Te Awamutu Courier

Having a heart for raising money

- Kate Durie

Te Awamutu's KLB Hair Works celebrated and raised money for Little Heart Day held last

Friday.

Owner Kristy-Leigh is the mother of a heart child herself, so this fundraiser is close to home for her.

“We get super-passionate as we know first hand what it is like to be in the position of having a sick child and the help you receive that is lifesaving.”

It is the day to recognise more than 10,000 children who are living with a heart condition and the 600 children who will join them each year in Aotearoa.

Little Heart Day is a fundraiser held by Heart Kids New Zealand with the aim to raise $100,000 that will go towards research, surgeries and directly towards families to provide vital support services so that no child or their wha¯nau goes through their heart journey alone.

Some money will also go directly to the local families within the region for Heart Kids Waikato.

The salon has a bucket inside for those who wanted to donate to this important cause. Throughout the day staff were all wearing red and decorated the salon red with balloons.

“The donated money helps everyone in the family through hospital stays and have that support when they are at home,” says Kirsty-Leigh.

She says her staff are all like a big family. “They have all experience­d and gone through it with my daughter, Ameleigha Butler. They feel very passionate about the cause as they look at her like she is their little sister.”

Later on that Friday evening, the store turned on red lights within the salon to raise further awareness.

“Our clients are really supportive and everyone loves to donate as much as they can, some by coming into the salon and dropping coins into the bucket,” says Kirsty-Leigh.

If you are looking to donate head to littlehear­tday.org.nz/ klbheartki­dsfundrais­er.

They will also have the donation bucket in the salon this week.

 ?? Photo / Supplied ?? Kristy-Leigh Butler (left), Ameleigha ButlerHema­ra, Mary-Jane Butler-Johns and Kaizleigh ButlerHema­ra celebratin­g Little Heart Day.
Photo / Supplied Kristy-Leigh Butler (left), Ameleigha ButlerHema­ra, Mary-Jane Butler-Johns and Kaizleigh ButlerHema­ra celebratin­g Little Heart Day.

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