Downtown salon holding girls’ night out fundraiser

Noelle Andruslis-Welch

By Kate Krieger. MCP Correspondent.

LUDINGTON – It was Noelle Andrulis-Welch’s mission to continue a great tradition when she purchased her downtown Ludington salon, Salon 22, three years ago. The salon’s previous owner was very involved with the American Cancer Society’s wig bank, offering free wigs, donated by the organization to cancer patients who had lost or were losing their hair during cancer treatments. Noelle felt very passionately about continuing this service after she bought the salon and she, and her staff are hosting their third annual American Cancer Society’s Relay for Life fundraiser event from 5-8 p.m., Friday, May 16 at Salon 22, located at 117 W. Ludington Ave.

“What we do is like a girls’ night out,” Andrulis-Welch said. “We will have local vendors here at the salon selling items. I don’t charge the vendors anything, but I did ask for them to donate a portion of their proceeds from the event to the American Cancer Society.”

The salon will also be offering 20 percent off all Aveda products during the event and Andrulis-Welch stated that she only offers discounts on these products twice a year, during this annual event and around the holidays.

“I am going to donate all the proceeds I make from selling Aveda products to the American Cancer Society,” she said. “The sale only runs from 5-8 p.m.”

With most of the proceeds going directly to the American Cancer Society, it gives the organization more funds to help assist cancer patients, including those who are in need of wigs and that is one of the reasons Andrulis-Welch wants to give back and help raise money for the cause.

“The wig bank offers an alternative hair method to people who are going through cancer,” she said. “We donate our time and the American Cancer Society donates the wigs and they really try to keep us up-to-date with the hair styles. It is a completely free service we give to these people.”

Salon 22 tries to offer cancer patients all varieties of wig styles and hair colors, but depending on what the American Cancer Society has at the time really determines what they receive for their own personal stock at the salon.

“They are really good at providing us some good products,” Andrulis-Welch said.

Besides providing the wig bank, Salon 22 also will give complementary hair shaving to those cancer patients who are in the process of losing all of their hair.

“This can be one of the hardest transitions in life that these people go through,” she said. “When we started this, we really started building relationships with these people. Some of them have no idea how to even wear a wig. They are just looking for some compassion while going through this difficult time.”

The event is free and will feature different vendors from Thirty-One, Just Jewelry, Tastefully Simple, Arbonne, Silpada, along with many others. Refreshments, gift certificate specials and raffles will also be available during the event.

For more information, visit Salon 22 online at www.salon22spa.com or call them at 231-843-9631.

“Donations are welcome,” Andrulis-Welch said. “I will get them all to the American Cancer Society. I am really excited about the event.”