Lava Salon Hopes to Blow Out Breast Cancer

While lots of businesses recognize October as Breast Cancer Awareness Month and raise money for organizations like Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Lava Salon is raising money to use locally.

For the past six years the salon has collected funds throughout October to use in the fight against breast cancer. It started out sending money to Komen and other national organizations, but for the past few years owners Geoff and Noel Richardson have sought to use the money locally.

"We pick a local person who is going through breast cancer and use the money for them," Geoff Richardson said. "To some degree I feel salons have a moral obligation to support [the fight against breast cancer], because we see so many female clients that are affected by it, or who have gone through it."

Lava launched a new service in October, Dirty Hairy's Blowout Lounge, which offers various styling and cosmetic services after-hours on Fridays, and it has tied the Blowout Lounge to breast cancer funding activities. This year's theme is "help blow out breast cancer," and $5 from every eyebrow wax done at the Lounge goes into the salon's breast cancer fund.

Lava also produces a special edition breast cancer month T-shirts each year. All proceeds from the sales of the shirts goes to the breast cancer fund. Richardson said approximately half of the money raised each year comes from the shirts. The 2012 shirts are $20, and remaining shirts from previous years sell for $15.

"I always wanted to own a T-shirt company, so instead of doing that I get to make these T-shirts every year," Richardson said. "Our goal is to raise $1,000 each year because that is a doable amount."

Lava is also giving away a pink gift basket full of $350 worth of salon products in October. Richardson asks customers to make a $3 donation when they sign up for the basket giveaway.