LeTip Chester County East met on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Exton, PA. We were joined by a guest representing the category of Landscaping.

Our showboater was new member Mark Kochanowsky, our appliance repair person with A to Z Appliance Repair (www.atozappliancerepair.net). Mark presented a selection of promotional materials as well as a book he has written about caring for your appliances. We look forward to hearing from him as our speaker next week.

Our speaker was our massage therapist, Sue Scales from Hands Down Massage & Bodywork (www.handsdown.abmp.com). Sue mentioned some things that people may do or say that would indicate a need for massage therapy. These include long periods of standing or walking, running or other athletic pursuits, and stress. Massage can also be a great gift for that hard-to-shop-for person during this holiday season. Anyone who is trying to take better care of themself or to pursue better health would benefit from massage therapy as part of their healthy lifestyle. Sue can help with her personable manner and massage therapy tailored to the concerns of each individual client.

LeTip Chester County East met on Tuesday, December 23, 2014 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Exton, PA. We were joined by a guest representing the category of Landscaping.

Our showboater was Jack Ansley, our portrait photographer (www.ansleyphoto.com). Jack is able to take individual, family, and pet photos. He can also print photos taken on a cell phone; just e-mail the picture to him, and he can print it as a traditional photo or on canvas.

Our speaker was Mark Kochanowsky from A to Z Appliance Repair (www.atozappliancerepair.net). Mark has worked in the field of appliance repair for 30 years, so he brings a wealth of experience to his work. He does not sell appliances, but he is happy to give advice about what to buy and where to purchase it. He knows which appliances tend to have trouble or can be difficult to repair, so he will steer people toward better products. Mark has seen all sorts of appliance troubles that have been caused by the actions (or inaction) of the owners, and he has written a book of maintenance tips for appliance care. He has also seen problems caused by incorrect installation, and he will install appliances correctly. One of Mark's biggest recommendations for care is to clean the vents on clothes dryers. When the vents are clogged with lint, the dryer's efficiency decreases. The simple vent cleaning can increase the life and performance of the dryer.

LeTip Chester County East met on Tuesday, December 2, 2014 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel in Exton, PA. We are happy to welcome Mark Kochanowsky as a new member! Mark represents the category of appliance repair with his company, A to Z Appliance Repair (www.atozappliancerepair.net).

Our showboater was our financial advisor, Claudia Roemer (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). She had several helpful booklets about tax planning and discussing finances with various family members. Claudia is happy to help with all types of financial advice and planning.

Our speaker was one of our newer members, Adam Perkowski from Springboard Media (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). He is our home automation specialist, and he can engineer systems that allow customers to control various electrical devices from their cell phones. In some cases, they may even be able to save money on electric bills by controlling things remotely. Adam will make sure that everything works the way the customer wants it to, even if it takes several adjustments. If you know someone (or are someone) who is frustrated with their technology and would like to have their life made easier, contact Adam to find out how he can help.

LeTip Chester County East met on Tuesday, November 18, 2014 at the Wyndham Garden Hotel. We welcome our newest members, Mike Popiel with Pinnacle Floor Coverings (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) and Adam Perkowski with Springboard Media (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). Mike joins us as a Flooring Contractor, and Adam joins us representing the Home Automation category.

New member Mike Popiel (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) was our showboater. He showed us a carpet stretcher that he uses for carpet installation. The Carpet and Rug Institute will certify carpet installers only if they use a carpet stretcher, and Mike uses this tool for every carpet job.

Our speaker was Gary Hunter, our Carpenter Contractor (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.). He walked us through the process of constructing a deck, complete with photos, architectural drawings, and samples of materials that he might use. Gary and his son have worked together on many carpentry projects, and they are always careful to plan and measure for a professional result. He makes sure to research and adhere to township codes for construction. At this time of year, he is finishing up his outdoor projects, and he is looking for indoor work during the colder months. He can fabricate crown molding, railings, cabinets, kitchens--just about anything made of wood. Please contact him for an estimate.