Making a Difference

Making a Difference in her Community Story and Photos By Mary Brotherton

Cathy Bucklin has been making a difference in the lives of her community members for many years. For the past six years, she has donated her services as a barber to Central Brevard Stand Down in Florida, cutting the hair of hundreds of homeless veterans. She has visited Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 8191, regularly, for more than 16 years and still gives haircuts to veterans at no charge. They sometimes tip her, which she said is often more generous than if she had charged them.

For many years, Cathy managed her own barber shop. She soon discovered the wives of the men whose hair she cut also wanted her special touch, administered with heartfelt laughter and often ending with a hug.

Since 2009, Cathy has been taking her skills to a local hospital and a rehab facility, providing styling, spa and barber services to men and women who were unable to come to her. As a certified nursing assistant, she said she’s seen it all.

“I should write a book. You wouldn’t believe the things I’ve seen,” she said.

bUneke M A G A Z I N E .org 14 Three years ago, she added a nursing home and another rehabilitation and healthcare facility to her rounds of regular stops for her business.

She said, “There are so many people who want to look their best. Why should they suffer because they can’t drive or come to a salon?”

When her fiancé was suffering with cancer, Cathy turned to what she calls hair therapy, by volunteering her services at the hospital and the rehab center.

Looking good is part of feeling good

Cathy provides manicures and pedicures in addition to haircuts, styles, coloring, perms and other services.

“If you name it and it has to do with a salon service, I can probably do it,” she said.

Cathy is an entrepreneur who knows the power of networking and paying it forward as well as giving back to her community. She’s known throughout her county for bringing other business owners together for her make-over days, where customers could pay one price to receive their choice of services from a variety of vendors. Recently, she was recognized by a local news television channel with the Getting Results Award, which stems from her active community outreach and volunteerism.

Today, the former owner of Elmo’s Barber Shop owns a concierge salon service. In addition to the five facilities she visits, where her clients are recovering or bed-bound, she also visits hospice and homebound clients to provide routine cuts and salon services. She also offers spa and salon parties for special occasions.

“You’d think this would give me more freedom and extra time for myself, but I probably work close to 80 hours every week,” she said. “But you know, if you love what you do, it doesn’t feel like work.”