813.1033

Joyce Mell 770.232.2987

Frank O’Brien 678.542.2004

Terry Palmer 404.502.5531

Chuck Raynor 770.418.4929

Derek Whitesmith 678.957.8030

Alisa Williams 770.476.3434

Mark Williams 770.441.0945

DMA-Gab-RRR APRIL 2006

from the desk of the

P R E S I D E N T

The Gab-RRR is a monthly publication

of the Duluth Merchants Association

Printing and Distribution:

Dennis & Carol Keller

Accent Mail Service

678.473.4643

Database:

Dennis & Carol Keller

Accent Mail Service

678.473.4643

Photography:

Laura Heck, Heck Design Group

Phone/Fax 770.814.8984

HeckDesignGroup@aol.com

Newsletter Design:

Terry Palmer, QuickCREATIVE

404.502.5531

Gab-rrr@duluthmerchants.com

uluthAround

3DMA-Gab-RRR APRIL 2006

N e w M e m b e r s

Welcome

The DMA wouldlike to welcome

our new Board Member —

Chitra Parikh

Barefoot in the Park FineArts FestivalSat May 20-Sun May 21An event for fine art enthusiastsand collectors. The Town Green willbe filled with fine art, food, music,song and dance. Barefoot in thePark is a juried fine arts festival. Allartists’ work and their presentationsis evaluated before acceptance tothis festival.www.barefootinthepark.orgSat. 10am-6pmSun. Noon-5pm

RobotsFriday April 28Movie begins at dusk on the TownGreen

Star 94 presents MOVIESUNDER THE STARS Saturday June 24(movie to be determined)

Duluth High School & TheCity of Duluth present theBattle of the BandsSat April 22Duluth Town Green

Memorial Day ServicesSat May 27Duluth Town Green

National Day of PrayerMay 4Duluth Town Green

First ImpressionM. MargaretChandlerPresidentDuluth Landscape/Lawn CareA Hardscape and Landscapecompany, specializing inresidential stone, brick, andpaver installation. We alsodesign, install, and maintainlandscapes and waterfeatures. Members of MALTAand are ICPI certified pavinginstallers.

Nook-N-Cranny ofDuluthPam Williams3109 Main StreetDuluthClothing Boutique

Our thoughts andprayers go out to Dr. Marion Maloof in the passing of

his Mother.

IS YOUR

COMPANY

MAKING

NEWS?

If it is, we want to

spotlight you in the

Gab-RRR. If you have

any significant news

about your business:

awards, big wins, new

expansions, relocating,

please e-mail them to

the gabrrr@

duluthmerchants.com.

Thank you toAndy and Carolyn

Kite of Corporate

Expressions forproviding us with

our Board ofDirectors name

badges each year.

4DMA-Gab-RRR APRIL 2006

LAWRENCEVILLE — Poised with

scissors to cut a child’s hair at the

Foster Children’s Foundation, Kim

Schlenk is careful to not pull or tug

too hard because she doesn’t know

the child’s background.

“You have to be extra careful

because sometimes they’re scared

and quiet,” Schlenk said about the

children whose hair she cuts for

charity. “I try to make them feel

good about themselves when they

leave.”

A new Gwinnett resident, Schlenk

previously worked at an Aveda Concepts

salon in Arizona. When she moved to

Georgia a year ago she decided to spend

more time with her four children and

postpone working full time. She keeps

her hair-cutting skills sharp by

volunteering her talents at the Foster

Children’s Foundation. “I will never stop

doing it,” she said. “There

are a lot of children

out there that need

our help and need

to not be

forgotten about.”

Not forgetting

about the needs of

children is exactly what Suzanne Geske,

director of the Foster Children’s

Foundation, aims to do through a newly

developed mentoring program designed

to involve the community. “You have to

ask yourself who takes ownership of these

kids, and it should be

everybody,” Geske said.

“They’re all our kids,

because the way they grow

up and turn out will have a

direct impact on us. They

go to school with our kids

and go to church with our

kids.” When the

community takes ownership

of foster kids their futures

are brighter and they can

be more successful, Geske

said.

The mentoring program,

not even a year old, goes beyond

providing clothing, school supplies and

hygiene products at no cost — something

the Foster Children’s Foundation already

provides through its resource center. The

mentoring program is about giving foster

children stability in their constantly

changing life. “Many times when children

enter foster care they’re missing an adult

role model,” said Lisa Lariscy, director of

the Division of Family and Children

Services in Gwinnett County. “This offers

them an opportunity to have a solid role

model and particularly when that role

model has been trained in how to work

with the agency in identifying what the

needs are for the child to learn how to

live independently once they turn 18.”

In the past, volunteers with the

mentoring program have sponsored

events such as breakfast with Santa, rock

climbing and, most recently, a kitchen

safety and cooking class hosted by the

Junior League of Gwinnett and North

Fulton.

Held the Sunday before Valentine’s Day,

13 foster teenagers met for a cooking

lesson at a private home

hosted by Junior League

member Elizabeth Shore.

After learning about

kitchen fire safety from a

local firefighter, Shore

taught the children how

to cook a meal of

breaded baked chicken,

dinner rolls, cheesy

cauliflower casserole and

cookies for dessert — all

donations from local

grocery stores. “I enjoy

working with the children

because they all have different

personalities. Some are quiet, and some

are jokesters. It’s great,” she said. At the

end of the meal they each received a

tote bag with the cooking instructions

and were encouraged to cook a

Valentine’s dinner with their foster

parents. “If we want them to go to

prison, steal cars, up the crime rate,

then we do nothing,” Geske said about

having a community come together to

support foster children. “If we want to

put our arms around them and provide

them what they don’t have, then there

are numerous ways that they can help.”

For information on the mentoring

program or to get involved, visit

www.fosterchildrensfoundation.org.

VOLUNTEERS HELP FOSTER

CHILDREN STAY ON COURSE This article appeared in the Gwinnett Daily Post on 02/22/2006 By Leslie Wiggins, Staff Writer; leslie.wiggins@gwinnettdailypost.com

Kim Schlenk, a volunteer for the FosterChildren’s Foundation in Duluth, laughs asshe cuts Owen Hyatt’s hair Saturday.

“I enjoyworking withthe children

because they allhave differentpersonalities.

Some are quiet,and some are

jokesters. It’s great.”

Foster Children’sFoundation, Inc.

DMA

5DMA-Gab-RRR APRIL 2006

2006 DMADues

If you haven't paid yourdues please mail themtoday to the following

address:

DMAP O BOX 559

Duluth, GA 30096

Remember, to be assuredof a directory listing for2006, your dues must bereceived by March 31,

2006.

Have YouRecently Joined

the DMA?

We’d like to get to knowmore about you and your

business!

Consider being the focusof our

New Member Spotlightin the Gab-rrr.

If interested, send a shortarticle about your business togabrrr@duluthmerchants.com

and we’ll publish it in thenext newsletter!

TTAAXX TTIIDDBBIITTSS ITEMIZED DEDUCTIONSHow do you know whether you are capturing all thedeductions you are allowed to effectively reduce yourtaxable income?

Itemized deductions are captured on Schedule A as an alternative to takingthe standard allowable deduction. To determine which is more favorablefor your situation, it is often best to calculate your return both ways.

Generally, if you own your own home, you will itemize deductions. To helpyou gather and retain the correct records, a summarized checklist isprovided here for your use. While the list is not all inclusive, it should giveyou a good starting point. Call our office for details.

MEDICAL & DENTAL COSTSMedical and dental expenses are generally deductible to the extent theyexceed 7.5% of your income.

TAXESMany of the taxes we pay each year are 100% deductible e.g. State IncomeTax, Property Tax, Ad Valorem Tax, etc.

INTEREST EXPENSEWhile most personal interest is no longer deductible (credit card interest,car loans, and the like), there are still interest expense deductionsavailable to you e.g. Mortgage Interest, Home Equity Interest, BusinessInterest, etc.

CHARITABLE CONTRIBUTIONS(donating money or property including cars, boats, etc.)Both cash and property are generally deductible if donated to qualifiedorganizations.

CASUALTY & THEFT LOSSESCasualty and Theft losses are generally deductible to the extent theyexceed 10% of your adjusted gross income, are not reimbursable viainsurance, and each event exceeds $100.

MISCELLANEOUS DEDUCTIONSMost miscellaneous deductions are only deductible to the extent theyexceed 2% of your adjusted gross income.

PROCRASTINATORS! YOU'RE NOT TOO LATE!! CALL TODAY!

RAYNOR-COOK TAX SERVICES3327 HIGHWAY 120. SUITE 205DULUTH, GA 30096(770) 418-4929www.raynorcook.com

Spring Benefit Dinner

DMA ANNUAL BENEFIT DINNER

Photos courtesy of Laura Heck Photography.

President Jennifer Ingalls with her generous husband Andy

Beverly Wylie of Dream House, with President Jennifer Ingalls and eventco-chair Donna Daluga

New Board member Chitra Parikh enjoys the evening with herfriend, Jay Patel.

Past President Dereck Whitesmith with last year’s co-chairSunny Ramsay

Candace Morgan and Mary Roberts

Here are a few

photos from this

past Saturday’s

Benefit Dinner.

Look for more

info and photos

in next month’s

Gab-rrr! Thank

you everyone!

Members of Dream House with auctioneer Mark Williams

Donna Daluga and Carol Keller

Andy and Carolun Kite of Corporate ExpressionsPam Adams engineered the auction payments and credit card functions for

the evening, with help from co-chair Diane White

Dennis Keller (right) previews the guitar for auction with VP Rich Daluga and

Auction Chair Allan Roth

Shirley and Jim Wilson enjoy the evening

Spring Benefit Dinner

6DMA-Gab-RRR APRIL 2006

SSppeecciiaall OOffffeerrssToDMA Me

mbers

... FromDMA Members

Sunny Ramsay, with Dan Cook Associates~A Promotional Products Advertising Agency justattended the annual winter Promotional Products Show in Orlando! The ASI Show introducesthe industry professional to the latest and greatest new and fun promotional products.

There were promotional products from Widgets to Waterford and then some. This year a big hit was a Package

Opener that was specifically designed to slice open those Stubborn Plastic Packages, Boxes, CD’s, DVD’s, Shipment &

More! (I loved it so much I kept a sample for myself…it is just so great!) There were new presentations on old but

true ideas and then there is my favorite…the Free-Hand. What is that? It is an invention to help you multitask…a

way to be able to work…say on a computer…and then in a flash flip a pen or pencil into writing position and write!

Let go of the pen or pencil and go right back to typing. It is a fantastic item. I have shown it to a couple of DMA

Members and they are wild about it. This Free-Hand will be one of this year’s biggest sellers. They are so convenient

and so practical and unusual…this is a wonderful product to make your statement in a Promotional Product.

FORE!!! This is the time of year when all the Golf Tournaments are sending out their golfing dates and player

information…inviting you to play, sponsor and present your company/services in a goodie bag that is handed out to all

the golfers. Now, I cannot help your golf game, but I sure can help you make a great impression. I can help you put

your Logo, Company Name, and Web Site on the perfect Promotional Product. There are over 900,000 Promotional

Products available to put your company logo on…or your web site…and put that into your client’s hand or your future

client’s hand. Just give me a call at 404-906-4677 or e-mail me at sunny@sundaze.biz. I am always delighted

helping my fellow DMA Members!

DMA Members save $50 on brochure design. � 8 1/2 x 11 tri-fold or half fold� Regular price $395. Price w/discount: $345� Order online at www.Quickcreative.net.

Or call Terry at (404) 502-5531

Just use promotional code DMA in the promo code box atcheckout if ordering online.

More Info!

- $50 down payment gets your order started

- Once we receive your order, we will create a draft based upon your input, text, photos & logo.

- You will receive an initial draft within 4 days ofyour order.

- You can make unlimited revisions until yourbrochure is just the way you want it!

Quick

CREATIVE.net

Offer Good Until April 30, 2006

So…What is a Free Hand? Read On…

JANUARY 10: Enhancing Health

FEBRUARY 7: Maloof Chiropractic

MARCH 7: Gwinnett Community Bank

APRIL 4: Accent Mail

MAY 2: Gwinnet Nissan

JUNE 6: Duluth Beverage

JULY 11: The Printing Trade Co.

AUGUST 1: Duluth Fall Festival

SEPTEMBER 12: John Monk CPA

OCTOBER 3: Atlanta Flooring Co.

NOVEMBER 7: Houston &Company, CPAs

DECEMBER 5: open

Calendar All Meetings begin at 6:00pm on the first

Tuesday of each month, except where

otherwise indicated with an *.

Locations will vary.

Dates subject to change.

2 0 0 6 DMA meet ings

7DMA-Gab-RRR APRIL 2006

Dear Digital Diva: I amworking on a special projectfor a client and would like toinclude a monthly calendar intheir manuals. The projectonly covers a couple ofmonths so it seems more costeffective to print blankcalendars instead ofpurchasing them. I tried toprint the monthly calendarview in Outlook but I can'tget it to print without myappointments too. Any ideas?-- Marge

Dear Marge: You could filter out your appointments in Outlookto print a blank calendar; however, you could be a little morecreative for your project. Instead of printing the genericOutlook calendar, create a customized one for your client usingMicrosoft Word or Microsoft Publisher. I find that Publisher ismuch easier to customize after creating the calendar; however,since Word is the most common application and you only need ablank calendar. I included the Word 2003 instructions below.Older versions may vary a bit, but the concept is the same.

In Microsoft Word, select New from the File menu. If it does notimmediately appear in the list, click the double arrows at thebottom of the list to expand the menu. The New Documentpanel will display on the right side of your screen. Select On mycomputer under the Templates list. The Templates window thendisplays. Click on the Other Documents tab. Select the CalendarWizard and click Ok. Then just follow the prompts to select thecalendar style, orientation and date range.

Notice that in the New Document panel, you also have theoption to select Templates on Office Online. If you areconnected to the Internet, this option takes you to thetemplates area on Microsoft's website. Here you can choosefrom an array of designs and themes. Enjoy getting creativewith your project!_______________________________________________________

Dear Digital Diva: I'm finally getting my web site off the groundand the obvious domain name, my company name, is taken.What are some other options that I could use for a good domainname? - No Dot For Me

Dear No Dot For Me: You want to select a name that is easy foryour clients to remember but it does not have to be your actualcompany's name. The main thing that you want to keep in mindis to select a domain name that reflects your company's brand,services and products. Domain names were limited to 23characters but in the past but the limit was increased to 67 (63if you don't count the dot and the extension). Phrases areusually better than single words alone; however Internet usersstill like short names better because they are easier to typeand to remember. The trick is to find the happy medium. Hereare some other things to consider when it comes to selectinga domain name:

1) List several keywords that describe what your site will beabout. Now select the one main concept or blend two or morekey concepts into one name.

2) Add a prefix or a suffix, if appropriate. Some commonprefixes are: e, my, best, new official, top, hot, cool, our, oryour. Some common suffixes are: world, home, site, web, live,shop, store, or mall.

3) Avoid the .net version of a name if the .com name is notavailable and the site offers services and products similar toyours. You certainly don't want to send your online business tothe competition. Almost everyone remembers .com before anyother extension and most browsers will default to .com if theextension is not entered.

4) Only letters, numbers and dashes can be used in a domainname. Dashes are not always preferred; however are becomingmore common place. A little known secret is that keyword-richdomain names that utilize two or more of your keywords andare separated by a hyphen may significantly increase yoursearch engine rankings.

5) Select a few available names and get opinions from others. Aname that makes perfect sense to you may still be confusing toothers. They may find it hard to remember, difficult to spell ortype, or just may not see the correlation to your business. Ifyou have to explain the name, it may not be the best choice.Remember, it's not about you; it's about your existing andpotentially new clients.

I also suggest that, if available, purchase the .com and .netversions of your name. Some people even register the commonmisspellings of their name. It wouldn't hurt to also obtain the.biz and .org versions so that no one else can use them. Thenjust point all of the names to your one web site. Many namesare being purchased for the sole purpose of targeting searchengine results.

Most importantly, purchase your domain name immediately(before someone else does). Many hosting companies (likewww.BizSiteNames.com) provide you with email accounts andfree parked pages to get you started for only the cost of thedomain name. Visit www.AskTheDigitalDiva.com for anexample. I have not yet designed the site; however, am able tohave an email account and display an informational page untilthe site is live.

Ask the Digital Diva is brought to you by our webmaster,

Pamela Adams, www.BizLynks.com & www.BizSiteNames.com,

770-564-0876. Send your questions to

info@askthedigitaldiva.com www.BizLynks.com

www.BizSiteNames.com

IS YOUR COMPANY MAKINGNEWS?If it is, we want to spotlight you in

the DMA Gab-RRR. If you

have any significant

news about your

business: awards, big

wins, new expansions,

relocating, please e-mail

them to Terry Palmer at

gabrrr@duluthmerchants.com

or fax it to 770-813-9923. It is your

newsletter and we rely upon you.

ARE YOU NEXT?We want to showcase our DMA

members in our meetings. If you

would like to host a meeting or if

you have an educational 30 minute

presentation that you believe would

be of benefit to our members, please

call Jennifer Ingalls at

770.490.0812.

ARE YOU USING YOURASSOCIATION’S WEBSITE TOTHE FULLEST?Add your web address and a

business description to your entry

in the online membership directory.

Send an e-mail to

webmaster@duluthmerchants.

com with your updates

CHANGE OFADDRESS Please e-mail

address changes

to Dennis Keller at

accentmail@bellsouth.net or call

him at 678.473.4643

ALL NEWSLETTER ENTRIESmust be submitted by the 12th of

each month for the next issue.

THE NETWORK TABLE ISAVAILABLE!Yes, we want to invite all of you to

bring your literature (in small

quantities) about your products and

services to our DMA meetings so

fellow members can learn more

about you. BUT, FAIR WARNING: at

the end of the evening, you must

take your

literature with you, or it will be

thrown away.

Duluth Merchants Association

Welcome to The Duluth Merchants Association!

The DMA was conceived with the idea that as business people we can best accomplish togetherwhat no one could do alone.

It is an association for members to participate in and improve the Duluth Community.

Duluth Merchants AssociationP.O. Box 559Duluth GA 30096