Penn Newman Center organizes fourth Locks of Love event

Yesterday, students and alumni donated 72 feet of hair to those who need it most.

For the fourth time, a group of Penn students held a Locks of Love event at the Penn Newman Center near the corner of 38th and Walnut streets.

Locks of Love is a nonprofit organization that gives hairpieces to children aged 18 and under who have lost their hair due to illness.

Nursing junior and event coordinator Katie Gallagher considers this event “a really cool way to give back something.”

She added that Locks of Love is “really important for the children because though it may seem not important, hair donated today can help restore some sense of normalcy to a child’s life by helping them to fit in better.”

Those who donated got their hair cut by stylists from many local hair salons.

“We were here last year as well because the event is good publicity,” said Mo Hayes, a stylist at Mockingbird Salon in Center City. “But I love doing this job in general because it so fun, and this is just a great cause.”

Eighty-six students from Penn’s various undergraduate and graduate schools donated.

“I thought about it for a while,” Wharton senior Stephanie Chuah said. “But then I thought, why not? It’s only temporary and it’s for a good cause.”

Graduate School of Education student Dan Shen added, “This is a really creative way to help and if they make my hair useful that is great.”

In addition, this event attracted many repeat donors.

“I’ve donated before, and I was looking forward to donating again,” said Johanna Rosen, a student in the Master of Environmental Studies Program. “So when I heard about this event the timing was perfect.”

2012 Wharton and Engineering graduate Annie Bancroft added, “I actually donated my hair three years ago, but I think this is a really good cause and it’s just so easy since my hair grows back so quickly.”

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