Iqaluit salon cuts elders' hair for free in 'Christmas spirit'

T'was the week before Christmas and all through an Iqaluit salon, elders' hair was a fallin' and split ends were gone.

Jenn87 Hairstyling, also called Freedom Hair Studio, was packed with patrons Sunday when it opened its doors to elders and the less fortunate.

The salon gave away free haircuts all afternoon to a stream of clients of all ages.

The sound of buzzers buzzing and clippers clipping filled the room as potential clients walked in the door, waiting for their turn to be stylized into a holiday masterpiece.

But the free haircut isn't just limited to elders; anyone with a bit of holiday "bed head" is welcomed too.

"I think that's a very amazing thing they are doing here for the community and I am very grateful," said Jenny Ell, who brought her two daughters in for a cut.

Ell said she needed a trim before the holidays and was ecstatic to hear about this event.

This is the first time this salon has undertaken a project like this. It's estimating to cut a little over a hundred heads of hair.

The group of 10 stylists are all graduates of the haircut and styling program at the Arctic College. They said they got the idea from one of their class projects.

Jennifer Lindell, owner of Jenn87, spearheaded the project. Lindell said she really wanted to give back to the community in a different way this year.

"I don't think this has really been done in a hair salon," she said. "We want to bring in as many people as we can."

Lindell also had help from other local businesses who brought in treats and gifts for the elders.

"We want the Christmas spirit there for all of us ... to feel good about not only ourselves on the inside, but on the outside." 

And with Christmas just a week away, this little salon will certainly have their work cut out for them.

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