Barrie Spa Owner Offers Free Service to Gym and Restaurant Owners Impacted by Capacity Limits

Jennifer Kaplinski, owner/operator of The Bella Rejuvenation Spa, is giving back to the Barrie community in support of mental health through the COVID-19 pandemic.

By day, Kaplinski works at Youth Haven, a youth shelter in Barrie, but in the evening, she operates a spa that offers services like massages and mask facials. 

Among the Ontario government’s new COVID-19 restrictions include a ban on indoor dining and the closure of gyms, and Kapliniski says she’s been trying to keep people’s spirits up through these difficult times. 

Lending a Hand to Others

“Last year, what I did was post a lot of videos to help with mental health, to give people ideas of things they could do while being stuck in the house,” Kaplinski told Barrie 360.

“And then I was like, ‘what can I do this year? I can’t believe [businesses] got closed again. You know what, I’m going to give them free service,’ and what’s better than a massage? It’s nice and relaxing, and it’s great for their mental health.”

Kaplinski made a post on her personal and business Facebook pages – letting all gym and restaurant owners see her offer giving back to those impacted by the restrictions.

“The fact that somebody is offering them something free it shows them someone cares,” said Kaplinski. “Right now, it’s so important to show that we care about each other and that we’re there for each other.”

With mandates in place, Kaplinski says masks will still need to be worn, but patrons can still enjoy themselves.

“I can still do their forehead and the sides of their face, and they can get a neck massage down their shoulders,” Kaplinski said.

“And when they’re [facial] masking, they get a massage on their hands and arms, so it’s still a very relaxing treatment.”

Giving Back to the Barrie Community

The Youth Haven worker noted she has a natural inclination to help when she can, and finds joy in giving back to the Barrie community. 

“It’s everything to me,” said Kaplinski. “It’s my home…It’s my community. It’s connection. It’s a place where I see a lot of people come together to help – consistently.”

“I constantly see it, if there’s somebody in need, or their house burns down, if there are tornadoes, you see this city come together and make it happen for other people. I think that’s instilled in a lot of us in Barrie.”

Kaplinski says she wants to offer this service until the most recent restrictions have been lifted. She says it is geared toward business owners but they can pass it on to a staff member they think would benefit from it – but it is only one per business. 

Her plan is to take three appointments per week and says if people book a spot but restrictions get lifted and they go back to work, she will still honour those bookings. 

Free Service, Stress-Free

“I want to offer them a free service, stress-free,” said Kaplinski. “No money and no thinking about what’s going on, just get on my table and relax.” 

“I can’t fix COVID…but at the end of the day, I can do this little bit and help people with their mental health,” Kaplinski said.

“I think that’s the most important thing right now, is everyone taking care of their mental health.”

You can check out Jennifer’s business page for more information: The Bella Rejuvenation Spa