ONLY ON 3: Local woman’s passion stays alive through friends and family

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Ashley Patterson and her sister Peggy Maltba grew up in the Cape Fear. Peggy was a hair dresser for three years at a local salon in Wilmington, but when she died recently her family and friends decided to make that difference in her honor.

“She was my forever friend. She’s the sunshine in the room,” said friend Jessie Malpass.

Malpass was friends with her for more than 10 years and had lived with Peggy in the past.

Older sister Ashley said, “She could just make everyone smile.”

Peggy died last month, but Ashley and her friends are keeping the passion she had stay alive.

“We have been through the worst of times together and the best of times,” Malpass said. “She was the kind of person that would latch on to you and you just couldn’t let her go because she brought so much joy, goodness, and happiness.”

“We are really excited to share her love even though she can’t,” Patterson said.

Peggy’s passion was to make those less fortunate feel beautiful by giving them a hair cut before Easter and to motivate them to attend church.

“She wanted to make people feel equivalent,” Patterson said.

Peggy wanted you to feel important regardless of your background.

Patterson said, “A lot of giving happens around Christmas time and she was just thinking that giving needs to be throughout the year.”

Her inspiration came from a viral video which lead to a text sent to her closest friends just a few weeks before she passed away.

“My text message was a couple of messages long about this is what I want to do,” Malpass said.

With the message clear, Ashley and her friends have worked together to make the big event happen the weekend before Easter.

“She wanted to make sure people didn’t have boundary,” Patterson said.

Through the support of the community and several local organizations, the ladies will be able to give blessing bags filled with hygiene items, food, and clothes to look your Sunday best.

“She was very devoted to Jesus and founding out what she he wanted her to do and how he wanted her to love him and this was it,” Malpass said. “This was very, very important to her heart to step out and take some action.”

If you would like to donate, there are a few locations where you can drop off items including Kwik Kuts in Wilmington and Leland, Superior Automotive in Carolina Beach, and Kelly’s Hair Design in Leland.

They also have a GoFundMe page if you would like to make contribution.

The haircuts for homeless event will be on March 19 at 408 Willard Street near Greenfield Lake from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.