Erial Girl Scouts Troop, D'Nicole Salon Help Women Battling Cancer

From the moment D’Nicole Salon manager Dina Talvacchio heard Gloucester Township Girl Scouts Troop 30440 wanted to donate hair for wigs for women fighting cancer, she was ready to donate her salon’s time and space.

“The troop leader called and was so excited. She didn’t even have to ask. I was already on board,” said Talvacchio, who manages the salon and spa based in nearby Washington Township.

The troop, made up of ten girls in fourth and fifth grades, will donate their hair on March 10 at a special cutting event at D’Nicole Salon.

D’Nicole will handle the packaging of the hair donations and everyone who donates will get a free haircut.

All hair will be donated to Beautiful Lengths, a partnership between Pantene and the American Cancer Society. Pantene facilitates and funds turning the real hair donations into wigs.

D'Nicole receptionist Judy Farrar’s battle with lung cancer has made this cause close to their heart, Talvacchio said. 

“This is what we do; we help people,” said Talvacchio, whose parents, Gary and Susan Talvacchio, have owned the full-service salon and spa for six years.

In the past, D’Nicole has held hair donation events as well as other fundraisers for charities like the March of Dimes. 

The Talvacchio family purchased the salon when one of their daughters, a local Realtor, found the business. It had always been a dream for Susan Talvacchio, who worked as a hair stylist for 40 years, to own her business.

The salon is named in honor of the Talvacchio’s three daughters: Dina, Danielle and Nicole. It continues to be a family affair with Talvacchio’s other sister, Danielle, working as a receptionist.

The idea to sponsor a hair drive developed last year when leader Jennifer Kenny mentioned that her hair was growing long and maybe the troop could all grow their hair together and then cut it together to donate. 

“We are trying to teach our girls the importance of charity and that sometimes you have something that someone else needs," said Kenny, who co-leads the troop made up of girls from Erial Elementary, Union Valley Elementary, and Kingdom Charter Schools. “Hair is hair. It will grow back.”

Kenny and her two daughters—Grace, 9, and Riley, 6—have grown and donated hair before.

The whole troop has been working to recruit other Girl Scouts and community members to sign up and donate. Hair should be at least 8 inches long (measured from a low ponytail), clean and styling product-free at the time of donation. After stylists at the salon cut the donation, all donors will be treated to a professional haircut and style. 

The troop would like to sign up at least 20 donors and the salon has committed eight stylists to working for as long as it takes to get everyone cut, recut and styled. 

“We never let anyone leave who is not perfect,” said Talvacchio.

Kenny said the entire Girl Scout troop is working to make this event a success; even if some girls are nervous about cutting their hair.

Her daughter Grace said this event is important.

“I want women with cancer to feel confident when they have to go out,” she said. 

The hair drive will be held on Sunday, March 10, beginning at 2:30 p.m. Donations are by appointment only. To sign up to donate hair, email Jennifer Kenny at jb577@msn.com to set up an appointment. While haircut and style is complimentary, anyone who donates should be prepared to tip their stylist for their time.

D’Nicole Salon and Spa is located on Fries Mill Road in nearby Sewell. For more information visit the salon's website.