Gold Rush Salon’s Small Choices Foundation fundraiser

Because watching someone you love fight cancer sucks.

You want to help, but so often you feel helpless. You sit in waiting rooms, bring meals, send texts to check in, and do your best to show up. But sometimes it feels like there should be more you can do.

Let’s get together and be the “more”.

Throughout the month of July, our Gold Rush community will be raising money for the Small Choices Foundation, a nonprofit that supports people who have been newly diagnosed with cancer and the caregivers helping them through.

Why This Matters to Me (Kate)

Like many of you, cancer has touched my life.

A few days before Christmas 2025 my mom was diagnosed with colon cancer. My mom is a quiet strength kind of a girl. If you tell her how strong she is, she will probably brush you off or say she is only strong because of her family. But that’s not true at all.

She has been organized and diligent from the beginning, even when she was probably overwhelmed and scared. She has been kind and grateful to all of her medical team through rounds of chemo, countless appointments, and now through her surgery. 

The unfortunate truth is we all know someone whose life has been impacted by cancer. Watching someone you love or facing it yourself, changes your perspective. It reminds you how important community is. We can’t fix it, but we sure can show up. 

I’ve spent nearly 30 years behind the chair listening to clients share their own stories of cancer, caregiving, loss, resilience, and hope.

One of the things I love most about being a hairdresser is the relationships we build. Hair appointments often become a safe place to celebrate wins, process challenges, and support each other through life’s biggest moments.

This fundraiser feels like an extension of that.

It’s a chance for our Gold Rush community to come together and help people who need it.

How the Fundraiser Works

During the month of July, every $20 donated will earn you one entry into our fundraiser giveaway and Kate will be matching donations up to $250!

All proceeds will go directly to the Small Choices Foundation. Every donation helps support individuals and families navigating cancer.

Click here to donate. https://venmo.com/u/Kate-Lofton

Other Items in Need

Feel free to drop off any of these other items to the salon, they will get you an entry as well!

• Gift cards to King Soopers, Safeway, Target, GrubHub, Amazon
• Soft Member’s Mark blankets from Sam’s Club
• Hand Sanitizer
• Adult Puzzles
• Lotion
• Soft Kleenex
• Drawing books and supplies
• Word games etc
• Sleep masks
• Hard ginger candies
• Fuzzy socks with grips

Giveaway Prizes

These incredible prizes were generously donated by some of my favorite small businesses and wonderful clients who wanted to support this cause.

Our raffle prizes include:

• Milbon Summer Hydration Trio
• $50 Vintrey Gift Card
• $50 Teocalli Gift Card
• 2 Week Unlimited to Lagroove and grip socks

We’ll continue sharing updates throughout the month, and we are so grateful to the local businesses helping us make this fundraiser even more fun. Click on the photos to learn more about my favorites!

Why $20 Matters

Think about all the things we spend $20 on without really thinking about it.

A couple of coffees, a lunch.
A lip gloss.
A Target run- where somehow you only went in for one thing.

Most of those purchases are forgotten quickly.

But helping someone during one of the hardest times of their life? That is not easily forgotten. The impact of your donation will last long after the coffee is gone and the sandwich is forgotten.

Why Small Choices Foundation?

A cancer diagnosis changes everything in an instant. Suddenly there are appointments, treatments, decisions, fears, and a million things to think about when the world has been turned upside down.

Small Choices Foundation exists to help lighten that load. They provide support, resources, and practical help to people navigating cancer and the people caring for them.

Their mission is small but powerful- to fill the cracks, the little voids, and every day problems overlooked when the big treatment plan fall into place. Learn more about Small Choices and the work they do here. https://www.smallchoicesfoundation.org

Thank You

To my clients, friends, family, and fellow small business owners—a sincere thank you.

Gold Rush has always been about more than hair. It’s about people. It’s about community. It’s about showing up for one another when it matters most!

I’m incredibly grateful to be surrounded by people who care so deeply about making a difference.

If you’d like to participate, donate, or help spread the word, we’d love to have you join us.

Together, our small choices can make a really big impact.

❤️

Kate
Gold Rush Salon

P.S. This is how my mom feels about cancer.