They're giving back what illness takes away

Second-grader Lila Mueller grew her hair out for a year so that she could put it in a ponytail and get it snipped off to donate to those who lose their locks due to illness.
Lila, who lives on Waldo Avenue, bounced up and down in her chair, smiled and issued gleeful exclamations at a benefit on the Manhattan College campus on Sunday.

“It looks creepy!” she said when she saw her cut brown ponytail.

But after her hair had been shaped, blow dried and flat ironed into a cute bob, she said, “It really makes me feel good to know that I just did something to help somebody who is less fortunate than me.”

Senior class president Megan Papandrea organized the Locks of Love event. The non-profit gives hairpieces to disadvantaged children suffering from hair loss due to a long-term illness. Ms. Papandrea’s cousin, 28-year-old Christina Dixon of Florida, died last year from leukemia and the locks were all donated in her name.

“I like to help people and I think it’s just a good thing to do,” she said at the event, as volunteer hairdressers from Le Chic Salon & Spa snipped away in the background. “Other people don’t have a choice when they lose their hair.”

Participants sat in the school’s cafeteria chairs, peering into mirrors propped up on tables and chairs or leaned up against walls. Plastic sheets covered the floor of the makeshift salon.

Riverdale resident Shannon Mulrooney, who works in MC’s student activities office, helped Ms. Papandrea publicize the event by handing out fliers to local businesses (she said Kelly Ryan’s Bar & Grill and Gleeson’s Sports Bar & Grill were particularly helpful) and approached the hairdressers at Le Chic to ask for their help.

Le Chic owner Lisa Curanaj was willing to take on the job. Her hair salon regularly gives cuts for free to those who are willing to donate their locks.

“It’s a very good cause. I was more than happy to do it,” she said, adding, “These young ladies are very special because not many young girls would part with their hair … it makes me very happy.”

But those in attendance seemed eager to donate. Even Ms. Papandrea’s roommate, Kaleigh Whetham, who came to help set up, was seized by the giving spirit. By the end of the event she was nervously having 10 inches of her hair chopped off.

She contributed to the 78 inches of hair collected that day.

Event organizers will continue accepting ponytails through Wednesday, Feb. 29. Ponytails can be dropped off in room 502 of Manhattan College’s Thomas Hall, located at 4513 Manhattan College Parkway.

Locks of Love requests that supporters’ hair be no shorter than 10 inches. For those who have layers, the longest layer should be at least 10 inches.

Participants should have clean, dry and bleach-free hair, put up in a braid or ponytail. Those with perms or dyed hair are also welcome to donate.

For more information call MC’s student activities office, at 718-862-7247.

Le Chic, located at 587 W 235th St., gives free haircuts to those willing to donate.

For more information, call the salon, at 718-548-9090.

For more information about Locks of Love, go to www.locksoflove.org.