Rose White puts the finishing touches on Thelma Garnier’s new permed hairdo. Garnier, a retired beautician smiles at her reflection in the mirror and squeals, “I love it!  I love it!” 

She and close to ten other women last week seated under hair dryers or getting haircuts were happy customers at the C. C. Young Retirement Community’s beauty shop.  It was started 40 years ago to help elderly residents, most no longer physically able to leave to have their hair done according to Kathy Betz, volunteer coordinator.

All services are free and provided by volunteers, though residents can give a donation to help cover the costs of supplies like shampoo and perm kits.

White makes a weekly trek to the facility located on the north side of White Rock Lake with her friends, Bonnie Bachman and Charlotte Koster. After retiring three years ago, the Richardson residents began volunteering after being persuaded by friend, LaVell Willis of Plano, a 35-year beauty shop volunteer.

“We decided that if we were going to donate our time that we wanted to do something worthwhile,” Koster said. “Now we couldn’t imagine not coming.”

Willis volunteers in the nursing home, while her friends work in the small beauty shop located in the assisted living area. None are trained beauticians.

“I see it as styling a friend’s hair because after a while these ladies become your friends,” Bachman said.

Each Tuesday they arrive at 9 a.m., and over the next three hours the volunteers are a blur of washing, snipping, curling and styling as laughter and talking can be overheard past the humming dryers. The only reminder that the setting is an assisted living center is the line of walkers, the periodic nurse stopping in with medicine or speculation on the health of customers not able to make appointments.

“The residents know that someone truly loves them,” Betz said. “The ladies are able to look past the physical conditions and see our residents as extended family.”

Bert Scheuerle and Betty Shelton recently left as smiling customers.

“When you’re done you feel good and leave happy,” Scheuerle said.“I feel like a new woman,” said Shelton.  “I want the world to know that I’m single, available. Oh, and men, I still drive!” 

Contact Chris Coats, neighborsgo community columnist, at ctcoats@aol.com.