A group of Pepperdine students are getting haircuts on Thursday for a special cause. With professional stylists from the Salon at Malibu Creek doing the cutting, at least 10 inches of hair will be removed from the students. That hair will be used by a nonprofit organization called Locks of Love to make wigs for children who suffer from long-term medical hair loss due to cancer or other illnesses. Those receiving the custom-fitted vacuum wigs will be children who would not be able to afford to purchase them.
Pepperdine junior Tara Emerson began the event at the school last year. She and 28 other female students had 10 or more inches of their hair cut off, and donated it to Locks of Love. Emerson said the event was so successful last year that she wanted to do it again.
“I feel like there are a lot of girls that have a lot of hair,” Emerson said. “Hair doesn’t really define who we are as people. So if we can help some of the kids that are out there that don’t have hair, we should. Locks of Love is a very worthwhile cause.”
Also as a fundraiser for Locks of Love, a group of Pepperdine students have collected money from sponsors who paid them to wear special wigs for a week.
Pamela Evans, the manager of the Salon at Malibu Creek, said she was pleased to have her business participate in the event.
“I think it’s a wonderful thing,” Evans said. “It’s something that we can do and do willingly and each hair dresser gives their time absolutely without question. It’s nice to know that we can provide something for the children and help give them self-confidence when they lose their hair.”
The haircutting will take place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.