Thirty-six people donated their hair at Stuyvesant's first annual hair donation event for Locks of Love, which was held on Wednesday, November 18.

The Waves of Hope club held Stuyvesant High School’s first annual hair donation event for Locks of Love on Wednesday, November 18 in the first floor lobby. Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces made from donated hair to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss.

“We want to help cancer patients face the world and be confident,” senior and Committee Head of Public Relations and Advocacy for Waves of Hope Yiyi Zhang said.

During the event, volunteers from the Waves of Hope club made sure everything was in order while donors received haircuts. In total, 36 people donated hair, including male students, parents, and students from outside of Stuyvesant. After the donors had their hair cut and styled, they were given gift bags and a certificate for their participation. Students needed to submit a signed parental consent form before they could donate their hair.

“It was hectic in the beginning, but eventually everything went smoothly,” math teacher and Waves of Hope faculty advisor Joy Schimmel said.

Schimmel helped Waves of Hope organize the event. Her sister, Kay Koch, who is a cancer survivor, was a volunteer at the event. “My sister was my support throughout my cancer treatments,” Koch said. “She was there at every appointment. I’m doing this event in honor of her.”

In order to prepare for the event, members of Waves of Hopes created posters, fliers and t-shirts, found volunteer hairstylists around the city and contacted potential sponsors.

“Everyone contributed and the momentum kept on increasing,” Zhang said. “Our efforts paid off generously.”

The Locks of Love organization requires hair donations to be a minimum length of 10 inches and braided in a ponytail before being submitted. Although most donors had their hair cut at Stuyvesant, others had their hair cut elsewhere and gave their ponytails to Waves of Hope officers at the event.

“I have to cut my hair anyway and now it’s benefiting someone else,” said junior Cindy Wao, when explaining her decision to be a hair donor.

The two salons that volunteered for the event were TwoDo salon on the Upper East Side and Arthur’s Salon in The Hallmark of Battery Park City, across the street from Stuyvesant. Many of the stylists knew someone close to them who had cancer and lost their hair as a result of chemotherapy.

“When my sister went through cancer, losing hair was traumatic for her,” TwoDo hairstylist Megan Gordon said.

Arthur’s Salon hairstylist Maria Lopiccolo-Marsala also had a personal motivation.

“I’m doing this in honor of six-year-old Kaylee Rivers, who died of cancer,” she said.

Both salons have offered discounts to Stuyvesant students and faculty and free haircuts to people who come to donate their hair for Locks of Love, and will continue to do so indefinitely.

“[Cutting hair for Locks of Love] is our way of giving back to the community,” Arthur’s Salon hairstylist Ron D’Beri said.

Waves of Hope also contacted sponsors to provide items for the gift bags given to hair donors. Amanzi Tea donated tea and tea strainers, Revlon donated various makeup products and Arthur’s Salon donated 10 percent off coupons for the gift bags.

Those involved in Waves of Hope thought that the event was a success.

“It turned out fabulous and I am proud of the wonderful girls and pleased with the hairdressers,” Schimmel said.

Senior and Waves of Hope President Ellie Hou agreed. “We have been busy and had a lot of people walk in,” she said.

However, Zhang did acknowledge that there were some problems in planning the event. “In the beginning, we did not have experience. Not that many people heard about [Locks of Love] and many had already cut their hair,” Zhang said.

Although the Locks of Love hair donation was the primary reason why Waves of Hope was founded, the club has other events in mind. However, they are uncertain as to whether they will go through with them. “Our club has so many talented people. The people that are good at art can help make cards for cancer patients,” Zhang said. ‘Many of us are in A Cappella and we could sing to patients in hospitals.”

The club is also contemplating another Locks of Love hair drive in the spring. Although these plans are not definite, they have drawn a lot of interest from students.

“I plan on cutting my hair the next time they hold this event, when my hair is longer,” sophomore Aarthi Kuppannan said.