Beautiful Belly

Escondido, CA (PRWEB) December 23, 2011

The Beauty industry has a long history of advocating for women and children, and a local stylist has decided to try to make a difference by going hands on in her community.

When Airie McCready had to close her retail store, she handed in the keys and like many of us prepared to make a big change in her life.

“I’ve always been taught to give back, especially in times when I am in need,” says McCready, ” so rather than dwell on the loss of my store, I decided to see if I could do some haircuts over at Serenity House, which is close to my home.”

When McCready arrived, she was surprised to see that they actually had put in what amounted to a small “salon” for the residents, dubbed, “The Evolution Salon.”

Many of the women are required to stay at Serenity House and not leave the grounds for at least 14 days. Almost all of them do not have the money for any type of professional beauty service or even transportation to get to a salon.

The small room was not being used except for a couple of times a year when a local salon would come in for a day to cut hair.

“After talking to the staff and the residents,” says McCready, “I could see there was a real need for these women to have some professional care-to show them they were worth both our care and their own self care-something that’s difficult for many of them to grasp. And it needed to be on an ongoing basis.”

Within two weeks McCready had contacted Eufora International and Bassett Salon Solutions, who both were generous enough to donate Eufora products for washing and styling. Soon she was contacted by representatives from Goldwell and Unite Eurotherapy who brought over extra product that was usually given away or disposed of. McCready found herself with a lot of product and only two hands-her own.

“I posted on Facebook,” says McCready, “and the response was great-from local stylists wanting to help as well as others across the country.”

McCready spent two exhausting days as the only stylist at Evolution with Heidi Borrelli, her assistant attempting to keep everything organized.

“The women were so excited that we were there to do their hair,” says Borrelli, “it was hard to get through to them that we were coming back-and that Airie planned to be there every week.”

Since that day, McCready has been joined by several local stylists, including Tamera Pedro Cudal, Lynne Joliffe, Megan Underwood. Local Salons have also joined in, and volunteers have included Danica Carney of Scruplz Hair & Nails, Jessica Kinsella of Pistachio Hair Studio, Jenny Moreno of Haim LTD Salon, as well as the owner of Tangles Salon: A Chadwick Studio, Lindi Chadwick.

Salon Professionals are still needed to help staff Evolution on a volunteer basis, for a day, or even if only for a few hours. Estheticians, Manicurists and Eyebrow Threaders are also welcome and needed.

McCready says that her first hope was to have stylists on site at least two days a week, and it’s come true. Evolution has been staffed two days a week, since the first week in December, thanks to the selfless efforts of local stylists.

“I had hoped,” says McCready, “that we would be able to make a change in someone’s life-but did not expect the change to echo so strongly in mine. I am truly humbled by the response of the salon community here.”

Hair Color has proven to be an amazing factor for the women of Serenity House-and McCready is currently looking for a professional product line or company to sponsor them fully.

Currently the only thing the women pay for is the cost of a tube of color, and McCready has been taking care of going back and forth to the beauty supply stores to get it for them.

“I’ve even had a special bracelet designed,” says McCready, “that has an “e” on it, and am using it to raise money to get more items, especially hair color, for the salon.”

McCready and other local stylists plan to spend Christmas Day at Serenity House handing out small bags of hair care products and accessories that have been donated to them.

“I have a new hope now,” says McCready, “that maybe one day I can do this full time, and start a program that brings salon services into other facilities. That’s all I want for Christmas!”

To see how you can help, go to: Evolution Salon

The Evolution Bracelet Information

North County Serenity House: http://www.ncsh.org

The Evolution Mission Statement:

By Volunteering in the Evolution Salon, we shall help the residents of NC Serentiy House and the people in their lives evolve mentally, physically and spiritually into the people they were always meant to be.

Through love, care, and education we hope to set an example of what the Salon Industry can do for them, and inspire them to keep going in the long journey of recovery.

Many of us have experienced drug or alcohol addiction in our lives.

Whether it is personal, or a family member, friend, or co-worker, it is a life altering problem that affects an estimated 25 million Americans directly and 40 million indirectly.

The drop in self esteem that most women experience is significant when they become alcoholics or addicts, and learning that they are beautiful, important members of our society who are worth OUR CARE AND SELF CARE is crucial in their recovery. Let’s step up and put our hands out-and create beauty for those who think they have lost it.

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