Over the white noise of dryers, buzzers and the snip, snip, snip of scissors, Rebel Rouge owner Roy Jannetta cleans up the lines of a client’s hair as he speaks to NewmarketToday about his latest fundraising campaign to raise $5,000 for the Terry Fox Foundation (TFF).
The campaign that runs until March 1, 2019 features grey toques with the Rebel Rouge insignia available for purchase at the hair salon for $20. So far, $500 of a $2,500 goal has been raised.
Jannetta will match the community’s donations with $2,500 of his own money, he said. In the last four years of fundraising, Jannetta has raised $4,000 for the foundation.
The TFF is a charity that speaks to him on many levels, he said. A survivor himself who was diagnosed in 2015 with testicular cancer, Jannetta said he believes in the foundation’s mission of funding research that has the potential to help people sooner rather than later.
“I decided to go with the Terry Fox Foundation because it’s geared to finding a cure,” said Jannetta. “That’s why this means so much to me. Everybody is touched in some way by cancer. It’s one of the better foundations because .84 cents of every dollar raised goes to research.”
The Newmarket resident, who has been cutting and styling locals’ hair for 28 years in two locations — for the past four years at Rebel Rouge on Leslie Street, a three-chair space that caters to men and women and also offers makeup artistry for all occasions, and formerly at Noggins at Yonge Street and Mulock Drive — has become well-known for his generosity and desire to help others.
In a comment this week on a Newmarket Facebook group, member Mark Rival wrote: “Roy Jannetta is absolutely the most charitable person that I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. He unselfishly spends his time and money contributing to charities and the community. Whether it’s a friend or stranger, he's always there to help out when they need it. What an absolute mensch of a guy and he is so well loved by all! Proud to know him!”
Similarly, member Wade Scotland said that Jannetta taught him a lot about community and business this past year. And Carlo Galloro called Jannetta’s fundraising efforts “a true example of a local business giving back”.
They were commenting on a video to help raise awareness of the toque fundraiser and, perhaps more importantly, to cheer up much loved group member and longtime Newmarket resident Michael Norton, who is undergoing treatment at an Ottawa hospital for Stage 4 cancer.
The video features former Newmarket mayor Tony Van Bynen, Councillor Jane Twinney, Newmarket booster and businessperson Jackie Playter, Q107 on-air radio personality Joanne Wilder, and Jannetta. Wilder encourages viewers to buy a toque and post a selfie or welfie in honour of Norton on the What’s Up Newmarket or Rebel Rouge Facebook pages.
“I saw how compassionate the community was to him, and I’m hoping that he will see the video and the photos people post (on social media) and it will cheer him up for the holidays. He’s around family and that’s where you want to be right now,” Jannetta said.
Norton keeps in touch with the Facebook group members, many of whom he knows well through his own charity work in Newmarket. In a Nov. 9 post, Norton writes: “Finally starting to settle into my new palliative care room, so many caring, giving people here. I’m being spoiled, but would rather be working though. ...I do want everyone to know that I appreciate all the well wishes, comments, messages, and people picking up my slack and taking care of things at home in Newmarket. ...I love Newmarket with all my heart.”
Norton also thanked many members of the community for helping him through his cancer journey, emotionally and financially. A GoFundMe fundraising campaign for Norton raised $4,708. It is no longer active.
“You’ve got to give back, right? Without the community, I wouldn’t have this shop and you have to give back to the community that supports you,” Jannetta said.
A fresh batch of toques arrived Dec. 18, but you are advised to call ahead if you plan to drop by and purchase one. The stylish hats have been known to fly out the door fast. They are $20 and all proceeds go to the Terry Fox Foundation.
Rebel Rouge Hair Salon is at 17817 Leslie St., Unit 33, in Newmarket. For more information, call 905-715-7323, visit them online here or check them out on Facebook.
