Haircutting marathon at dance studio will benefit local non-profit

This holiday season, cutting your hair is beneficial for multiple reasons: It improves tress-appearance for festive parties, prevents cold-induced split ends and raises money for charitable causes.

Arthur Murray Dance Studio, 2534 E. Third St., is host to a haircutting marathon Sunday to benefit Middle Way House, a transitional home for victims of domestic violence. Professional stylists will cut and trim from 1 to 6 p.m. in exchange for donations of $10 or more.

The Middle Way House, located in Bloomington, offers extensive services to abused women and children in need of aid, including an all-hours crisis line, emergency shelter, case management, legal advocacy and support groups.

Charlotte Zietlow, the organization’s economic development coordinator, said the main objective of the marathon is to raise enough money to fund a new shelter location.
“(We’re) raising funds for the New Wings Community Partnership, a capital campaign to renovate the Coca-Cola building on South Washington Street,” Zietlow said.

If enough capital is raised, the building will host a commercial kitchen for the House’s business, Food Works, a community kitchen incubator, affordable housing for single women in transition, childcare and a production roof garden.

Zietlow said if the program reaches a goal of $5 million – $4,250,000 of which has already been raised – another emergency shelter with administrative offices could be erected near the renovated Washington Street location. 

“It’s the season for giving,” cosmetology expert Carmen Delgado said. “And since you’re going to spend your money on other things, why not do something to benefit the community?”

Delgado, owner of local Oasis Spa and Salon and one of the event’s primary coordinators, said she recruited several stylists from around Bloomington in hopes of attracting the town’s college-age patrons.

“I know young people want to have a better world,” she said. “We all can do something, and it doesn’t have to be big. Even little things count.”

Delgado moved to Indiana from New York City, where she owned a salon on Fifth Avenue. She has received aesthetic training in London, Japan, Canada and Austria and has worked in Bloomington for 37 years.

Barbara Leininger, owner and operator of Arthur Murray Dance Studio in Bloomington, became acquainted with Delgado when her teenage son was a client of Delgado’s. Delgado, who said she enjoys dancing at the studio, asked Leininger if the haircutting fundraiser could be held there. Leininger quickly agreed.

“(The marathon) will be upbeat with music playing, and people may be dancing around the stylists,” Leininger said. “It will be a fun environment.”