Luna Hair Salon is showing families in need that Chestermere supports them with a memorable holiday season.
On Dec 1 beginning at 6 p.m., Chestermere residents are encouraged to attend the second annual Luna Hair Salon Winter Gala where all proceeds raised will go to sponsoring a local family in need.
“We’ve always wanted to do some sort of costumer appreciation at the salon, this has been talked about for years,” said owner of Luna Hair Salon Reyse van Gelder.
“Christmas for most of us in the salon has a special place in our hearts and growing up I was very fortunate to have a great Christmas,” van Gelder said.
Collectively the Luna Hair Salon staff wanted to find the best way possible to sponsor a family for the holiday season.
“The year prior we did a “Cut for a cause”, which was great, we ended up sponsoring two families at the salon, but we wanted to do something bigger,” van Gelder said.
“Something that was fun, that women could slap on some rouge and put on some heels and that dress they never get to wear and men to put on a bow tie and just come out have a really nice fun evening in Chestermere, I find that’s what we lack here.”, She added.
The Chestermere jazz band will be playing as soon as people walk through the doors to the Luna Hair Salon, and the first 50 people to arrive will also receive a swag bag.
The Luna Hair Salon Winter Gala is catered by Browns Social House, there will be a silent auction, door prizes, mood lighting, and a DJ later in the evening, van Gelder said.
“It’s a really good party, everything is cleared out of the salon it doesn’t even look like a salon anymore,” van Gelder added, “It’s a lot of mingling, eating, talking about what Christmas is, and touching base about what we did last year.
“We want everyone and anyone to come and enjoy a bit to eat, and some live music.”
At the end of the Luna Hair Salon Winter Gala the Luna Hair staff figure out how much was raised throughout the evening, and where the proceeds will go.
A local family has already been chosen to be sponsored this holiday season, van Gelder added, “We’re very excited about it.”
Not only is the Luna Hair Salon Winter Gala beneficial to the chosen family, but it also encourages the community to become engaged and help others.
“More people want to get involved,” van Gelder added, “People are getting involved and getting really pumped up about doing something awesome for another family.
“The support from the community has been overwhelming, and it’s been heart felt.”
What families receive from the Gala changes depending on what the family is requiring, van Gelder said.
Firstly, the Salon staff come into contact with somebody who is close to the chosen family, and figure out exactly what the family needs, or what they want.
“We have someone who is in cahoots with us, who will also allow us to break into the [families] house prior to. We’ll send the family away for the evening, and somebody will let us in, and we’ll throw up Christmas in their house and then leave,” van Gelder said.
The family can receive anything from bills being paid, grocery gift cards, gas gift cards, or toys.
“Maybe it’s a vacation, maybe they just need to step away from life and have a break and just stop thinking about things.
“As a staff we decided where we are going to put that money based on the family’s needs and wants,” van Gelder said.
“It’s not that we’re giving a hand out to anyone, it’s more just to let people know that we care.”
“There’s people in the community that care, and we love them, and we just want to put a smile on their face for the holiday season.”
After last year’s Winter Gala, van Gelder received a card from the sponsored family, who asked to stay anonymous, which read, “Christmas has been stressful on us the last couple of years, the meaning of it just seemingly lost and watered down in fighting crowds and racking the credit card.
“I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for changing my perspective on this, you have shown us that the true meaning of Christmas is not lost in the hearts of truly special people like yourselves.”
The card later added that the family will never forget what others in the community had done for them.
“That’s why we do this,” van Gelder said.
Tickets for the Luna Hair Salon Winter Gala can be purchased at Trend Chestermere, Lifepath Wellness, or at the Luna Hair Salon for $15.
