It was a small thing, but sometimes it’s the little things in life that make all the difference. Mar. 25 was a day of relief at the eye of a long storm for Drayton resident Glynis Belec and her daughter Amanda.
Winners of the first annual makeover contest at Guys & Dolls Salon and Spa in Elmira, the women received beauty treatments valued at over $300 each, including a style and colour, make-up and eyebrow waxing for a year. More importantly, the pair got to spend a day together, without talk of the ovarian cancer Belec has been battling for several years.
Belec’s cancer was in remission as of last week, although after her latest tests doctors are concerned there may be something to worry about very shortly. Something Belec refused to think about during the special day.
“Today is a happy day,” she said as foil was applied to her hair.
Belec noticed the ad for the contest in February on the door of the salon and was going to enter herself, but changed her mind and wrote an entry explaining why her daughter, who has been with her through her ordeal, deserved the nomination.
“She’s stuck by me and has two kids and I know it’s been awhile since she had a haircut,” Belec said.
What Belec didn’t realize was her daughter had also submitted an entry.
The pair had the kind of day contest organizer and Guys & Dolls stylist Tamara Buehler hoped for, full of girly fun and giggling.
“She told us all about the great things her daughter had done,” Buehler said of Belec’s entry. “Amanda’s been there holding her hand the whole way.”
Buehler said the second entry clinched it for staff.
“Her mother’s story was so touching we were sitting here misty-eyed, all of us,” she said. “We just kind of knew, ‘that’s the one.’”
Guys & Dolls owner Lori Weber was excited to have the pair in the salon.
“I thought it was a great idea, the girls are very excited,” she said of the contest. “I just like making people feel better and making a difference.”
