FAREWELL 2020,
HELLO 2021!

(We made it!!!!!)

Hello my dear friends, clients, colleagues, and lovely humans,

First and foremost, thank you. What an incredibly difficult year. I am thankful for every one of you! Through it all, I realize how lucky I am to be surrounded and supported by the very best people. I am grateful to come to work every day and share kindness, laughs, tears, and dance moves. My job is not Zoom-able. I can’t be outsourced. Hairstyling may not be an “essential service,” but we all know it is truly necessary. Many of you tell me that you go to the grocery store, and you come to see me. I am telling you: I am honored beyond words.

Throughout this whole year, in the midst of a pandemic, between losing a job and finding a much better one, my sense of my work changed. It only took 23 years! (I am such a quick learner!)

This is not my job: It’s my calling.

I’m inspired to show up every day and do everything in my power to make your visit the best it can be. I probably don’t always succeed. But my intention is to leave you with great hair. In addition, if possible, perhaps I’ll leave you with a lighter emotional load, perhaps a good book title to check out, savvy tech advice, and some soggy tissues, either from cathartic tears or tears of laughter. (And a nice fresh helping of hand sanitizer before and after, of course!)

I get it. It’s never just about the hair. But that hair needs to look pretty damn good, too.

This is the year we’ve all been waiting for.

Not one, not two, but multiple vaccines are rolling out. These amazing heroes, these scientists, should be celebrated, knighted, sainted, and sugar-coated. We should all have their posters on our bedroom doors instead of posters of our celebrity crushes. (Oh, wait — nobody else still does this? Oh.....ahem.)

Seriously: While you and I and the rest of the world were doing our jobs, trying to teach our kids, and binging on every possible streaming option, these bright and shining stars of humanity were saving the world.

I am in awe!

So now, what does this mean? How does this affect the way I operate at work?

It doesn’t affect it at all.

Contact tracing: Check.

Hand sanitation: Check.

Masks: Check. (I myself wear, and provide everyone with, a fresh disposable mask when you come in, unless you come in wearing an N95.)

Capacity restrictions: Check.

Sanitizing all surfaces: Check.

There is not a day I feel unsafe or uncomfortable coming to work, and I hope to pass on that feeling of safety to you as well.

Masks work! If I have to wear a mask for the next 10 years to continue to be able to see all (or the top half) of your beautiful faces, then so be it!

This year has been full of unexpected silver linings, but it is a fact not lost on me that many have seen loved ones pass away.

This is not over. We have made it this far — we can dig a little deeper. We can sacrifice some of our comforts and joys to ensure that everyone has the best possible chance to stay healthy and happy, with the chance to see 2022 and well beyond.

I love you all. I’m here for you. Hugs and happiness in this Bright New Year.

Love,

Meryl

Meryl Trefethen

meryltrefethen@icloud.com

802-881-1116

www.meryltrefethen.com

_______________________

Meryl is Moving

...but not very far!

Hello to all my dear clients and friends,

This is an important letter, and I ask you to please read it carefully.

First and foremost, thank you for your patience during this unusual chapter in all our lives!

You know that I value your health, safety, comfort, and satisfaction above all else. To this end, Orbit Hair Design and I have ended our working relationship. We were unable to come to an agreement on how to best modify the environment to enhance the safety and comfort of our clients, while retaining the quality of service you have come to expect. I am happy to answer any questions you have regarding this decision.

Thankfully, I have accepted a position at Salon Vermont, which is located only one block away from Orbit on Dorset Street. The address is 340 Dorset Street, and it also is accessible via Dorset Street and San Remo Drive, with ample free parking.

Unfortunately, I will not be able to start work there for at least two more weeks, possibly more, as Salon Vermont is strictly adhering to the capacity limits set by Governor Phil Scott in his Return to Work Additions to the Be Smart, Stay Safe Order. I understand that this is inconvenient for many of you, as much as it is for me, but I truly appreciate Salon Vermont’s unwavering commitment to health and safety standards.

I absolutely understand and respect if you need to schedule an appointment sooner than I can accommodate. If you would like to schedule with Orbit, or any other salon, that is completely understandable, and I want you to feel comfortable doing so.

Once I move to Salon Vermont, I will be running my own business-within-a-business, so you will be able to schedule with me directly. I will be operating with Square Appointments, which is the system I will be using to schedule, invoice, and check out. I have used Square before and feel it works seamlessly. If you have any issues with the system, please let me know. I will accept all methods of payment, including all credit cards, for all transactions.

Here is what would help me: Please respond to me via email or text and include the best mobile number to receive texts, and the email address you would like to have on file. You will receive communication back from me, as well as Square Appointments, once your appointment is scheduled.

The service you have come to expect from me will be the same. In fact, I believe it will improve in the new environment. I encourage you to find Salon Vermont on Facebook or Instagram, and to check out their website. It is a beautiful and uplifting space, and I look forward to sharing it with you!

My email is meryltrefethen@icloud.com

My cell number is 802-881-1116 (You may call or text at any time.)

My website is www.meryltrefethen.com

Salon Vermont: www.salonvermont.com

Salon Vermont Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/salonvermont/

Salon Vermont Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/salonvermont/ @salonvermont

I look forward to hearing from you!

Thank you all so much for your continued support.

Gratefully,

Meryl Trefethen
www.meryltrefethen.com
meryltrefethen@icloud.com
802-881-1116

UPDATE:

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Hello again, my dear clients and friends,

I hope this finds you all doing well and enjoying this beautiful weather!

There have been so many changes in the last few months that it’s hard to keep track of it all. Thank you so, so much for your patience and understanding. I know we are all in this together, thick or thin. No one can see the future, and much remains to be seen.

Last week, Governor Scott updated the Be Smart, Stay Safe Order, allowing salons to reopen. We were anticipating a June date, but he surprised us all with May 29th. Orbit Hair Design has decided to reopen on June 1st.

In an effort to balance my return to work with my obligations to my family, I have decided that my return date will be Tuesday, June 16th. My children finish their remote school learning on June 12th, and once this is complete, I will feel more comfortable returning. My husband’s field has not yet been cleared to return to work, so we still feel very much in limbo.

Here is how I intend to proceed to insure your safety and well-being, as well as my own: There is a limit on how many people can be in the work space at one time, so the staff will be doing split shifts. There will be no waiting area available, so you will need to wait in your car or the parking area until you are called. You and I will both be required to wear masks. There will be strict sanitation guidelines. The station and shampoo bowl use will be spaced out to accommodate at least a 6-foot distance between other clients. I am happy to provide an abbreviated shampoo for those who don’t feel comfortable at this time with a scalp massage, but of course, I anticipate that only 10 percent will take me up on that. (Insert a wink and a nod here!)

In short, I will do everything in my capacity to make your visit a safe and enjoyable one, while still providing the same level of service you have come to expect.

To that end, it is going to take me a little longer with each of you, at least during the first couple of visits, while I fine-tune the new protocol and learn to work around a mask. Also, most of you will have quite a bit more hair than the last time I saw you, so that may take a little more time as well. I have asked for an additional 15 minutes per client so that I can assure that you receive the best service, and that I can do everything required. If you have already scheduled, please know that the front desk may be calling to shift your appointment either up or down by 15 minutes. I appreciate your patience as we work out these details.

In addition, I am phasing in to start with one-half less day per week than normal. With the extra time needed for each appointment, I will not be able to see everyone as soon as most would like. I will do my best to accommodate you all, but your patience is appreciated. If you would like to schedule with someone else that can get you in sooner, I completely understand and respect that.

If you have any questions or concerns around booking an appointment, I would be very happy indeed to talk to you. I honor and respect whatever your decisions are. You may reach out to me via email or by phone. Both are listed below.

Thank you so much for your continued support, kindness, and understanding. I count my lucky stars to be in Vermont at such a time. I am thankful beyond measure to have each and every one of you in my life. There is a reason I don’t play the lottery. Well, there are two reasons. One: I am good at math. : ) Two: I am already the luckiest woman in the world.

I look forward to seeing you all.

All my best, my love, my gratitude,

Meryl

Meryl Trefethen
www.meryltrefethen.com
meryltrefethen@icloud.com
802-881-1116

Update: April 21, 2020

Good morning, dear friends and clients! I hope this finds you all healthy and safe.

Because of Governor Scott's updated Stay-At-Home order, Orbit Hair Design will not be reopening before May 15th at the very earliest. Because of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding this situation, Orbit is not making calls to reschedule at this time.

I sincerely apologize if you have been attempting to contact the salon or to reschedule appointments. We will be in touch with each and every one of you as soon as there is a definitive date set to reopen.

In the meantime, please feel free to reach out to me directly. If I can be of any assistance, or you just need to connect, I am here!

My phone number, available for texting or calling, any time, is 802-881-1116.

My email is meryltrefethen@icloud.com.

Much love to you all. You're in my thoughts. I'm so looking forward to reconnecting with you on the other side of this.

All my best,

Meryl Trefethen

______________

March 18, 2020

Good morning to all of my friends and clients. I appreciate you all so very much!

Orbit Hair Design has wisely decided to close for at least the next 3 weeks in order to keep our community as safe as possible. I appreciate this decision and understand that it was a difficult one to make.

The front desk staff have been amazing through all of this and are working diligently to notify clients and reschedule whenever possible. I appreciate your patience and understanding as we try to work around a schedule that could still be up in the air for some time to come.

Please feel free to contact me directly if you have any questions or concerns. I am available any time of the day, and I will do my best to respond to everyone.

My email is meryltrefethen@icloud.com.

My phone number is 802-881-1116. You may text or call at any time.

I can also be reached through social media and my website.

Facebook: Meryl Trefethen — Hairstylist & Colorist

Instagram: @MerylTrefethenHair

My website: www.meryltrefethen.com

This experience has simply solidified my belief that People Are Amazing. The expressions of love, care, concern, good humor, and honestly, in some cases, absolute hilarity that are coming out of this prove to me that love, family, and friendship win the day, every day. Everyone is doing their best to provide protection and safety to those most at risk. We can make a concerted effort to keep any more lives from being jeopardized or unnecessarily lost. I’m going to miss talking to you all every day, but just think about the conversations we will have later!

If you’ve been thinking of growing out your silvers, ladies, or rocking the ponytail you used to have in the 70s, gents, now is your time! If you would like to attempt doing a home root touch-up, please feel free to contact me and I can let you know what color to look for to match your formula.

I love you all. Be well, stay safe, and wash your damn hands. :D

Yours Truly,

Meryl Trefethen

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