I stood outside the salon. Seated in the corner of Orchard Ion, basement 4, the interior looked bright, inviting, albeit with a single customer in the hour before lunchtime. It wasn’t really crowded yet in the mall, but the vibe felt similar to the feel of waking up in the late morning while the world is already abuzz.

I walked in and saw him. A well-dressed man, light blue blazer and pants with a white shirt and shoes, with moderately long wavy hair, but naturally styled. ‘Very well put together’ I thought, while we mutually introduced ourselves.

Jeric and I exchanged pleasantries while we walked to the back of the salon, where we could have our interview in which he had cheerfully acquiesced when I asked him a week ago. Tastefully designed with white walls, wooden frames and plants, and a wall with a quote, ‘Life isn’t perfect but your Hair can be.’ The environment felt like a bookstore or a café one could while away an afternoon in, comfy.

As he invited me to take a seat in one of his leather salon chairs, I mentally ran through the questions I had for him once again, and the article I was planning to write for him. But where do I exactly begin?

When I was tasked with nominating this man of which I knew nothing about 10 days ago for the President’s Volunteerism & Philanthropy Awards 2026? Or when he started volunteering at St John’s Home for Elderly Persons since 1985?

Who is Jeric See? A quick google search came up with the following:

He started taking an interest in hairdressing while working in his aunt’s salon, practicing his skills on classmates.

Graduated from Vidal Sassoon Academy in London.

Founder of Reds Hairdressing Salon, which is extremely well known, having been involved in National Day, Singapore Fashion Week etc.

I went to his website to find out more current information, and in short, his portfolio was impressive, to put it mildly. Prominent artistes from Taiwan, Hong Kong, Europe and even the US were in his long list of clients, for concerts and fashion shows alike. Jeric had clearly made a definitive mark in his industry.

He spoke in a warm, clear voice. Laugh lines prominent, a friendly confidence in his manner. Very comfortable to talk to, and he had an easy-going vibe which made conversations flow naturally. As our small talk petered off, I explained how the interview would go, the order in which the questions would be asked, and then we began.

Qn 1: Tell us about your giving journey.

I have been volunteering at St John’s home for the elderly since 1985. I visit the home with my team to give haircuts to the residents who lived there.

It became a regular thing, where we would visit the home every 8 weeks to provide haircuts for about 80 to 100 plus residents. I can sense that they look forward to the haircut, and I loved to see the session bring smiles to their faces.

Building rapport with the residents took time. Gradually, they became comfortable with us and even remembered our names. At the old home, the hall was often very warm, and many residents had lived there for years without ever stepping into a hair salon.

Wanting to give them a better experience, I purchased two shampoo chairs and hired my plumber to install them in the home’s hall. This allowed me to provide a proper salon service, of which many of the residents had never enjoyed before.

One incident left a deep impression on me. I gave a haircut to a bedridden woman who was connected to an IV drip. I felt sad because she badly needed that haircut. When the next session came around, I was told she was no longer there. That haircut became her last. From then on, I knew I would never stop volunteering. That I can preserve that bit of dignity for them, that became my mission.

And at the end of each haircutting session, that bright smile they give after they see their new look is done means a lot to me, that touches my heart. I am blessed to be in a profession where I am appreciated, and I’m proud to be able to give back to society in the same manner.

Qn 2: Describe what inspired you to take action. Share the values, beliefs, experiences, or aspirations that motivated your giving.

It all started in 1985, a church friend as for help at St John’s Home of the Elderly and got 4 of my staff to come along with me to help.

At that age I was in my mid-twenties and was quite successful. I felt that I should help others as God has given blessed me with a special skill, I should not just think of those with better means who can afford my services but also to the less fortunate.

A good haircut is important for a person’s confidence! I thought it was an opportunity to spread some happiness around by providing this to the residents at St John’s. It is my way of giving back to the universe, and I am thankful that I can give people a reason to be happy.

Qn 3: Describe the impact you have made.

I hope that my actions can inspire others to do the same. I personally feel that empathy is lacking in society, many are all talk but do not take action. But it does make me proud to share something in particular that stemmed from volunteering.

I have 2 staff who have been with me for 15 years, Terry Chai and Fang Li Ling, and they have followed me in volunteering at St Johns. Li Ling has of her own volition, started volunteering at another home in Chinatown as well, doing the same as I have been doing at St Johns! I think she is wonderful, and I am extremely thankful to the both of them, because I am able to do what I do, thanks to their support.

Qn 4: Describe the challenges you faced in your journey and how you overcame them. Share any obstacles you encountered and the actions you took to address them.

41 years… Yes, there were many challenges. Life is as such, there are ups and downs. During Covid for example, times were hard for everyone, myself included. Business was not doing well, uncertain times, it was a very difficult period. Yet even then, I still thought of the residents who looked forward to their haircuts. There were staffing issues, but I still went ahead with 1 other staff to provide the service to the 80+ residents who were left.

It was not an easy arrangement to make. 1 week before the session, we had to go for a swab test to ensure we were not infected. We were so afraid of infecting the residents as the vaccine was not ready. We would show our test results to be let into the home, then we would douse ourselves in hand sanitizer before putting on our PPE. The area where we did the haircuts were not air conditioned, and through the heat and sweat, just the 2 of us would make sure all 80 of the residents got what they needed.

Another fact was that in all these years we volunteered at St John’s, my staff and I would notice long-time residents… no longer came for the sessions. We would make eye contact with each other and talk about it after. Where are Uncle Terry, Uncle Freddy? There were so many names. However, we remained professional about it and focused on the remaining residents regardless. We did not want to ask the staff or residents about them, because we did not want to make them sad.

It was clear to us that the residents looked forward to seeing us, and this bolstered our resolve to continue. We never saw this as a chore, and there was never any resentment from our end.

Qn 5: What impact do you hope to create in the future? Describe your plans on sustaining and/or scaling the impact you have achieved

I wish that more people will be able to step up and volunteer their time to the underprivileged. For now, I hope that my story can inspire others to do the same. I will continue to do so for all long as I can, and I firmly believe that there are many others like me who want to contribute, but do not know how to go about it.

I don’t have anything concrete to work with at the moment, but I am open to the opportunity if there are any causes that wish to take this to the next level. For now, I am happy to share my experience with everyone and maybe, some who hear it will step forward too.

My motto is simple, ‘Always make time’. There is never enough time, but if something matters to you, make time for it.

We sat back into our chairs, sipping coffee he had graciously provided as I took in what he had shared. A few mutual moments of cordial silence passed between us, and I thanked Jeric for his time.

We took a few choices photos of him in the salon and parted ways. The crowd in the mall was starting to pick up in the lunch hour, and as I walked, a thought came to myself.

For all of his online presence, not once has he mentioned his volunteering for the home. It was a sobering fact, and heartening to know that likely, there would be many other silent heroes, devoting their time for others in their own unique ways.

Author:

Jay Yang