BOUNTIFUL, Utah — Several women and men in Utah, who are recovering from addiction, were treated to a “A Night of Beauty” thanks to the selfless work of local nonprofits.
This is the second year that Ashley Michelle Project, a nonprofit, has organized the uplifting event at Crazy Beautiful Salon in Bountiful.
Each year, hairstylists and barbers step up and donate their time to creating these special physical transformations. Most makeover recipients came from the Odyssey House of Utah, a nonprofit, addiction treatment center in Salt Lake City.
“I've never really pampered myself,” reflected Sophia Garcia, who just celebrated her eighth month sober.
Ashley Wareham, who began running the Ashley Michelle Project with her mom and sister in 2021, says people recovering from addiction tend to place self-care on the back burner. That’s why it’s one of the main services they provide through their nonprofit.
“Your hair and everything else is the last thing you're worried about,” explains Wareham. She knows all too well about the struggles of addiction because she has lived them.
“I have been in recovery for seven years, so I have been in their shoes,” she says. “I have not felt good about myself, so I want to give back what I was given.”
For Garcia, her new look is giving her a new sense of confidence, “I'm going to go look for a job because I'm going to be feeling good about myself.”
Wareham says they’ll continue hosting this selfcare event for years to come and would eventually like to make it more than an annual occurrence.
