Amsterdam School Makes the Cut to Benefit Locks of Love

On June 6, 2014, the Amsterdam Elementary School community gathered to celebrate as 36 students, 2 parents, and 3 former students prepared to donate their hair to the Locks of Love organization. This is the 11th year that Amsterdam School has held this hair cutting celebration to benefit Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that makes hairpieces for children who suffer from long-term medical hair loss. In addition to providing 410 inches of hair to this non-profit organization, this year the school community also raised $483 in donations.

The annual school ceremony started ten years ago as an intimate ceremony in the classroom of 4th grade teacher Lisa Caudill. That year Caudill’s class provided support and encouragement to her as she grew her hair, cut it, and donated it to Locks of Love. Now, Caudill organizes the program every year for Amsterdam School. Since Caudill’s first ceremony in her classroom over ten years ago, the school has donated nearly 5,000 inches of hair to Locks of Love.

In addition to hair donation, $483 in donations were also collected through a hair extension fund raiser and a spare change collection. The hair extension fund raiser was held on June 2. Students and staff had the opportunity to purchase a red or pink hair extension and have it bonded to their hair with the proceeds going to Locks of Love. Local Hillsborough salons, Hair Plus and also the Day Spa at Hair Plus, donated their time to not only the hair extension fund raiser where they bonded over 50 extensions to the hair of students and staff, but they also made the cut for the 41 hair donators on June 6.

“The Amsterdam family comes together every year to support Locks of Love,” said Caudill. “It is amazing to see the look of pride and achievement on the faces of donators as they make the cut to help someone else.”