WEAVERVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — For more than two decades, Amanda Fender has made a career out of helping people feel better about themselves — one haircut at a time.

Fender, 40, has worked at Hair Angels Salon in Weaverville for 14 years and has been doing hair for 21. Asked what she enjoys most about her job, her answer is simple.

“Just helping people,” she said.

It’s a theme that carries far beyond the salon chair.

Outside of work, Fender is deeply involved in her church and in organizing the county’s first “Night to Shine,” a special event sponsored by the Tim Tebow Foundation that celebrates people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The event, scheduled for February in Mars Hill, will offer participants a red-carpet experience designed to put the spotlight squarely on them.

“It’s kind of like a prom, but it’s more than that,” Fender said. “It’s about making them feel special.”

The event serves guests ages 14 and older and is tailored for individuals with disabilities — a cause that hits close to home for Fender. Her son is mentally disabled and has several medical conditions, she said.

“That’s why I was really eager about it,” she said. “This is something they don’t always get — having the lights on them.”

Volunteers from Hair Angels Salon will be on hand to do hair and makeup. The evening will also include music, karaoke, games, a quiet room for guests who need a calm space and a separate rest area for parents and caregivers. Fender’s husband, Ben, is helping provide barbecue for the event.

“We’ve got a lot going on,” she said, laughing. “But it’s worth it.”

Fender said Buncombe and Madison counties have not previously hosted a Night to Shine, and organizers are still seeking volunteers. Information is available through Beech Glen Baptist Church and the Tim Tebow Foundation.

While she spends her days behind the chair, Fender is also preparing for a future focused even more directly on service. She is enrolled at Mayland Community College in Spruce Pine, working toward an associate degree in applied science and human resources, with plans to pursue a bachelor’s degree in social work.

“I don’t feel like this is just what I was meant to do,” she said, looking around the salon. “I love helping people, and I want to help more.”

Rather than leaving the salon altogether, Fender hopes to balance both paths — continuing hair work part-time while expanding her role in community service.

“In a perfect world, I’d do both,” she said.

Fender, who lives in Burnsville, has seen the region change significantly over the past decade, citing new townhomes, apartments and road projects that have reshaped traffic and growth in the Weaverville area.

“It’s changed a lot,” she said. “But it still feels like a smaller town at heart.”

Family time, she said, is often spent simply — going to church, sharing meals and doing small things together. Fender has three stepdaughters, two stepsons and a granddaughter, along with what she calls “lots of fur babies.” Last year, she bottle-fed orphaned puppies after their mother died.

Her husband Pete is recovering from neck surgery that fused vertebrae from C4 to C7, leaving him temporarily out of work.

Through it all, Fender remains grounded in faith and service — whether in a salon, a classroom or on a red carpet for someone who rarely gets one.

“I just feel like God’s wanting me to branch out and do more for people,” she said.

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