Anaheim Company Sends Nail Products To Soldiers In Afghanistan
ANAHEIM (CBS) — Like any war story worth telling, this one began with a letter.
"I am writing you today to ask if your company would sponsor some nail supplies to the female soldiers of the 1249th Engineer Battalion in Sharana Afghanistan," wrote Amy Feltzin, an Army Specialist on her first tour of duty fighting in Afghanistan.
Back home in Oregon Feltzin works as a licensed nail technician and used only Gel Nails, a practically bullet-proof nail polish manufactured by the Anaheim company Young Nails.
"She asked if we could donate products to her in Afghanistan," said Greg Salo of Young Nails.
"Women want to feel beautiful. It doesn't matter if they are soldiers or beauticians," Habib Salo said.
The company's founder and her two sons did not hesitate. They packed up a $1,000-worth of manicure supplies, gel nail polish and UV lights that help the nails set in seconds.
The only problem was that Feltzin's battalion was constantly on the move setting up camps for other soldiers.
"The challenge was how to get it to her because you can't send these products on a regular plane to Afghanistan," Greg Salo said.
With no actual address to ship it to, they sent the package to Feltzin's sergeant in Oregon before she shipped out to Afghanistan. The sergeant hand delivered it to the 1249th Battalion.
"There she was able to open the products, start using them and do all the women's nails in the battalion to the point where she actually had a line going outside of her tent," Greg Salo said.
For a battalion of soldiers a world away, manicures took on a new meaning.
"Wow, thanks so much for getting back to us! We are all jumping up and down in excitement," Feltzin wrote back.
And for an Anaheim family otherwise untouched by the war, one soldier's story inspired them to reach far outside their Orange County warehouse and into a world where they never dreamed they could make a difference.
"This little company, we can help those soldiers and that's incredible. We are a part of it," company founder Young Salo said.
"We could not do what we do here without the support from our families, friends, and fellow Americans. Thanks to Young Nails," Feltzin wrote.
"It just makes us feel so good that we can actually do something for our country. For us it was just an opportunity to help," Greg Salo said.
Young Nails is coming out with a new color -- Army Green -- and named "1249" in honor of Feltzin's battalion. For more information visit Young Nails online at www.youngnails.com.
