by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
At least two dozen homeless people, including some children, enjoyed free haircuts, a buffet luncheon and gift bags Nov. 20, thanks to Tammy Zierden and her staff at Headlines Salon and Spa in Sartell.
The outpouring of kindness and generosity was a repeat of what Headlines did last year just before Thanksgiving – helping some of the homeless in the area and bringing attention to their plight, hoping others will extend helping hands, too.
Starting at noon Sunday, homeless people began arriving at the salon, brought there by volunteer drivers from the Place of Hope and the Salvation Army, both headquartered in St. Cloud.
Zierden said when she opened shop Sunday, she was delighted to see boxes of donated goods, such as warm clothing, that people had brought and left outside the salon earlier that morning.
Zierden and her staff of five began cutting hair at noon and continued for several hours until all the cutting jobs were done, until all who wanted a haircut had been served. In the larger salon, there were line-ups of sandwiches, hot food in slow cookers and a table filled with sweet bakery goods. After their haircuts, many of the recipients sat down to socialize and enjoy the food and treats.
“We had such a good response last year, our first year of doing this, we decided to do it again,” said Zierden, owner-operator of Headlines. “We had lots of people helping, including some of my family members.”
Last year, 30 people who were homeless availed themselves of the free haircuts.
Those who received haircuts, a warm welcome and the delicious dinner expressed their gratitude and thanks the owner and staff of Headlines Salon and Spa were so kind and thoughtful.
Megan Hiemenz of Rice gives haircut recipient Tami Bash two gift bags as Amy Revier does the haircutting. Bash is homeless, staying in St. Cloud, until she and her boyfriend, a U.S. Navy veteran, can move to Nashville where they hope to buy a home.
Wanda Patterson, a homeless woman staying temporarily in St. Cloud, gets a hair cut from Katie Haus at Headlines Salon and Spa in Sartell. Haus, of Minneapolis, is one of the three daughters of Tammy Zierden, owner of the shop.
Headlines Salon and Spa employees prepare to welcome visitors with gift bags as they arrive for free haircuts and a delicious dinner. From left to right are Heidi Anderson of Sauk Rapids, and Kirsten Bauer and Megan Hiemenz, both of Rice.
After a refreshing haircut and shampoo, Marty Taimanglo strums a song on his ukelele. Taimanglo hails from Oahu, Hawaii and is temporarily homeless, staying for now in St. Cloud.
