Starr Kramer, 11 year old, a veteran. She donated 18 inches of her blond tresses to Locks of Love and sponsored by Fringe beauty salon in downtown Decatur. Rhonda Kramer, her mother said she also donated about the same amount of hair at age of 7.

Last year, Kaitlin Powell donated hair about 13½ inches. They weren’t alone as more than a dozen participated in donation to help others.

Locks of Love, a non-profit organization provides hairpieces to help children under 18 who are suffering from long term hair loss due to medical reasons.

Motorcyclist Patty Costley was also one of the donors of hair to Locks of Love, she’d done so many years ago. Costley said “Everybody says it’s healthy hair.” Costley as stylist Randi Hickman measured how much shorter her hair would be with 10 less inches.

Locks of Love, donation guidelines accepts hair from 6 to 10 inches in length which isn’t used to create the free hairpieces to help reduce costs. The 10 inches donations are used in creating hairpieces for children who has hair loss medical conditions.

Sahvanna Diaz, the students chopping off her 12 inches of hair was a good idea. The psychology senior and one of 42 women who donated 10 inches of hair to Locks of Love at the University Center Palo Duro Lounge, the UTA volunteers transformed into a free salon. Four stylists were ready for hair donations.

Locks of Love, a public non-profit organization that provides wigs for people under 10 years old who are diagnosed with diseases in long-term hair loss. This is the 4th time the group hosted the event. The University donated 543 inches of hair.

Chris Draudt, electrical engineering freshman. Vickie Draudt, Chris mother donated the longest amount of hair has 18 inches.

Diaz said, she had fears while waiting but tried to put them aside. “I want to forget about my fears, because I can grow it back and those kids can’t. I don’t want to be a baby.”

Laura Webster had other reasons, “My best friend when I was younger had leukemia and got her first hairpiece from Locks of Love. I thought this was my chance to give to a good cause.”

Alumnus Margarito Esquivias wanted to donate but he couldn’t because of time restraints. He said “because of extremely curly hair, it would take a while to straighten, but the stylist offered to do it another time.”

After Diaz had her hair cut and styled, she said she felt great donating and was happy with her new style. She said “I feel lighter, fun and more flirty.”

Cadence Cagle, 8 year old, student at Pee Dee Academy had a foot of hair cut off on March 4, 2009. She wants to cut her hair and donate to the Locks of Love, a public non-profit organization to provide hairpieces for children who suffer hair loss mental conditions. Cadence Cagle said “I love my new shorter hair!” after she cut her hair by Anji Reason at House of Styles in Mullins.

Leslie Cagle, Cadence’s mother said “I can’t wait to show my friends and tell them about Locks of Love.” She has donated hair to the organization three times.

For more information visit the web site at http://www.locksoflove.org

Cadence Cagle shows her lovely hair before getting hair cut.

Anji Reason gathers up Cadence Cagle’s hair into a ponytail before cutting the hair. Anji Reason at House of Styles in Mullins.

Cadence Cagle and Anji Reason pose with Cagle’s ponytail. Cagle donated hair about 13 inches to Locks of Love.

Anthony Reyes, 12, cuts his hair for Locks of Love, at Debbie’s Family Hair Care Center on Feb. 20 in Milltown.

Dawn Blumig gives Anthony Reyes, 12, of Milltown a haircut to benefit Locks of Love as his grandmother Diane Barella looks on at Debbie’s Family Hair Care Center on Feb. 20 in Milltown.

Anthony Reyes from East Brunswick had been growing his hair more than a year, and he was happy to cut his hair to donate a strong, long brad to Locks of Love, the non-profit organization provides hair prosthetic for children who suffered long-term medical hair loss.

Legally blind from birth, Reyes is able to see well enough to do his class work with visual aids and a laptop at Hammerskjold Middle School in East Brunswick. Enough to perceive the social inequities around him and he does what he can to help.

Reyes said ““I wanted to donate my hair because a lot of people that I know have cancer — a friend (of ours) has brain cancer, and my grandpa had prostate cancer. But it’s not just about the hair; it’s about the world in general. I think everybody should care about each other. We should be more courteous and not look down on others.”

Barella likes that Anthony has a passion for the law and that his ambition is to someday become a lawyer or a Supreme Court Justice. Barella continues to marvel at seeing such generosity in such a young man.

Barella said “He was born with a congenital eye condition, but sometimes I think he can see what the rest of us can’t and whatever he sees goes right to his heart.”

40 students at Island Coast High School had snipped about between 5 and 10 inches to benefit Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to children who suffer medical hair loss.

The Red Salon and Spa of Cape Coral sent 3 hair stylist to the schhol on Wednesday to cut the donated hair - braids of blonde, brown and red color then offered free professional cuts lost inches.

Arissa Pushon, was one of the last students to take the chair with long brown hair.

Stylist Gina Ferraro chopped off 7 inches of Pushon, he said “I’m going to cry. I’ve always had long hair.”

The teachers and staff also donates their hair. Joe Mallon, an environmental science teacher. He had 12 inches taken from hair that took 3 years to grow. He said on that day he could recognize his hair on the table with the other donations.

Joe Mallon and Cheri Sukovich organized the benefit for the good cause and to show the importance in the school’s Academy of Natural Resources.

Mallon helped out of Locks of Love for many years when he worked at Florida Gulf Coast University, then this year it’s the first year the benefit was held at Island Coast.

Mallon said explained “The other students saved their hair for Wednesday donation in Locks of Love.”

Locks of Love, a non-profit organization to help children under 18 who suffer hair loss as a result of cancer treatment of alopecia areata.

According to Locks of Lov, the hairpieces cost between $3,500 and $6,000 in the stores. Each children will helps to protect and prevent their hair loss medical conditions.

Robert Bartunek of Council Bluffs donates his long hair to Locks of Love. Bartunek first started growing his hair when his younger Jim died of Cancer in 2001. He later donated the hair in his name. Locks of Love is an organization that provides hairpieces to make wigs for children under 18 who suffer hair loss medical condition

Bartunek said “I remember how much it bothered my 26-year-old brother to lose his hair during chemo. I thought how much harder it must be for a little girl.”

Melanie Goans said “My dad usually has a military cut and a polo T-shirt. I usually have to tell people he’s not having a midlife crisis.”

Bartunek is a respiratory therapist at Bergan Mercy Hospital and has inspired many co-workers to participate. Bartunek never tires of the questions of the process long and lot of work.

Bartunek said “When people, especially women, see an old grandpa like me growing my hair out they feel they can, too. Right now, I have a lot of thick hair, and I wanted to do it again before I was too old and too gray. I just think if it benefits a little girl suffering, then it’s worth everything I go through to try and grow it.”

Goans was inspired by his father Bartunek. She decided to support her father and grow her hair and donates to Locks of Love. Goans said “My heart goes out to girls and teenagers suffering from hair loss due to alopecia or chemotherapy. Being a kid/teen is hard enough. I can’t imagine trying to go through losing your hair at that time.”

Montville pair mother and daughter of Inge and Grace Blazina donated their hair to Locks of Love, an organization that provides hairpieces to make wigs for children under 18 who suffer hair loss medical condition in the United States and Canada.

The pair had their hair cut in January at Bliss Salon in Towaco. Vincent Baldi and April Assaly were the hair dressers.

Grace, 10, and her mother had their hair cut at Bliss Salon in Towaco and donate to Locks of Love.

Kym Robbins have long hair since about five years, she decided growing her hair out for charity - Locks of Love.

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis.

She said, she made the decision after watching a show that featured children who have experienced hair loss from such disorders as alopecia areata or radiation treatment for cancer.

She said “One simple selfless act of kindness will benefit and change a life for the better, What can be more rewarding? It makes you feel good inside and out.”

For more information and How to donate:
visit www.locksoflove.org

Meghan Smith, 6 year old girl had recently donated her 16 inches hair to Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to help for children who suffer hair loss. Most of the children have lost their hair due to a medical condition.

Locks of Love meet a unique need for children by using the donated hair to create high quality hair prosthetic. Children suffer hair loss medical condition or alopecia areata, no known cause or cure. The hairpieces provided helps to restore their self-esteem and their confidence enabling them to face the world and their peers.

How to Donate to Locks of Love
* The minimum length needed for a hairpiece is 10 inches measured tip to tip.

* Hair must be in a ponytail or braid before it is cut

* Hair must be clean and completely dry before it is mailed to

* Place the ponytail or braid inside a plastic bag, then inside a padded envelope

If you want to receive a personalized thank you card, please fill out the hair donation form, or you may write your name and address on a full size separate sheet of paper and inside the envelope.

Remember, Locks of Love cannot acknowledge donors who did not put their name and address according to these instruction.

You can mail to:
Locks of Love,
234 Southern Blvd.,
West Palm Beach, FL 33405