Dayspa

DEC 2013

DAYSPA is the magazine of spa management. Spa owners and spa managers turn to DAYSPA for spa management trends, spa management tips and more.

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WINNING WAYS A Heart for the Heroes A Maryland spa owner thanks our nation's soldiers by offering some old-fashioned TLC. hand on the shoulder. These brief gestures may seem insignificant to some but to others they could mean the difference between a good day and a bad one— or a life of heartache and one of hope. No one understands the importance of human touch better than spa professionals. While a deeptissue massage or a clarifying facial is designed to target specific issues in the body, the human interaction required also delivers a sense of being nurtured and comforted. And that's something that one cannot put a price on. There are those, however, who resist opportunities to be nurtured, viewing them as luxuries of which they are not worthy. Julie Nguyen, owner of Blu Water Day Spa in Kensington, Maryland, believes it is often these reluctant individuals who need care the most. For this reason, Nguyen devoted her latest philanthropic effort to serving strong and valiant soldiers who are not accustomed to being pampered. "Last month we partnered with the Wounded Warrior Project," Nguyen explains. "My staff and I spent a day at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in nearby Bethesda and performed mini services such as 78 DAYSPA | DECEMBER 2013 massage, nail treatments and facials on injured soldiers who had recently returned from service." Some of the military men and women were initially hesitant to accept the free services, as they were not used to being taken care of, according to Nguyen. "Many of these individuals are not exposed to luxuries such as spa treatments and are too intimidated to even walk into a spa," she explains. "However, we insisted and, at the end of the day, they were truly grateful for the experience." DAYSPA: Why is philanthropy such an important part of your business? I am no stranger to suffering and hardship. I came to the U.S. from Vietnam when I was 16. I had so many preconceived notions about what life would be like in America. I thought I was going to have a money tree growing in my backyard! You can imagine my surprise when we arrived and had to start from zero. I had to go out and get a job the day after we arrived because we had absolutely nothing! I remember my family and I fishing through trash cans for household items such as TV sets, telephones and mattresses. I've come a long way since then but I always remember that painful time and it makes me want to give back to those in ©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM A high five. A pat on the back. A supportive

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