BY SUE MASON

STAFF REPORTER

smason@oe.homecomm.net

No Problem: Judy Basile thinks the secret to the success of her business, "I Can Do That!", a service of services, may well be her maturity. She's more, like a Mom than the teenager across the street.

Kay Dubois wanted to throw a party for her son Adam and 86 classmates who were graduating from fifth grade.

She had done all of the shopping and had all of the prep work done, when it dawned on her that there was no time between the graduation ceremony and the 1 p.m. start of the party to do the set up at the park.

"I didn't realize what was involved with the graduation. "I'm one of those people who, I can do that and I can do that but then I thought, how can I do that?"

Judi Johnson had a kitchen in need of specialized cleaning. The cabinets needed to be cleaned inside and out. The walls, the countertop, even the floor needed a deep cleaning..

But arthritis prevented the Livonia resident from doing it herself. She needed help. "With my arthritis, I'm limited in what I can. do," said Johnson. "I needed specialized cleaning, and it was something that I, couldn't do or Merry Maids really doesn't do."

Four simple words provided an answer to Dubois' dilemma and Johnson's need

…. "I Can Do That!"

It's an expression that rolls effortlessly off Judy Basile's tongue and it's the phrase she chose to describe her service of services, "I Can Do That!"

In a letter Basile is sending to western Wayne County communities - Plymouth, Livonia and

Farmington Hills have already been introduced to "I Can Do That!" - she says she specializes in time by doing all of those time-consuming jobs people don't have the time to do themselves.

Need to be reminded of special occasions? Have gifts purchase, wrapped and delivered? Want someone to do your shopping, reorganize your closets, drop off and pick up you dry cleaning, plan a party or wedding or arrange day for out-of-town guests?

"I Can Do That!" can do it.

The idea has been "rolling round in Basile's head for two years. Encouraged by friends and her boyfriend, she set up the framework for her business before quitting her sales job at Mobile Ed Productions in Redford.

'A lot of people, are single, divorced or two-career families and run out of time to do things," she said. "Some people try to do things during their lunch hour, others hate doing things on Saturday. That's their rest time and they hate having to do those nasty chores then.

'It's like I have 30 minutes for a haircut, period."

since starting her business, Basile has, handled Dubois's party, cleaned Johnson's kitchen, did specialized grocery shopping for a single man whose parents were visiting from England and took them on some day trips.

She's helping a bride plan her wedding and just got a call from someone needing transportation to and from the University of Michigan Hospital in Ann Arbor.

"I really, really like it," she said. ""In every job I've had, I’ve dealt with people. I enjoy working with people and meeting different people."

Basile laughs about her first "I Can Do That" job. The call came the first day after she quit working. It was her cousin.

"I feel funny about asking family to do favors, but I was in a panic," said Dubois. "I called

Judy close to midnight and I told her I wanted to be her first customer. I put her to work and I didn't feel guilty. I had a wonderful time and a wonderful, party."

"My cousin couldn't be in two places at one time, so I ran the pool party for 80 some fifth graders," Basile said. "It was one of those days where it was close to 100 degrees. That night I went to bed at 8 o’clock"

Like Dubois, Basile was no stranger to Johnson. Friends who had kept in touch over the years, she asked Basile for a brochure after hearing about her new business. And when she heard she did specialized cleaning, she asked the price for cleaning her kitchen.

"She did a great job; she found things I hadn’t seen for years," said Johnson. "I had some Ann Page tins from an old A&P. You know, spices aren’t that good after 20 years."

"I scrubbed the floor with a Brill-O pad to get off the old wax and waxed my way out her back door," said Basile who quoted Johnson a flat rate instead of her $20 per hour fee. "I cleaned out her cupboards and reorganized her Tupperware cupboard. It was a challenge."

Both Dubois and Johnson agree that "I Can Do That!" is a great idea and a service they'll use again.

"There are so many people who want things done and who can't do it or don't have time to do it," said Johnson. "It's mighty nice to come home to a really nice, clean kitchen."

"This experience makes me want to do more entertaining," said Dubois. "I'd spent a lot of time in prep work for that party. Next time, I'll tell her what the themeis and let her go do it.

"I'd recommend her to anybody."