How to start a home improvement program in your town

f\ITIES throughout the U. S. are observv irg this month as Home Improvement Montl. The observance is a national effort by the Home Improvement Time Advisory Committee, made up of trade associations and suppliers of products and materials used in remodeling. Highlighting the observance will be a new "Headquarters City" program sparked by leading associations and manufacturers in the cities in which they are headquartered.

Purpose of Home Improvement Time is to lead the nation to improve its homes and communities through coordination of activities by the public, local governments, lumber and building materials dealers, the press, local and national supplierg remodelers, builders and lenders.

Tlr" 616 billion remodeling industry is expcc-ed to benefit through expanded markets and greater community and public awareness of the benefits of improved homes.

Seattle, Wash. with the formation of the Western Washington Home Improvement Coordinating Committee, made up of local businessmen, and sponsored by Simpson Timber Co., was the first headquarters city to get underway.

Douglas Loth, of Simpson Timber, is serving as area coordinator for Seattle, Tacoma and Portland as well as chairman of the Seattle-Tacoma activity. The Seattle Master Builders Assn. is among the groups participating.

Among the Headquarters City Programs announched in the West in addition to Seattle, are those at Denver, Colo,, sponsored by the Association of Remodeling Contractors; and San Diego, Calif., sponsored by San Diego Chapter, National Home Improvement Council.

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How to set up a Headquarter City program so you can profit from home improvement business 12 months a year. Seattle, Denver and San Diego are western cities with plans already in motion.

Under the program, a typical looal Headquarters City steering committee would consist of: the regional building material dealers association executive officers and building material dealers; local builder association executive officers and builders" officials of utilities, banks, savings and loan associations, H.LT. sponsoring manufacturers, officials of local remodeling contractor associations and remodeling contractors, members of allied building products associations and local government representatives.

Any organization may initiate formation of a local Headquarters City committee. To assist in organizing such an activity, Gerald P. Mullins of Formica Corp. Cincinnati, national Headquarters City chairmano has prepared a comprehensive manual that de- scribes the activity step-by-step. The manual contains suggested invitation letters to specific groups as well as publicity and advertising plans.

"The materials are availableo" Mullins said. 'obut thev must be obtained and activated locally.' Local leadership and communications are available in many cities through the associations and manufacturers supporting the Home Improvement Time Program. The objective is to make the Home Improvement Month promotion operative and effective at the local level by placing management and coordination of the promotion in the hands of participating manufacturers and associations supporting the program."

"Through them the cities in which they are headquartered can be assured of a successful Home Improvement Month promotion. Why should these participating manufacturers and associations assume the burden of local leadership? Simply because they are best qualified to do so, and for these reasons:

( I ) Each association and manufacturer in his headquarter city has available or is stafied with professional advertising, public relations and promotion personnel.

(2) Local coordination by professional communications personnel will assure maximum exposure in local media-both paid and unpaid. The local impact achieved in a number of cities will result in increased business for everyone.