A visit to a Wallingford hair salon on Sunday left a lot of customers not only looking good, but also feeling great. Every haircut had an impact on the life of a local little boy.
Collin Reilly, 7, loves to dance, he loves music and he loves to sing. Those who know this boy - and what he has been through - believe he is a miracle.
"I'm so blessed that the community is behind him and so supportive of him," said Jennifer Reilly, Collin's mother.
Collin has been battling brain tumors since he was a baby. A procedure to help him years ago actually left him blind. He also has not been able to eat solid food since he was about six months old.
"I had to force-feed him to try to get him to eat anything so it's really difficult for me even now to try to give him any food," said his mother.
Teaching Collin to eat will take a special feeding therapist. The therapist services can be expensive. Collin's family said that the services would not all be covered by their health insurance.
That is where the staff at Serenity Salon & Day Spa comes in.
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"We're here today to help raise that money so that Collin sit at a table with his family and have a nice meal with his whole family together," said Karen Poltronieri, who helps manage the salon.
With every cut, blow dry or massage on Sunday, funds were being raised to help get Collin the help he needs. The ultimate goal of this 'cut-a-thon' is for Collin to no longer depend on a feeding tube for nourishment.
"It's always nice to be a small part of something bigger than yourself,” said Connie Bickford, a Wallingford resident who also works at Collin's school.
All of the donated time and money is helping the little boy in a big way.
"I'm so thankful for everyone who's contributed their time and money to come here and do their thing," said Collin's mother.
The salon did more than fifty haircuts on Sunday, raising more than $5,500. Collin's family hopes to have him working with a special therapist by this summer.
