By Michele Lutes
Signal Staff Writer
Santa Clarita resident Holly Feneht said her goal is to live her life with integrity, as one of six honorees for the 2019 Single Mothers Outreach Empowering HeArts Gala.
“Living with integrity means it’s something I don’t have to consciously consider and think about. If you’re working towards the common good, you can’t go wrong,” Feneht said, “seeing people as individuals, not lumping people into categories and making assumptions. Everyone has a different story.”
Feneht has a unique story of her own.
Fenet went to Valencia High School and loves Santa Clarita, she said. She and her husband of 12 years, Chris Schantz, bought their home in 2009, and have been working to better the community ever since.
One of her passion projects has been Hope’s Haven, a partnership she co-founded with Circle of Hope, she said.
Circle of Hope has been supporting cancer patients and survivors in Santa Clarita for over 14 years, and officially opened Hope’s Haven in February 2018.
After co-founding the nonprofit, she’s currently serving her first year on Circle of Hope’s Board of Directors.
“I’ve had really close family go through cancer and it has had an impact on my life,” Feneht said.
Hope’s Haven, a cancer wellness center located on Lyons Avenue, is helping cancer patients and survivors adjust to their “new normal,” by offering services and workshops to relieve stress.
“Building that community, find it very rewarding,” Feneht said. “It’s good for everyone’s soul.”
Feneht also helps women and men with scarring from surgeries and domestic violence.
She owns her own business, Gilded Lily, the first clinic dedicated to paramedical body art in Santa Clarita.
She started with traditional tattooing, but one day a customer came in with a scar terribly covered up by a tattoo.
From that day, she made it her mission to provide quality options, she said. “We conect as women and they deserve the best.”
Feneht believes she was guided to her profession, she said. “I can help cover up some of those negative memories and help provide closure in that part of their life.”
Feneht heard about the gala years ago, from a neighbor who was a selected artist one year.
“It’s a wonderful program,” she said. Although she has not used the resources Single Mothers Outreach offers, she has seen friends and community members have great success and great experiences through their programs.
“It’s encouraging me to get involved,” Feneht said. “Build alliances and poor some of our assets together and build something greater and together to support the community.”
At the gala, artist Aazam Irilian, will unveil an original piece of art that tells Feneht’s story.
Irilian is one of the six artists chosen to carry out the tasks of telling the honoree’s story through art.
She is also taking her time to learn Feneht’s story by volunteering at Hope’s Haven.
“She does ‘intuitive art,’ Feneht said, “I’m really open with it,” Feneht said. “I can’t wait to see how she interprets me.”
