What Rochelle Gaston appreciates most about hairdressing is the change of customers.
"They come one way, and I send them the other way," said Gaston. "We hope it makes their day better. And a haircut can change someone's life. And let them know that their image is important."
Gaston has done a lot in the past two days. He worked as a barber at Wood Hill Towers, a public housing facility for the elderly south of Bloomington, cutting and shaving 15 or more elderly men for free during the Christmas holidays. The two-day event was the result of a partnership between the Bloomington-Normal Achievement Foundation and the Bloomington Housing Authority to help tackle social isolation and help seniors look their best before Christmas.
"They come one way, and I send them another way."Rochelle Gaston, hair stylist in Bloomington
"I love seniors, so it's something near and dear to me. I definitely took it," Gaston said.
You can usually find Gaston at his shop, The Barber Studio, 914 W. Washington St., Bloomington.
But on Monday and Tuesday, she had her hair cut down her back on the second floor of Wood Hill Towers. Men also left with a free grooming kit including shavers, shaving cream, deodorant, soap and moisturiser.
The idea was proposed by the Bloomington-Normal Achievement Foundation (BNAF).
"These people don't have the means of transportation to get out of the towers and get a haircut. Haircuts are expensive in this community, so we know we're providing these kids with a much-needed service," said Bloomington-Normal Achievement Foundation board member Rick Lewis.
BNAF is the non-profit arm of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity. Its aim is to promote the health and well-being of local residents, with a special focus on youth and the elderly. He is almost two years old and Cuts for Christmas was his first big social event.
"(Creating BNAF) makes it easier for us to work within the community and get the resources we need to provide these important services," Lewis said.
Lakisha James-Smith, resident services co-ordinator at Wood Hill Towers, said the Christmas Cuts were a much-needed service for residents.
"When the Bloomington-Normal Achievement Foundation contacted me about opportunities to meet the needs of our seniors, I expressed their willingness to help reduce the social isolation of our residents," James-Smith said.
A four-year-old was spotted waiting for a haircut on Tuesday afternoon. When the customer finished his share, he would stay nearby and take his time to leave.
"We're creating a barbershop atmosphere for these kids," Lewis said. "We know that this barbershop was the center of the community where many of these men grew up, where the kids gathered and met their friends, talked about politics, talked about sports, talked about what was going on in the world... . . . community. And it's missed."
