Locals make giving season an all-year campaign

Date: 2/17/2009

By Katelyn Gendron

Reminder Assistant Editor



'Tis the season for giving -- not just during the holidays but during every winter, spring, summer and fall. This credo, observed by many throughout the Valley, is what keeps the non-profit Center for Human Development (CHD) afloat.

Working in conjunction with the CHD, Vanessa Lewis and Jennifer Picard, co-owners of Salon Karma in East Longmeadow, continue to make a lasting impact in the lives of children and families in need throughout the year. Their latest partnership will help to celebrate the CHD's seventh annual fundraiser "Stepping Out" for MaryAnne's Kids (MAK) Dinner Dance -- a fund established by the CHD that pays for foster children's expenses unmet by the state -- on March 7.

"We continue to be involved [with the CHD and MAK] because it is a great organization and the employees of the CHD do so much for these [foster] kids -- it's inspiring," Lewis told Reminder Publications. "If we can in some way put a smile on these kids faces, who have had to endure so much in their short lives, than it is all worth it. Everyone involved.all realize that we are very fortunate to have the lives that we do and to give back in some way is like saying thank you for what we have."

Lewis explained that she first became involved with the CHD last year when her employees decided to adopt a charitable giving campaign. The employees at Salon Karma have volunteered their time to give makeovers and a giving tree during the holidays as well as assemble gift baskets for CHD fundraisers.

"These folks just keep on giving," Doris Schuh, assistant program director at the CHD, said.

She noted that Lewis has also involved her family in additional projects for the CHD, including a Christmas dinner for a family in need and additional gifts for the giving tree.

"When the tags [for the giving tree] arrived and we saw that these kids were asking for basically things like socks, T-shirts.It just broke my heart that with one gift to ask for they were asking for necessities," Lewis said.

She explained that in order to provide additional assistance, her husband Aaron, lead singer of Staind, called his Los Angeles-based management company and secured boxes of signature T-shirts, hats and additional band memorabilia as well as $1,500 in gift cards for the children.

"Working with [these] kids and seeing how unfortunate some kids are, it really has not been brought to [my attention] so much as within the past year," Picard said. "[These experiences] made us want to continue working with them."

She explained that Salon Karma will be donating gift baskets, gift cards and products to the "Stepping Out" event next month. Picard added that her employees have graciously donated their time to the CHD and are brainstorming on new ways to assist the organization.

"We've just been so blessed in our own lives.it's good to give back," Picard said. "If everyone [in the community] did a little part, it would help these kids so much."

Schuh noted that in addition to providing raffle donations for "Stepping Out," Lewis and her husband are working to organize a benefit concert for the CHD.

"It just feels like a fabulous connection," she said of the partnership between the CHD and Salon Karma.

Schuh added that Lewis, Picard and the employees at Salon Karma serve as role models for others in the community and should be commended for their year-round charitable contributions.

For more information about the CHD, MAK or "Stepping Out" visit www.chd.org.

"Stepping Out" will take place on March 7 at 6 p.m. at the Hampden Country Club, 128 Wilbraham Rd., Hampden. Tickets are $45 per person and will include the live band "Full Circle," raffle prizes and other events.