Published: June 24, 2009 10:37 am      

Local women donate hair to Locks of Love

Phil Riddle

editor@weatherforddemocrat.com

The congregation at Weatherford Community Fellowship is in the midst of a campaign in which they give of themselves.

Four women from the church took the campaign, Grace Gives, one step further.

La Fonda Lynch, Laurie McLaughlin, Tammy Guillion and Renee Holdsworth met at a Hudson Oaks hair salon Tuesday evening to donate their flowing tresses to Locks of Love.

Locks of Love furnishes wigs for children with cancer,” Lynch said. “If they had to buy the wigs, they’d cost about $3,000 each.”

The West Palm Beach, Fla.-based organization reports its mission is to attempt to return self-confidence to kids suffering from hair loss by using donated ponytails to create hair prosthetics for financially disadvantaged children.

Lynch said the beneficiary children must be fitted for new wigs every 18 months.

“Because their heads grow so fast,” she said.

Each of the ladies had a 10-inch ponytail snipped by Jani Sokoloski, owner of the Hair Saloon, who then donated a new short style to each hair donor.

It was the first time to donate for all four women, who claimed no apprehension before climbing into the chair.

“We were talking about what we could do together,” Lynch said, “and when our church came out with the Grace Gives campaign, we thought this would be a perfect time.”