By By Lisa Tindell – news editor
Volunteering and donations are time consuming and sometimes cause damage to a budget.
Jessica Fountain is doing her part to help children who suffer from diseases such as alopecia areata and cancer. It isn't costing her any time or money, but the benefits she receives from her donations are priceless.
Fountain has teamed with a group of ladies at Cornerstone Community Church to sponsor a Locks of Love donation program to benefit children in need of wigs.
A community hair donation date has been set for Jan. 5, 2008, at Kut-N-Up hair salon from 9 a.m. to noon.
Community support for the donation project has been tremendous, Fountain said.
Volunteers must meet certain guidelines for hair to be eligible for donation, Fountain said. The hair must not be bleached and must be a minimum of 10 inches long.
Locks of Love is a non-profit organization that provides hair prosthetics to financially disadvantage children with medial hair loss. Most recipients have lost their hair tue to an auto-immune condition known as alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. Other recipients have suffered severe burns, radiation treatment or any number of dermatological conditions resulting in long term or permanent hair loss.
Fountain said most people have the heart to volunteer, but have little time or energy to do any volunteer work.
The January donation will be Fountain's fourth donation of hair.
Fountain said the wigs made from the donated hair are custom fit for the recepient.
The foundation custom makes vacuum-fitted hairpieces that require no tape or glue, Fountain said.
Locks of Love accepts applications from potential recipients as part of the process to determine need, Fountain said.
Children, male or female, under the age of 18 with any kind of condition that causes long-term or permanent hair loss are candidates for the Locks of Love wigs, Fountain said.
Anyone interested in donating hair or time or to make a financial contribution may contact Fountain for additional information. She can be reached by e-mail at nursejlfountain@yahoo.com.