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Written by Pamela Roth
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Sunday, August 23 2009, 10:33 PM |
Even though the summer holidays are soon coming to an end, 16-year-old Kattie Allan was all smiles Sunday as she was getting her hair washed at Chatter’s Salon on the city’s north side.
That’s because she was one of more than 200 underprivileged children who were selected to get a professional hair cut and real salon experience free of charge from stylists at 18 locations throughout the city.
Although she could have whatever style her heart desired, Allan decided to play it safe by getting just a few inches chopped off her shoulder-length brown locks. But it wasn’t just about the haircut for Allan, it was about feeling special for the afternoon and having somebody do something nice for her out of the goodness of their heart.
“Haircuts are expensive things and they are a real treat. I personally love experimenting with my hair,” said Allan, who had been looking forward to the day for quite some time. “I am really glad that Streets Alive is doing this. It means a lot that they would care about our inner beauty as much as our outer beauty. I definitely feel special today. It feels awesome.”
Event organizer Tanya Yancie, who has been a Big Sister for the past five years, came up with the idea only a few months ago after recognizing that a professional haircut is something many people take for granted, yet is so important in helping children maintain a positive self-image.
So she approached Streets Alive with the idea of providing free haircuts to underprivileged children and it didn’t take long before more people got on board.
Meagan Romanchuk, administrator for Streets Alive, went to several agencies around town, such as Lethbridge Family Services, Woods Homes and Big Brothers and Big Sisters, to find children who could benefit from a day at the salon.
The girls could have their fingernails painted or get their eyebrows waxed. Afterward, each child received a care package containing salon shampoo, conditioner and hair accessories.
“I think the great thing is the confidence they get when they go back to school. A lot of them wouldn't be able to get this normally,” said Romanchuk. “These are products they normally wouldn’t be able to afford. It’s a good feeling they get from having someone pay attention to them, cut their hair and paint their nails.”
In order to accommodate the 28 haircuts at Chatter’s Salon North on Sunday, the entire day was cleared of regular appointments and dedicated to the children, with the staff and stylists volunteering their time.
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