So here's the thing about causes for breast cancer: some of them kind of skate along on the pink ribbon and pocket profits. Some of them raise a lot of money that goes to a lot of places and makes a little difference, once the overhead is paid. And some of them are local, immediate, almost intimate. One of the latter might just be Wings for Karen, a grassroots organization to raise funds for breast cancer research. On April 6 from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Summit Salon Academy in Tacoma is holding an event, the Hair BRA-Zaar and Auction Benefit to bring forward some great hair, great goodies, and most of all, great bras to set off the Wings of Karen spring fundraising season.

Michael Shea, who owns Summit Salon Academy with his wife Karen (not the foundation's namesake), explained, "as an academy we get requests for funds all the time.  We look at who's doing the best job."  He described Wings of Karen as, "compelling," adding "money is raised and spent in a smart way - all the money stays in our area."  The largely volunteer-operated, Northwest organization helps to fund research efforts at the University of Washington and Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, and has an ethos where a minimum of 95 cents of every dollar raised goes to research.  

Toward that effort, Shae says the Hair BRA-Zaar and Auction Benefit in April will be the Summit Salon Academy's way of "trying to kick off spring fundraising for them," and to raise awareness of the Wings for Karen's big fundraiser, the 5K Bra Dash at Lake Wilderness Park in Maple Valley May 22. And while the Summit Salon Academy event ties loosely in to the 5K, it is its own entity: the 35-40 models on the runway, whom Shea describes as a "wide mix" of women ranging from students of the academy to survivors themselves, sporting fabulous hair and wearing decorated bras that may be seen again in May's run.  Local restaurants will be donating food, and a wide variety of items will be up for auction.

Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m. at the academy (3702 S. Fife St., Ste. B102).  Tickets are $20 with limited VIP seat tickets at $40 (which includes a gift bag); they can be purchased at the academy or online at www.summitsalonacademy.edu. Call 253.617.7000 for more information.