A month ago, Jenn Hyman donated a foot of hair to make a wig for a child.
It was the third time she had donated her hair, but this time the haircut was in front of 250 people at the James West Alumni Center.
Hyman was publicizing today’s event, Save the Hair, organized by the Alumni Scholars Club, where more than 150 donors will be giving their hair to Locks of Love, a nonprofit organization that makes hairpieces for financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss.
Donors, who include alumni, friends of the university, staff members and students, will receive a free haircut from Vidal Sassoon Academy Hairstylists and a coupon for a free pizookie from BJ’s Restaurants.
Though it is recommended that people sign up ahead of time, the event will be taking walk-ins.
“If someone feels the sudden urge to donate, we won’t turn them away, but there will be a wait list,” said Jenn Yoohanna, a member of the Campus Volunteers Committee of the Alumni Scholars Club.
Yoohanna will also be donating her hair today and is a little nervous, but she is thrilled to be able to help children who cannot grow their hair back.
“I’ve had long hair ever since I can remember,” Yoohanna said. “I’m OK with it because it is for the kids. Even if it is just a small difference I am making, it still helps someone.”
Lindsey Gordon, a third-year English student who will be donating her hair today, said she heard about the event from a friend. She said she was really excited about the event because hair stylists are coming here to help students donate.
“It is so convenient, for those who do not have transportation, we can still give to this great cause,” Gordon said.
Hyman and her committee of eight have been planning the event for about a quarter.
Save the Hair was planned by the Campus Volunteers Committee of the Alumni Scholars Club to bring a community service opportunity to UCLA, and Yoohanna said she was thrilled to see how people will embrace the event.
“We were just hoping to break 100 (donors),” Yoohanna said. “We thought that would be just amazing, but it blew up out of nowhere, and we are at almost 160 now.”
Donations of at least 10 inches will be used to make hairpieces and any donations from five to 10 inches will be used by Locks of Love to help offset the cost of making the wigs. Locks of Love aims to return a sense of self-confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss, according to its Web site.
Hyman said this cause is unlike many others because the people donating are not just giving money but something much more valuable.
“It is one thing to donate money, but when you are donating something so important to you, something that completely changes how you look, that is so generous,” Hyman said. “We are giving something of ourselves so these kids can feel more comfortable about their appearance.”