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Community Corner

Zumba Benefit To Help Women Battling Cancer

Studio 21 will organize its first zumba benefit at Austin's Fuel Room on Sept. 20.

When Leanne Khayat decided to attend beauty school, she knew she would be able to help clients improve their look and feel beautiful.

But now she is taking it up a notch by helping host a fundraiser with fellow stylists at Studio 21 for Hello Gorgeous, a nonprofit that provides free professional makeovers and cosmetic education to help improve the mood and look of women batting cancer.

“I feel it’s something we get to do that makes our job feel more important,” she said.

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The Gurnee salon is organizing its first zumba benefit for Sept. 20 at in Libertyville.

Studio 21 became affiliated with the organization last summer and provided its first client makeover on Sept. 11.

Khayat said working with a client who has battled cancer is an emotional and rewarding experience. The client, who recently had finished chemotherapy, was pampered with a day of beauty and new clothes.

To further support the organization, Khayat said the salon hopes to organize two benefits each year.

The idea for their first benefit came from the popular . Khayat says past classes have attracted between 100 and 200 participants, and she hoped holding a zumba class would fit.

“It’s not a typical benefit. This event will require endurance as they do 50 minutes of hard dancing. But to do this as women battle cancer, it seemed a perfect fit,” Khayat said.

Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., and the zumba class will begin at 6 p.m. The zumba class, which incorporates Latin music and high energy will be led by an instructor from Iron Rose Fitness in Gurnee.

Admission will be $15 if purchased in advance and $20 at the door. Guests also can purchase raffle tickets for $1 each to win prizes donated by area businesses.

Khayat said the proceeds will go to Hello Gorgeous to help purchase supply kits, which include makeup and brushes as well as wigs for the women.

“We’re hoping to pack the place,” she said.

For information, call Studio 21: 1-847-662-0211, or : 1-847-549-1972.

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