Kansas City Kansas Community College event encourages hair-cutting for good cause

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ---- Have you been growing out your hair and are ready to get it cut? An event at Kansas City Kansas Community College this week might be your answer.

For the first time, KCKCC is hosting a Locks for Love event to benefit children in need of wigs. Karlee Hronek, KCKCC student and coordinator for the Locks for Love Grow Your Hair Challenge, said she came up with the idea after volunteering at Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City and seeing there is a need.

“This is a way people can help without donating money. They can donate their hair,” she said. “Even if they cannot donate their hair, it is about coming out and showing that you care. We want to make people aware that there is a need.”

Locks for Love is a non-profit organization that focuses on providing hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children throughout the United States and Canada who have long-term medical hair loss.

The donated hair is used to create these hair pieces, which in turn helps to boost children’s confidence and self-esteem.

Haircuts will be provided by the KCKCC Cosmetology program Wednesday, Feb. 11 during two sessions - 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the Deli area on the KCKCC Main Campus, 7250 State Ave. and from 5 to 7 p.m. at the KCKCC Fieldhouse.

Guidelines for hair donation include:

• Hair must be at least 10 inches long tip to tip to be donated.

• Colored or permed hair is acceptable.

• Hair that was cut in the past and has been stored in a ponytail or braid is acceptable.

• Hair that has been bleached or highlighted swept off the floor, shaved off or in dreadlocks is NOT usable.

• Layered hair is acceptable has long as the longest layer is at least 10 inches.

• Curly hair is acceptable and should be pulled straight to measure 10 inches.

For those who would like to help, but are unable to donate hair, there will also be a toy donation drive for Children’s Mercy Hospital at both the KCKCC women’s and men’s basketball games Wednesday night.

The KCKCC women, ranked #5 in the nation in the latest NJCAA poll, play at 5 p.m. and the men’s game follows at 7 p.m., both in the KCKCC Fieldhouse.

For the health and safety of the children, all toys should be new and in the original packaging. During both of the games, there will be door prizes awarded including those from the Kansas City Zoo, Great Wolf Lodge, Sonic and Indigo Wild. Individuals must be present to win.

“I think awareness is the biggest thing,” said Andrica Wilcoxen, community prevention specialist at KCKCC. “It is important for people to see that it is not only the big things that make a difference, but the small things too.”

For more information, contact Wilcoxen at 913-288-7439 or by email at awilcoxen@kckcc.edu. Information is also available by contacting Karlee Hronek at karleehronek123@hotmail.com.