Salon Success Academy Raises $15K For Relay For Life

The ‘Cut Out Cancer with Salon Success Academy’ team was the top fundraising team at this year’s Relay for Life in Rancho Cucamonga. The team raised over $15,000 and they’re still going! They’ll continue to accept donations through August 31^st.

The day-long event at Guasti Regional Park on Saturday, June 1^st was part of an annual, nationwide fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. The team of over 50 Salon Success Academy students, staff members, family and friends raised money for months leading up to the event. They were able to raise $6,000 through their fundraising efforts. The owner of Salon Success Academy, Robert Gross, matched the amount, donating another $6,000 to the team.

This was the fourth year in a row that Salon Success Academy has participated in the Relay for Life, but this year’s relay was much more personal. The team was walking in memory of Susan Turner, the school’s Director of Operations, who passed away suddenly from cancer one year ago. Susan’s sisters, Christina and April, who also work for the school’s corporate office, were in charge of the team. In honor of Susan, the team wore t-shirts, hung up a large banner, and had a table for people to write personal messages on.

“It was a great day! It was fun to be outside with everyone, raising money for a good cause. But it was also very emotional, especially during the luminary ceremony. Thankfully, we had a great team and we surrounded by lots of love and support,” April said.

The team raised another $3,000 the day of the relay! They arrived early to set up their booth, where the students offered manicures, massages, and hair braiding in exchange for donations. They also sold glitter tattoos, bracelets, buttons, and raffle tickets for items like Coach purses and gift cards.

Throughout the day, there were also fun competitions for the teams to participate in, like races, dance offs, and a karaoke competition. Thomas Perea II, a Student Ambassador from the Upland campus, took home top honors in Miss America For Men Competition!

If you would like to donate to the ‘Cut Out Cancer with Salon Success Academy’ Relay For Life team, you can do so on the team’s website. Salon Success Academy is a beauty school with five locations throughout the Inland Empire of California. The school offers extensive, hands-on training in cosmetology, esthetics, and nail technology. Fill out the form to learn more about training for a new beauty career with Salon Success Academy!