Honoring Wounded Warriors and Their Families

A Valentine's Day of Pampering

By Lisa Newman, Volunteer Contributor 

On February 16th, I had the pleasure of attending an event at Bubbles Hair Salon in Bethesda, Maryland. The event was dedicated to celebrating the wives, mothers, daughters, significant others, and loved ones of Wounded Warriors. The Valentine's Day makeover event was hosted by the American Red Cross in the National Capital Region's Tiffany Circle. It was truly a heartwarming Sunday afternoon.

It was a cold day in Bethesda (right after the big snow storm) but a warm and cozy environment inside the salon. Military families beamed as they entered Bubbles Hair Salon around 4 o'clock to a beautiful spread that included a variety of delicious food and refreshments. Attendees were all smiles as they were greeted by their stylists and mingled with Tiffany Circle members. 

"This event is so special to Tiffany Circle members and it aligns with the Red Cross commitment to military families," said Dale Koepenick, Chair of the local Tiffany Circle. "This is our way of giving back to the men and women who serve our country."

Families were treated to a Sunday afternoon of appreciate that included free haircuts and styles, makeup, beauty consultations, and hair products by Bubbles! Everyone seemed quite please with the entire experiences - posing for pictures, thanking their stylists, and expressing gratitude to Tiffany Circle members - especially for the little red bags with handmade scarves!

The synergy between the two hosting organizations was quite obvious. The Wounded Warrior makeover event is a local partnership between the Tiffany Circle and Bubbles Hair Salon, owned by Ratner Companies. Since its inception in 2010, the event has gained popularity with military families and volunteers. And, when possible, the free salon day is hosted twice a year for these families. 

The staff at Bubbles embraced the event right from the start. "Our stylists look forward to volunteering, connecting, and giving back to our military families," said Katrina Garcia, Ratner Companies Marketing Specialist. "We love providing them a day to relax."

Towards the end of the event, attendees admired their hairstyles and expressed heartfelt appreciation. On attendee, Milena Mateo-Ortiz expressed it best, saying, "it feels good to know that these organizations care enough to give us this beautiful day." 

Milena Mateo-Ortiz and her daughters, Stephanie and Nicolle