$30,000 Raised for Salon Shooting Victims at Sunday Cut-A-Thon

By the hundreds, they fought back.

Armed with haircutting shears, tattoo needles, donations and determination, scores of people gathered in Seal Beach on Sunday afternoon to raise money for victims of the Oct. 12 . For many, it was a step toward healing. They had endured the violent shock of that day, the pain of burying eight people, and now had a chance to take action, to use generosity and togetherness to push back against the darkness and pain.

“It was nice for us to have closure,” said Seal Beach Lion Club member Nikki Illingworth, who helped organize the Cut-A-Thon and silent auction with Linda Palutzke, owner of Essentials Salon. “It was positive and upbeat.”

In just eight hours, volunteers helped to raise about $30,000 for victims’ families.

For many, it was a deeply personal day.

Tina Moses, an esthetician at Essentials Salon on Main Street, spent Sunday waxing dozens of eyebrows to help raise money.

“Finally, today is my last bit of closure,” said Moses, who last week buried two close friends and former co-workers, Laura Webb Elody and Victoria Buzzo. Now, her goal is to stay in touch with their families, to make sure they aren’t forgotten or left to grieve alone. ”I refuse to let that happen,” said Moses.

Palutzke said she helped organize the fundraiser, in part, because the tragedy struck so close to home. Like many Seal Beach stylists, she had connections to the victims, and, on the day of the shooting, her phone rang nonstop with friends, clients and loved ones wanting to make sure she wasn’t one the victims in the salon shooting they saw on the news.

“At some point, you stop answering the phone any more because you feel a little bit guilty that it’s not you who died," she said. "I mean, how do you bask in that truth? We were all getting those calls, and we all really wanted to do something to be able to help the families. Every donation we received came with a story. Every person who got a haircut has a story of how this tragedy affected them. It’s beautiful to see how everyone came together today to help.”

Six Main Street salons and Still Life Tattoo donated their services. Together, they did hundreds of haircuts, eyebrow waxings and tattoos. People paid as much as $300 for $20 cuts. Bands played for donations. The Seal Beach Lions Club held a silent auction, garnering bids as high as $500 for about $250 worth of drink tokens at 320 Main. Over the last week and throughout the day, people dropped off such auction items as a gas grill, beauty and spa baskets, and a limo ride and tickets to an L.A. Kings game.

Josh Muller got his hair cut on Main Street early Sunday, then rushed over to Still Life Tattoo to surprise his wife by tattooing her name and their wedding date across his chest.

“I love this community, and I wanted to help out, so I decided to go for it,” said Muller.

Orange County Fire Authority Engineer Frank Janicke decided to help by redoing his tattoo honoring faith, family and country. Janicke lives a block from Salon Meritage and was somewhat relieved his station was called away to another emergency at the time of the shooting.

“We see a lot of death in our careers, but nothing prepares you for what they saw that day,” said Janicke. “I feel sorry for my brothers.”

Still Life Tattoo just opened in Seal Beach, and owner Tim Shelton recruited popular tattoo artists from around the region Sunday.

“When something like this happens, I try to figure out how I can help. I figured I had the resources and know a lot of people to make this happen,” said Shelton. “My wife and I have lived here for seven years, and everybody is super nice and laid-back. It just makes you care a little more.”

Carrie Carothers opted to get the Seal Beach blue-heart symbol tattooed to her lower back Sunday. A former employee at Salon Meritage, Carothers felt compelled to help.

“I was just so sick that this happened to so many good people,” said Carothers.

The slight pain from the needle didn’t bother her at all, she said. “It feels very good to do for others who are hurting so bad.”