EUGENE, Ore. – A leading Eugene area tattoo parlor gives customers the chance to get inked and help a national cause this weekend.
This time of year, the Muscular Dystrophy Association sells thousands of paper shamrocks across the nation, hoping to raise money for research, treatment, and more.
Typically, grocery stores and fast food restaurants sell the icons, but a local tattoo shop joined the fundraiser.
Tony McAlister is a tattoo artist at Anchored Ink in Eugene. He took time off from work Saturday to volunteer at a Muscular Dystrophy Association event Saturday.
“You know, when I first did it, I honestly wasn’t that into it,” McAlister said.
But, it was at the first event when he met a new friend, 10-year-old Jack Craig.
Craig has juvenile spinal muscular atrophy.
“And then I went and I saw how positive people who are suffering from this and it just changed my whole outlook on it,” McAlister said.
McAlister decided to sell the paper shamrocks to his customers. He said when they’re under the tattoo gun, there’s plenty of time to talk about why it’s important to support the cause.
“They’re not only getting something that they want, like a tattoo, they’re also helping other people,” he said.
The shamrocks help send local kids to camp in Salem and fund a monthly clinic at RiverBend Hospital.
“We look different, and that’s why it kind of touches my heart too. Most of the people with that disease, they look different too, but they’re still amazing people,” McAlister said.
Customers who buy a shamrock at anchored ink are entered into a drawing to win a free tattoo.
The Muscular Dystrophy Association will stop selling shamrocks on St. Patrick’s Day, March 17.
Eugene tattoo artist takes part in national muscular dystrophy fundraiser
