The Steinbach Community Outreach Drop-in Centre was transformed into a free hair salon Thursday afternoon.

In a room usually furnished with couches and coffee tables, there stood instead a series of mirrors, chairs, and barber supplies. Professional hairstylists from Sandals Hair Salon and Classic Impressions had volunteered

Krissy Toews says getting a free haircut frees up funds for the more important things in life. their time to cut the hair of local low-income families and homeless people.

“I just love being able to offer my skills to people,” comments hairstylist Kara Plett, “not everyone can do it and I think its a great way of giving back.”

During the two hour event, just over 15 Outreach guests walked through the doors to have their scalps sheered. Among them was Krissy Toews and her two young children.

“Regularly this would have cost me between $60 and $70,” she shares, “but this means that my money can go to my kids, it can go to my house, it can go to things that are more important than hair.”

Fred Faykes also took advantage of the special initiative.

Fred Faykes helped transform Outreach's drop-in centre into a hair salon.“This is really cool, we’ve never had anything like this before,” he says, “normally I’d cut my hair myself, but this seemed like a better alternative.”

Faykes was so excited by the idea that he spent much of his day re-organizing the drop-in centre into a space conducive to hair cutting. “This just shows community support, which is desperately needed around here.”

Toews wholeheartedly agrees with Faykes. While stylish hair is not a basic human need, she says self-care is an important aspect of life that often falls by the wayside when you are a single mom with a small income. The gesture meant a lot to her.

“It's nice when a company comes forward and decides to do something for the community and help people with something as simple as haircuts.”

Longtime Outreach volunteer Lotti Klassen calls the event a “success” and says she has already begun scheming with Sandals and Classic Impressions in the hopes of making the free haircuts a bi-annual occasion.