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PROVO — A Utah County tattoo parlor has been working to raise money for various charities. Most recently the shop donated more than $2,000 to a young woman with Leukemia.
Anna Dick and her husband Earnest own Death or Glory Tattoos. Dick is a pre-med student at Utah Valley University and said she spends time daily searching on various social media outlets for causes the tattoo shop can support.
“I find stories on social media, news sites, etc. and go from there,” Dick said. “We run a very family friendly shop.”
In January, the Dick family, including their four kids, raised $2,500 for a young man who was seriously injured in a car accident. Anna Dick said they usually back four or five causes a year.
To raise money, they solicit donations from companies around Utah to be raffled off at their tattoo parlor.
“We find companies that want to donate a service or a product and we have a big raffle,” Dick said. “That way, even if you don't like tattoos, you can still win other things and help us raise money. We have amazing support.”
To raise additional funds, the Dick’ also donated the proceeds from one day's worth of tattoos.
“We have a day where we do $30 1.5-inch tattoos and all of the money, including tips, goes towards it,” Dick said. “The cost for supplies comes out of our pockets.”
She said they pick an image for the tattoo that corresponds with the cause they’re working for and donate all the money raised on that tattoo to charity.
"We have five artists working non-stop from open to close,” Dick said. “Last year during autism month we did autism puzzle pieces for a month. I’d say there are hundreds of fundraiser tattoos out there all over the state.”
In March, Death or Glory Tattoos raised over $2,000 for a woman who is battling Leukemia.
We love our community. We are the longest running tattoo shop in Utah County and we are here to stay. We want to show people that we are family friendly and we love to help others.
–Anna Dick
“Her husband left her on Christmas Day while she was fighting cancer,” Dick said. “We love doing these. It's a great way to help the community.”
Tattoo shops can sometimes have a bad reputation, but Dick said their business strives to create a family friendly atmosphere.
“We love our community,” Dick said. “We are the longest running tattoo shop in Utah County, and we are here to stay. We want to show people that we are family friendly and we love to help others.”
She hopes their work with various charities and fundraisers over the years will help to sway the public’s general view of tattoo shops.
“Tattoo shops often get a bad reputation,” Dick said. “It’s our goal to show Utah County that we are different. We work hard to have high standards, helping others and setting a good example. We can make such a difference when we forget our differences and join hands to help one another.”
