Nearly 300 inches of locks lovingly donated
LORETTO, Pa. (Dec. 10, 2007) -- Despite a snowy evening in Loretto, Saint Francis University’s second annual Locks of Love event sponsored by the Red Flash field hockey team was a phenomenal success.
Head field hockey coach Liz deSimas kicked off the event with a ceremonial cut at halftime of Wed., Dec. 5’s women's basketball game vs. Akron last by snipping freshman, Rebecca Reiff's hair, which measured in at 13 inches.
The rest of the field hockey team, along with assistant coach Katina Polites, spent the evening registering donors, and measuring and collecting hair in the Stokes Center Auxiliary Gym through halftime and part of the second half.
“Overall it was a wonderful event with so many large donations of hair,” exclaimed deSimas. “We are happy to be supporting such a wonderful cause which helps children who are suffering from permanent hair loss due to Cancer and other conditions. I am proud of all the people who donated their hair, and thank all of the volunteers and contributors to this event!”
Individuals representing the field hockey, football, lacrosse, women's soccer, and women's volleyball teams, the Greek community, various departments on campus such as physical therapy, psychology, physician assistant, chemistry, library sciences, and accounting as well as children and adults in the local community all pitched in for the worthy cause.
In all, a total of 295 inches of hair was donated to Locks of Love. Of those, two student-athletes donated an event-high 16 (Julia Baczeski - field hockey and Meghan Lamarche – lacrosse). But, the Caretti Family of Loretto won the $20.00 in Chili's Bucks donated by the Chili's in Altoona, for donating 35 inches between Lora and her two children, Haley and Jody, who both attend nearby Saint Michael's Elementary School.
The even would not have been possible if not for the fantastic support from volunteer hairstylists Jessica Smith - owner and stylist of Styles to a Tea in Hollidaysburg; Therese Byrne - owner and stylist of Therese's Hair Salon, Loretto; and Jessica Finochio, Sara Young and Malorie Farabaugh - stylists from Regis Hair Salon in the Logan Valley Mall, Altoona.
A special thanks also goes out to Dunny's Pizza in Cresson, and Alleghany Screen Printing for their generous donations of pizza and t-shirts that were distributed to all who donated as well as Jim Brazill and the women's basketball team for their support.
A third annual Locks of Love event in is already in the works for the first week of December in 2008.