The American soldiers sacrifice their time to protect the citizens. The soldiers don’t get to come home every day after work. Even during the holiday season many soldiers don’t get the chance to spend time with their family. The Help A Hero fundraiser is supporting the troops by allowing more phone calls with the help of phone cards.
SportsClips is a nationwide hair salon that has been doing Help A Hero fundraiser since 2007. This year’s Help A Hero fundraiser started Monday Oct. 17. Senior Bailey Aguilar has been a receptionist at a local SportsClips located on Legacy and Coit for the past four months. Aguilar is looking forward to helping this year.
“I’m really excited to be involved,” Aguliar said. “I feel like this fundraiser opens my eyes to all that our soldiers do and give up for us.”
The goal of the fundraiser is to earn money for calling cards for soldiers that are members of the Veterans of Foreign Wars’ Operation Uplink. The members will be able to make free phone calls during the holiday season and one extra phone call a month.
“We have the opportunity to bring a family together during the holidays,” Aguliar said. “By donating, the soldiers can call home. Students can play a part in something our soldiers deserve.”
The students can make donations by stopping by SportsClips. The Help A Hero fundraiser will be continuing until Nov. 13.
“The closest SportsClips is the one where I work,” Aguilar said. “Even though mostly guys get their haircuts there, the occasional girl will come in for a trim. Anyone in the school can donate if they want, they don’t even have to get their hair cut.”
Senior Alyssa Yarrow also works as a receptionist at the SportsClips on Coit and Legacy.
“I love my job,” Yarrow said. “It’s a really nice working there and everyone is extremely friendly. I’m happy that we’re all involved in such a great cause.”
Help A Hero is being promoted largely by the receptionists.
“We’re promoting the fundraiser by displaying a poster on the front desk, and on the desk is a donation box,” Aguilar said. “In our uniform we wear a t-shirt that says Help A Hero, plus we tell every client that comes in.”
Yarrow is also planning on contributing to the fundraiser.
“I’m planning on telling the girls in Planoettes about this opportunity, which would be a significant amount of people,” Yarrow said. “Besides, I plan on telling STUCO because if clubs are involved then it will be even more successful.”
Kimberlee Miller is the manager at the SportsClips on Legacy and Coit since August, but was an employee last year during at another location during the fundraiser.
“The goal for each [location] is different,” Miller said. “Last year as a whole SportsClips donated $400,000. Each year the amount has increased so the overall goal for this year is to raise $500,000.”
On Nov. 11 which is Veterans Day a dollar from every haircut will go to Help A Hero.
“We’re hoping to have a lot of people come in Nov. 11,” Miller said. “Our goal is $625 and we’re almost half way there. I think that we’re going to at least reach it. Last year this shop was new but now there’s regular cliental that are willing to donate more.”
The SportClips on Coit and Legacy plans on collecting as much money as possible for Help A Hero.
“I’m hoping we can donate way more than $625,” Aguilar said. “I know I can help by giving up a week’s worth of spending my money. I can use money I would normally use on off campus lunch or Cat Corner to give back to the people who fight for my freedom instead.”
There is encouragement for the clients to participate in Help A Hero.
“When someone donates they get to sign their name and have it posted on the window in the front of the shop,” Yarrow said. “Plus you can get a bracelet showing that you donated. Just the fact the soldiers do so much for us is a lot of incentive, but it’s nice to show that you made a contribution. Help A Hero is a great way to show appreciation to the people that do so much for us.”
