Wella is proud to announce the two Grand Prize Winners of the #WellaCares Challenge as, Michelle Erjavac & Vivian Pisano. Each will receive $10,000 for their dedication and commitment to charity-related and environmental sustainability efforts, respectively, Salon Sustainability Grand Prize Winner, Vivian Pisano, from The Secret Garden Spa, was awarded $10,000 for her work promoting eco-friendly practices. The Secret Garden Spa uses organic spray tans, mobile friendly programs to cut out paper printing, refurbished furniture and high efficiency lighting, and machines.
Vivian plans to use the award to build a greenhouse, which will be maintained by On Your Mark, a community-based program, employing people with developmental disabilities, who will also utilize it for their local cafe and other work programs. Vivian says, “As a service provider we have a one on one connection with our clients, giving us the power to affect lives on a daily basis. The power to inspire others to make simple changes creating a trickle effect is the most impactful.”
Community Impact Grand Prize Winner Michelle Erjavac, from United Hairlines was awarded $10,000 for her work with The Warrior Support Team, a charity that provides support and services to wounded, ill, and injured military service members and their families. Michelle, along with her salon family, used their day off to host a charity event to help bring awareness to this cause and was able to raise $2,700. Michelle says, “These men and women sacrificed so much for our great country but I never realized how much they and their families are affected. Twenty-two active duty and military personnel commit suicide in the US every day and we want to do something to help.”
In addition to the two $10,000 grand prizes, Wella will award 10 additional finalists a total of $20,000 in prize money this calendar year. The other winning entries are (listed by award level and in alphabetical order): Five Runner Up Winners for Salon Sustainability (in alphabetical order): Cathy Brown-Issel for Ele’s Place, Brown and DeLine Salon, Ann Arbor MI; Gabbie Vossler, Glass Door Salon and Spa, Anaheim CA; Kristine Singer, Solo Salon, Chicago IL; Linden Glavich, The Linden & Company Salon and Spa, Eureka CA; Lori Maclean, Essential Elements Hair, Antigonish NS.
Five Runner Up Winners for Community Impact (in alphabetical order): Christopher Lane Blackmer for CCSO Crimes Against Persons Unit, Razzle Dazzle College, Caldwell ND; Donna Richardson, Simply Hair Salon, Cynthiana KY; Rebecca Wood for Haircuts for Hospice, Cloud 9 Salon, Mapleton ND; Sam Pecoraro for YWCA Women’s Domestic Violence Group, Pecoraro Salon, Lockport NY; Stephanie Gearheart for The Daisy Project, Prime Designz Salon, Lake Orion MI.
The next #WellaCares Challenge will commence in the spring of 2016. For more information and updates, please, visit www.HairdressersAtHeart.com.
About: Wella’s products help make beauty dreams real every day for millions of stylists and consumers worldwide. Wella brands are distributed in more than 180,000 salons across the globe, and include Wella Professionals Care and Styling as well as Koleston Perfect, Illumina Color, Color Touch and Blondor by Wella Professionals; Sebastian Professional; Clairol Professional and Nioxin. The Vidal Sassoon Professional Beauty Education Scholarship grant is part of Wella’s “Hairdressers at Heart,” an industry-wide program that supports stylists at each stage of their career with scholarships, through artistic competition, and with assisted child care and salon grants for community service.