Through its involvement in the Locks of Love program, Jenniffer & Co. salon has collected the equivalent of almost 2 miles of hair to make hairpieces for children with a medical loss of hair, often due to cancer.
For owner and operator Jennifer Pealer, contributing her business’s talents and efforts is better than any dollar amount she could donate. And by getting other people involved, she believes she is creating a community of caregivers.
“With the Locks of Love, you can get people at such a young age interested in giving,” says Pealer, who co-owns her business with her brother, Joe Sullens. “It was a way that I could use my profession as a tool to make a difference.”
People may donate hair year-round at either of the salon’s two locations in Mentor. They receive a free cut, style and finish with 12 inches or more of donated hair.
Giving is so important to Pealer that her 60-plus employees cannot advance on the salon’s career path structure without volunteering for community fund-raisers such as Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society Walk-A-Thon.
Pealer also runs the Lake County branch of the American Cancer Society’s Look Good Feel Better program, which provides cosmetology advice and guidance to women who are undergoing cancer treatment. They receive help with wigs, make-up and advice on how to look good while experiencing effects of treatment.
The salons have also designated a private wig room for cancer patients and others who have lost their hair due to illness. Individuals may meet confidentially with a wig specialist, who will make recommendations for wigs and show them how to maintain them.
Pealer also coordinated a fashion show to raise money for the Riverside High School Fieldhouse. She assembled more than 70 community vendors to set up booths at the event and 10 caterers to provide refreshments. The event raised $5,000.
HOW TO REACH: Jenniffer & Co., (440) 266-4247
