Tattoos for the greater good

Sean Dawley and his merry band of flesh artists have challenged themselves to a one-of-a-kind mission to benefit a Northern Nevada children's home. Now they are extending that challenge to the community.

Beginning noon Saturday and running until noon on Sunday, Dawley, owner of Hooligan's Ink in Carson City, will join tattoo artists Joe Silvers and Dave Sanchez to take electric pencil in hand and tattoo for 24 hours straight.

They won't work in shifts. They won't take breaks, said Dawley.

With a goal of six tats per hour, the trio hopes to move clients in and out of the chair every half an hour and create at least 150 happy customers.

A portion of the $60 proceeds will benefit Austin's House, a children's home in Indian Hills that benefits children from rural Northern Nevada who are removed from their homes.

If participants bring in a non-perishable food item, the cost of the tattoo goes down to $50, and the food is donated to the Carson Valley Food Closet.

Dawley, who lives in Douglas County, is hosting the aptly named "Tattooed for Good" event at his Carson City shop, 1501 Fairview Dr. No. 20, at the southeast corner of Saliman Road and Fairview Drive.

Even if you don't get a tattoo, Dawley invites people in to leave a donation for the children's home.

"I had a rough childhood, so I know how it can be," explained Dawley "I just don't think it's fair for these kids to have to struggle. Someone's got to stick up for them."

At Dawley's shop in South Lake Tahoe, The Electric Pencil, tattooist Kat Alderz took on the challenge last month by herself to raise money for the South Lake Tahoe Women's Center.

On Monday, as Dawley worked on a piece on the back of Alderz's neck, she talked about her event.

"It's pretty amazing how people turn out for charity events," she said. "I had so many people in there, I was feeding off the energy. We were slammed the entire time."

At about 3:30 a.m., Alderz said, she took the clock off the wall.

"I didn't want to know how much time was left. As long as you keep momentum going, everything will be fine," she said.

Dawley said patrons can either pick from a sheet of tats, they can bring in their own if it's a small piece that can be done in a half hour, or they can have Japanese script.

"If people come in with an elaborate piece that will take a while, we'll give them a card and ask them to come back on another day," said Dawley.

Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.