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Keira Knightley and Paris Hilton just cut their hair. Ashley Judd and Alyssa Milano are also going short. There’s gossip on the PepperVine about hair stylists giving away free haircuts next week, but it’s not just a matter of style.
Monday, stylists from the Salon at Malibu Creek will be giving free haircuts from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Amphitheater for Locks of Love, a non-profit organization. The cut hair goes to the group, which uses hair donations to make custom-fitted vacuum wigs for children who suffer from long-term medical hair loss.
This will be the third year in a row that Pepperdine students will participate in Locks of Love. Senior Tara Emerson, the Special Events director of the Student Programming Board, created this event her sophomore year. As the SA of Pengilly Hall, she recruited girls in her dorm to donate their hair.
“But as I realized the greater Pepperdine community had an interest too,” she said. “I opened up the event to the campus.”
She contacted the Salon at Malibu Creek, which closes on the day of donations, to support the cause. This year will be the first year that the event will take place on campus.
“We thought it would be great to have the event on campus instead of at the salon to raise a bit more awareness,” Emerson said.
The stylists at the salon are highly professional, so the haircuts are too, Emerson said.
Junior Mariko Wilson, who participated in Locks of Love her freshman year, loved her haircut so much that she continues to go back to the salon for regular haircuts.
“Michael was my stylist and he was awesome,” Wilson said. “And I know he is doing it again this year. He basically was like, ‘I have a vision,’ and I was like, ‘Go for it.’”
Wilson cut 14 inches of hair off. She is not planning on participating this year, but expects to do it again in the future.
These haircuts are more than a new look. They give new hope to those children receiving new wigs, Emerson said.
“The beauty of a person is not found in their appearance, but in the essence of a loving and giving heart,” Emerson said. “For us, our hair grows back and we outgrow our sacrifice, but these children cannot outgrow their suffering.”
Sign-ups are from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. today and tomorrow in front of the Oasis, or send an e-mail to spbevents@pepperdine.edu. Students, faculty, staff and the Malibu community are welcome to participate. For more information on Locks of Love, visit www.locksoflove.org.
Submitted 03-31-2005
MALIBU, CA
