‘Dear to my heart’

By John Veasey
Times West Virginian

FAIRVIEW April 20, 2009 01:12 am

— Jennifer Malnick is an “Everyday Hero” in a small town.
She has lived in Fairview her entire life. She’s married to a young man from Barrackville, has owned her business since she was 19 and loves family get-togethers.
But when she’s not cutting and styling hair, Jennifer has made a name for herself by her kindness — especially with older people.
She appreciates them, and they appreciate her.
Jennifer is the owner of Cuts Plus on Main Street in Fairview. She opened this shop when she was 19 years old and was just a year or so out of North Marion High School. She’s had it for 18 years now and really enjoys her work.
There were five beauty shop operators in Fairview when she started; there are only two left today.
But Cuts Plus is just part of Jennifer’s life.
“My kids are the highlight of my life,” Jennifer said. “We tried for quite a long time. We tried artificial insemination. We finally just assumed there wouldn’t be any. Then when I finally learned I was pregnant, it was on Mother’s Day. People would have thought I was the only pregnant woman in the world, I was so happy!”
After the first child came, the second and third came soon afterward.

Jennifer and Steve, who is principal at Monongah Middle School, are now the parents of Ashton, 8, Bailey, 6, and Cole, who is 3. The two were high school sweethearts at North Marion High School where Jennifer was active in basketball and cheerleading.
But while her children keep her busy, she is also busy doing for others.
If a patron can't drive, she will go pick them up and take them home, and she also does house calls. She is so good to the elderly ladies who need their hair done.
“I pick up some of the women who aren’t able to do their own hair,” she says, “or go to their home and do their hair. I also help some of my customers in and out of their car. I have an older clientele. Some just don’t drive.”
Jennifer is also active at St. Paul Baptist Church in Fairview, where she serves as treasurer.
“I work with the young people also,” she said. “Those who are between the ages of 2 and 12. We just help out. We do a lot of programs, Easter egg hunts, a bus trip to Disney on Ice. I help out at the school also, volunteering there. “
She also is treasurer of the PTO at Fairview Elementary.
There’s one other title this “Everyday Hero” wears well — Soccer Mom. She’s the assistant coach of the Fairview U-8 soccer team. The coach? You guessed it. Her husband Steve.
“He makes me do a lot of the work,” she said with a laugh.
She said the family “camps out a lot in the summer. And we spend a lot of time with my family. I’m real close to my grandmother. We have family dinners every Sunday.”
The Malnicks are also into sports. “We water ski, snow ski, things like that.”

Jennifer likens her life, sometimes, ”to that little mouse in that wheel. Going, going, going. But I don’t know if I’m getting anywhere.”
But it is enjoyable.
Jennifer says helping people comes naturally to her.
“It comes naturally,” she says. “I enjoy helping people, especially the elderly people. They are dear to my heart. I have a lot of good customers. I guess I feel you do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
E-mail John Veasey at jcveasey@timeswv.com.

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