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PITTSBURG —
Officials at Pittsburg’s Victory Life Church and local hair stylists gathered at the church Monday evening to send area kids back to school looking sharp, free of charge.
For each of the past five years, pastor Donnie Talent and volunteers from his church have taken names and recruited area stylists for the event, and each year it’s grown. Last year’s event was attended by 150 kids. This year more than 200 kids signed up, prompting Talent to host it at the church for the first time to accommodate the volume. The kids come from a wide variety of homes, including some who can’t afford a haircut after purchasing school supplies and clothes, and some who simply come from large families.
“This is a great opportunity to take care of that need,” Talent said.
This year, Talent and church members took the event to the next level. Jumpin’ Jake’s Bouncers brought an inflatable slide, the Yates family cooked free hot-dogs for everyone, and the Pittsburg Police Department brought one of its D.A.R.E. cars to show the kids. American Lawn sponsored a Tropical Snow stand, and Pittsburg Pepsi handed out free cans of soda. Inside, the stylists’ booths were each sponsored by a local business.
“We wanted to make it more of a community event,” Talent said.
Talent said the church also took some of the sponsor money to provide shoes and clothing.
“We wanted to help get them back to school,” he said.
Church volunteers start about two weeks in advance of the event, buying ad space on the radio and sending fliers to schools. This year 12 stylists from four different salons volunteered their clipping talents.
“We’re always looking beauticians that will help out,” Talent said. “We can co-ordinate and schedule all this, but not without the beauticians giving of their time. They’re the lifeblood.”
Chelsea Richardson, a stylists at Frontenacr’s Tanning and Hair Salon, has been participating in the event since it began in 2007. She said she likes giving her time for a good cause.
“For a lot of them it’s their first haircut of the school year,” she said. “And for a lot of them it’s their only haircut of the school year.”
Jennifer Maslen brought her daughters, Sidney Maslen, 10, who is beginning fifth grade at Northeast Elementary School, and Chelsea Keeler, 12, who will be a seventh grader at Northeast Junior High School, to get their hair cut. She said haircuts were near the bottom of the priority list after adding up the cost of buying new clothes and school supplies.
Officials at Pittsburg’s Victory Life Church and local hair stylists gathered at the church Monday evening to send area kids back to school looking sharp, free of charge.
For each of the past five years, pastor Donnie Talent and volunteers from his church have taken names and recruited area stylists for the event, and each year it’s grown. Last year’s event was attended by 150 kids. This year more than 200 kids signed up, prompting Talent to host it at the church for the first time to accommodate the volume. The kids come from a wide variety of homes, including some who can’t afford a haircut after purchasing school supplies and clothes, and some who simply come from large families.
“This is a great opportunity to take care of that need,” Talent said.
This year, Talent and church members took the event to the next level. Jumpin’ Jake’s Bouncers brought an inflatable slide, the Yates family cooked free hot-dogs for everyone, and the Pittsburg Police Department brought one of its D.A.R.E. cars to show the kids. American Lawn sponsored a Tropical Snow stand, and Pittsburg Pepsi handed out free cans of soda. Inside, the stylists’ booths were each sponsored by a local business.
“We wanted to make it more of a community event,” Talent said.
Talent said the church also took some of the sponsor money to provide shoes and clothing.
“We wanted to help get them back to school,” he said.
Church volunteers start about two weeks in advance of the event, buying ad space on the radio and sending fliers to schools. This year 12 stylists from four different salons volunteered their clipping talents.
“We’re always looking beauticians that will help out,” Talent said. “We can co-ordinate and schedule all this, but not without the beauticians giving of their time. They’re the lifeblood.”
Chelsea Richardson, a stylists at Frontenacr’s Tanning and Hair Salon, has been participating in the event since it began in 2007. She said she likes giving her time for a good cause.
“For a lot of them it’s their first haircut of the school year,” she said. “And for a lot of them it’s their only haircut of the school year.”
Jennifer Maslen brought her daughters, Sidney Maslen, 10, who is beginning fifth grade at Northeast Elementary School, and Chelsea Keeler, 12, who will be a seventh grader at Northeast Junior High School, to get their hair cut. She said haircuts were near the bottom of the priority list after adding up the cost of buying new clothes and school supplies.
“If it wasn’t for this we wouldn’t be able to get it done,” she said. “It’s awesome that they’re doing this.”
Maslen said it was their first time attending the event, and that she was impressed with the operation.
“We came right in and they put us straight into a haircut,” she said. “There’s been no wait time whatsoever.”
Maslen said she appreciated the effort the stylists put into the event.
“They’re kind-hearted and good people,” she said. “They’re taking their time and wages. The kids are going to go to school knowing they have a great haircut. I’m greatly appreciative that they’re doing this.”
