***FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE***

Local Maid Service Helps Disabled Heroes

Local Fire, Police and US Military Benefit Through Non-Profit Organization

(Fort Collins, CO)   06/28/10 –  Giving honor to veterans and service members can

happen every day of the year if you really put your mind to it.  While many people enjoy long

weekends and holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, or Veteran’s Day, one company

decided that every day was worth giving honor, and decided to do something about it.

All Star Cleaning Services, a local maid service provider serving the Fort Collins,

Loveland, Windsor, and surrounding areas is dedicated to serving local heroes all year long by

providing free house cleaning services through Cleaning for Heroes.  Cleaning for Heroes is a

non-profit organization that connects maid services across the nation to deserving individuals

who have been injured or disabled in the line of duty.   Cleaning for Heroes is dedicated to

providing house cleaning services, at no cost, to disabled and elderly members of the United

States military.

Thousands of soldiers who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan are returning to civilian

life with moderate to severe physical injuries. Disabling injuries such as loss of limbs, head

trauma and debilitating injuries to arms and legs make it difficult for these men and women to

meet the demands of everyday life such as cleaning and maintaining their homes. There are

hundreds of thousands of other veterans from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War

and the Gulf War who also have disabling injuries.

Cleaning for Heroes was founded in 2010 by Anne M. Aldridge, owner of Ocean State

House Cleaning of Rhode Island.  Earlier this year, Anne went searching for a non-profit

organization that was able to link up cleaning services like hers with disabled veterans that

needed cleaning services but were unable to afford them.   She was unable to find any such

organization dedicated to this cause.  Knowing that there was a need for such services,

she founded a non-profit organization that would be able to fill this need and Cleaning for

Heroes was born.

Anne is no stranger to the sacrifices of veterans.  She is the daughter of a Vietnam-era

Navy veteran, the granddaughter of a World War II veteran, and the great-granddaughter of a

World War I veteran.

Veterans’ organizations nationwide are trying hard to meet the needs of disabled

veterans, but until Cleaning for Heroes, there was no organization dedicated to meeting the

needs of this very deserving group of men and women by providing much needed house

cleaning help. For some elderly veterans, this household help could be the difference between

whether they get to stay in their own home or be forced into a retirement home.

For other veterans, it could mean the difference between staying at home after surgery

or returning to a hospital because they were unable to maintain a sanitary environment in

which to heal.  This can save taxpayers a significant amount of money in the long run through

the prevention of unnecessary admissions that would drive up government health care costs.

All Star Cleaning Services was one of the first companies to step forward and offer their

help for veterans in the state of Colorado.  The network of Cleaning for Heroes providers is

growing quickly, spanning the United States and even reaching into Canada.

Laura Smith, owner of All Star Cleaning Services explains, “Since founding All Star

Cleaning Services in early 2006 I have always looked for ways to give back to the community

that supports us. When I heard about the Cleaning for Heroes program it just seemed like a

great fit for us. My family has personally supported similar causes for many years, and now my

company has the opportunity to do the same. We are very honored to be a part of this

wonderful program!”

All Star Cleaning Services has joined the ranks of professional residential maid services

located nationwide that have elected to say “thank you” to deserving heroes for their sacrifices

while protecting and serving our community and nation.   All Star Cleaning Services

demonstrates to their community they are a compassionate and socially responsible business

by agreeing to provide their professional services at no charge for at least two veterans each

month.

All Star Cleaning Services is a locally-grown green maid service specializing in Mother’s

Helper services using only all-natural safe and healthy products and practices.  They are a

member of the Association of Residential Cleaning Services International (ARCSI).  You may

learn more about All Star Cleaning Service by visiting their website at

www.cleaningallstars.com.

All Star Cleaning Services and Cleaning for Heroes is committed to promoting a healthy,

clean home environment for our disabled or elderly community heroes and their families.

“Heroes come in many forms.” says Torrey Shannon, the wife of SSG John Daniel

Shannon, a combat-injured veteran who was featured in the Pulitzer Prize stories published by

The Washington Post in 2007.   Shannon is a former maid service owner who now serves as the

National Spokesperson for Cleaning for Heroes.  She adds, “You don’t have to be a combat

veteran to be a hero.  I consider those who give their time, money, or concern to this program

as everyday heroes.”

Based on the same concept that our nation’s heroes volunteered to serve their country

and communities, Cleaning for Heroes is an all-volunteer effort that brings donors, providers

and recipients together.  Cleaning for Heroes relies on volunteers and donors who can

contribute their time, money or services to the needs of their applicants.  If you would like

more information on how you can improve the lives of heroes in your community, or would like

to apply for assistance, please visit their website at www.cleaningforheroes.org or call (401)

732-7856.

As most people who are familiar with my company know, we have always made the majority of the products we use in our client’s homes ourselves. As of this week, that will no longer be the case.

I am excited to introduce Queen of the Meadow, our new product line. Queen of the Meadow is a small local company run by Daniela Butrick and her family, and they have mixed up a heavenly custom-blended signature scent just for All Star! Here is some information about Daniela’s company from her website (www.queenofthemeadow.com):

Queen of the Meadow

…your exclusive source of pure and natural beauty care!

We are a family business, located in Fort Collins, CO, that creates all natural, herbal hair & body care, and household products.

Our ingredients are wild gathered, or organically grown and we appreciate the renewable resources our earth is giving us.

Our products do not contain any petrochemicals like aggressive detergents or petroleum based preservatives that could harm you and our environment and do not belong at all in your hair or on your skin.

We are crafters and our products are handmade, in small batches – and get to you always fresh!

Nor do we put synthetic fragrances, colors, emulsifiers, thickeners or alcohols in our products.

The oils we add, are when ever possible cold pressed, unrefined, and organic. We only use raw butters – simply, we create our recipes with only ingredients that are kept in their most natural, authentic way, so nothing harmful gets into your bloodstream!

We care about human beings, animals, plants…just simply about our environment and planet we are living on.

You can feel and enjoy our products’ natural origin!

In addition to her cleaning products, I have personally used Daniela’s solid lotion bar for a couple of years now, and love it. Look for her in local farmer’s markets and check out the goodies for yourself!

Extremely lightweight and easy to maintain, these are the ONLY upright vacuums the All Stars use in our client’s homes.

Call our office today to place your order! This special offer won’t last long!

We can be reached by phone at 970.215.2224
or by Email at laura@cleaningallstars.com

As of today:

Cleaning for a Reason has 415 maid service partners in 43 states plus Canada

1,918 women have been served

Over $275,000 in services have been donated by C4R partner maid services

Since partnering with cleaning for a reason in late 2006, All Star Cleaning Services has helped 25 women, including 6 active patients as of today.

Hear what one of our patients had to say about the program:

If you know someone who could use some help, locally or in another area, Cleaning for a Reason can be contacted through their website at:

www.cleaningforareason.org

Or Toll Free at (877) 337-3348.

For the month of June only:
Current clients get your carpets cleaned in June and we will donate 20% of the cost of the cleaning to the C4R foundation in your name.

To donate to the Cleaning for a Reason Foundation in memory of a friend or loved one, click here

You can now leave any recyclable material that does not qualify for curbside pickup out for your crew, and we will recycle it for you. This completely free service is available to all current All Star clients – just one more way we are making your life a little easier, and a little greener. 

• Batteries 
• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs
• Plastics types 3-7 (some waste services will pick these up now – check with your provider)
• Plastic Grocery Bags
• Electronics Recycling and Cell Phones
• Chemicals Too! Haven’t gone green yet? Ready to make the switch but don’t know what to do with all the harmful chemicals still lurking around your home? Leave them for us, and we will properly dispose of them for you.

1. Why you should make the switch to natural – health benefits, allergies, chemical sensitivity issues, environmental impact, etc.
2. How to go about making the switch – what to do with all those old products lurking beneath the sink.
3. What products to use – store bought or homemade? Brand reviews and recommendations, recipes and more!
4. Tips, tricks, and solutions from an industry expert. 

All participants will receive a booklet on Natural Cleaning, a sample bottle of all-purpose cleaner, and a special microfiber cleaning cloth. Workshops last between 30 minutes and an hour, depending on the amount of time your group wishes to allocate and audience participation. 

Give me a call to book your group’s workshop today at 970.215.2224 or email laura@cleaningallstars.com for more information.