This past Sunday afternoon, seven girls in Brownie Troop 269 of Sherman Oaks gathered at JazyHair Salon on Ventura Boulevard for a hair-cutting party.
The girls, ranging in age from 7 to 9 years old, have been growing out their locks for the past several months so that they could donate their hair to Locks of Love.
The girls were both nervous and excited, as for some this was the first time in their lives they would have short hair.
A few needed a little coaxing from their friends to get into the styling chairs, but once there they were all brave and off came the braids.
"I feel really bad for girls who don't have hair and I think they should be able to have hair," said 7-year-old
Jenny Varner after her 11-inch braid was cut off. "I feel good because I know that the girl who gets my hair will be happy."
Jasmine Bell, owner of JazyHair, generously donated her salon for the event and three of her stylists joined in to give the girls free cuts. Jasmine has done cuts before for people making donations to Locks of Love and was more than happy to lend a hand to Troop #269.
At the end of the afternoon, the newly bobbed troop was all smiles and quite pleased with the results. And their moms were excited about the prospect of a tangle-free summer! Locks of Love
isa not-for-profit organization that provides recipients with a custom, vacuum-fitted hairpiece made entirely from donated human hair.
The vacuum fit is designed for children who have experienced a total loss of scalp hair and does not require the use of tape or glue.
Most of the applicants suffer from an autoimmune condition calledalopecia areatafor which there is no known cause or cure.
Others have suffered severe burns or injuries or endured radiation treatment to the brain stem or other dermatological conditions that result in permanent hair loss.
The organization, which began operation in 1998, has helped more than 2,000 children since its first year of operation.
Thousands of bundles of donated hair arrive as a result of the national publicity that Locks of Love receives in newspapers, magazines and television programs.
Children comprise more than 80 percent of the donors, making this a charity where children have an opportunity to help children.