Katie Jones opened the Speakeasy Salon & Spa in Pendleton, Oregon, almost ten years ago, providing a range of services, from massage therapy to hair care. The business has expanded steadily, having outgrown two buildings since it first opened.

Speakeasy Salon & Spa was temporarily shut, like many businesses, at the onset of the coronavirus outbreak. For nine weeks, Katie and her coworkers waited until they could reopen their doors.

Over that period, everyone at Speakeasy Salon & Spa gained a new appreciation for what it meant to be able to serve their customers and perform the skills they love. More than anything, it made them realize how much they missed each other and their customers, and how the smallest interactions during the workweek, however commonplace or mundane, are now meaningful and treasured.

Columbia Bank has been there to help the Speakeasy Salon & Spa grow and knew that Katie would be more than game to participate in the Pass It On Project. Now, workers from the salon are giving clients who have been struck hard by the COVID-19 crisis a gift card for services, and Columbia Bank is covering the bill. By spreading a little joy, folks across Pendleton will be reminded that they’re loved and that better times are ahead.