- April 19, 2024
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For the third year, Olga Soltero and Spa Floridian organized and implemented 35 free back-to-school haircuts Aug. 12, for Flagler County children in need.
“It’s about paying it forward,” Soltero said. “Today is just about the children and getting them haircuts. Changing someone’s image is a lot especially when they’re going back to school.”
Soltero plans to continue this yearly tradition and hopes to involve more stylists in the future.
“If all the hairstylist could get together, this could be a big thing,” she said.
The list of students in need came for Flagler County Schools Student Services and Trinity Presbyterian Church, but one mother found the opportunity for her daughter through Google.
“I was desperate, I didn’t know what to do,” said Betsy Tier as she sat in a salon chair watching her daughter get a haircut.
Tier’s husband has been laid off since May, and she hasn’t worked in 12 years. Previously acting as a mom, she is now caretaking for her parents, and had to put her kids in school.
“It’s very hard to find a job when you haven’t worked in 12 years, especially these days,” she said. “So we are living on unemployment, which is enough said.”
Tier was able to pay for her son to get his hair cut last week, but they ran out of money and wasn’t able to get her daughter’s done. That is when she turned to Google to search for free haircuts in Flagler County.
She found an article about Spa Floridian written last August in the Palm Coast Observer and called to inquire. Tier called Saturday, but there were no openings.
“So, I just prayed,” Tier said.
Monday morning, Soltero called her back saying there was a cancellation and she could fit her daughter in.
“We are a Christian family and we believe that God guides and directs our steps and it’s not surprising to me because He always does provide,” Teir said. “But every time He does, He never ceases to amaze me, like He did here, with a cancellation at the last minute, that’s how He works.”
The experience was a very emotional one for the mother, who could not hold back both her joyfulness and he tears of gratitude.
“Children’s pears are really nasty and if they don’t have everything perfect on that first day of school, it hurts them,” Teir said. “A haircut is very important – it means a lot for her to look good on her first day of school.”
