Stylist, salon owner, educator, and philanthropist, Christine Zilinski was honored by Hometown Heroes at its Annual Awards Gala. The focus: paying tribute to community leaders who embody Hometown Heroes’ values and support its mission. The mission of this nonprofit organization is to foster an environment of goodwill, generosity, and encouragement by supporting local communities in times of crisis.
Most notably, Zilinski of Red Bank, NJ’s Salon Concrete was heralded for her efforts creating the hugely successful "Scissors for Sandy" event and more recently, the "Hairdressers for Haiyan" cut-a-thon, both of which contributed much needed funds to Hometown Heroes and the communities in great need of financial assistance.
Zilinski spoke about her commitment to Hometown Heroes and her desire to give back to the community. With a comb in her hand, she joked with the audience that she is much more comfortable speaking to people with it in her hand. She shared her favorite quote from Gandhi, "Be the change in the world that you want to see," and explained that Hometown Heroes is a platform for doing more for the community. It enables business owners like Zilinski to harness their connection to the public and inspire those people to make a difference.
As part of her grassroots efforts, Zilinski asked the audience to raise their hands if they get their hair cut. When every hand went up, she explained that Salon Concrete wants to join hands with stylists all across the country. She prompted everyone to tell their hairstylist about the upcoming Hair for Heroes event and participate in the national effort to support Hometown Heroes.