Anybody want to dunk Mayor Marty Hubbard in a dunk tank for charity? This will be just one of many events going on Friday, Sept. 2, at Bijou salon on Jordan Street during its first cut-a-thon fundraiser.
The event will raise money for the PARCS playground improvement project, which seeks to raise $125,000 to upgrade the playground equipment in Austin Park.
“We read about PARCS in the newspaper and were all personally inspired,” said Bijou owner Kim Baker of how she and her staff came up with the idea. “We’ve been wanting to do cut-a-thon for quite a while, but we didn’t know what to do one for. We all have kids, and that playground up there is not the greatest, so we thought this is perfect.”
The Bijou cut-a-thon will take place under a tent outside in the salon’s back private parking lot. There will be about 12 stylists from Bijou and maybe stylists from other local salons doing washes and hair cuts at regular prices, but no styling, Baker said. There also will be chair messages at $10 for 10 minutes, and a henna tattoo artist.
If people do not want or need a hair cut, there will also be a lemonade stand, a sno-cone machine, raffles and a dunk tank.
Skaneateles Mayor Marty Hubbard already has volunteered to be in the dunking booth for an hour during the event, and News Channel 9 anchor Carrie Lazarus said she would also if her schedule allows, Baker said.
All proceeds for the event will be given to the PARCS project.
“This will be kind of a kickoff to the Labor Day festivities we do every year in town,” Baker said.
Baker still is looking for local citizens and merchants to volunteer to take part in the fundraiser. They need more people to volunteer for the dunk tank and are looking for donations to help pay the cost of setting up the dunk tank and the tent.
The owner of Echo off the Lake an upscale consignment boutique next door to Bijou, said she would stay open during the cut-a-thon hours and will donate a portion of her sales to the fund. Baker said she also will talk to Doug’s Fish Fry and other local merchants about participating.
“We’re asking for anyone who wants to help to give us a call,” Baker said, adding that she expects more businesses to join in. “That’s why this town is so great: you say you’re going to do something and people immediately want to help.”
The Bijou cut-a-thon will be held from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 2. No appointments are necessary.
Jason Emerson is editor of the Skaneateles Press. He can be reached at [email protected].
