One snip and it's gone...Round II

Way back in the day, I blogged about my mentee, Jeanette, chopping off her exceedingly long tresses and donating them to Locks Of Love. My own hair has been getting really long recently. Not as long as Jeanette's was prior to getting the chop, but the consistent comments from people to the effect of "wow, your hair is getting really long" were becoming more and more frequent. So, I went online to check out my options for where to possibly donate my hair. I found that Pantene Beautiful Lengths works with the American Cancer Society to make wigs for cancer victims, then there's Locks Of Love who assist kids with alopecia in getting wigs, and also Wigs For Kids (although they needed 12" of hair minimum, which was just a little too much for me). I actually really wanted to donate to the Beautiful Lengths program, but they cannot take hair that's had permanent dye in it - and although I've only dyed my hair the once, in a somewhat successful attempt to dye the grey, it was a permanent dye and hence put me out of the running for that one.

Anyway, research - check. Time to measure my hair. I had my handy husband take the tape measure to it and assure me that there was indeed 10" of hair to spare, although that would take it to my chin which is a place my hair hasn't been since I was about 5 years old. Originally, the decision was to wait another month or so and let it grow an inch, then lop it off. The problem is that once the decision was in my head to do it, there wasn't any waiting! I'm a pretty patient person, but sometimes you just gotta run with it...and off I ran to the salon, ponytail appropriately marking the spot and ready to go.
After she evened out my rather lop-sided "post-ponytail-chopping" do, it was probably an inch or so shorter than I was expecting and I was sitting there, staring at the length of hair sitting at her station but no longer attached to my head. It's now been 2 weeks and I'm still not 100% used to the lack of hair covering the back of my neck, the fact I don't need to tie it back to get into the shower, or the fact I need to put a little product in it to get it to behave (rather than the quick brushing that it used to get). I've had some people tell me that I look older and more sophisticated, while others have informed me that I look even younger - as if I didn't already get carded for everything. Either way, I'm enjoying playing with my new hair and even if I decide I want it long again, it will grow back! That's an opportunity not granted to the kids with alopecia that need these wigs.

Happy Holidays!

I've been saving this bit of holiday cheer to share with you closer to Xmas. Every year at work, I head up the "adopt-a-family" program at work. A local charity that helps families in need throughout the year assigns families for adoption that need help over the holidays. This year, we adopted 4 families with a total of eight kids ranging in age from 4 to 15. They send over their wish lists for Christmas gifts, and we collect what we can, wrap everything and donate to them. Even with the economic downturn this year, my co-workers were generous as always and we put together a ton of toys - from Barbie dolls to an iPod, plus gift cards to Target, Best Buy, Blockbuster and a variety of other places. We also do a food drive to collect non-perishable goods and top it off with a grocery store gift card for each family. I thought it might be fun to share some photos of the process. =)
On that note, HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you all!!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month and that gave me the idea to find some wonderful shops on Etsy that are donating a portion of their proceeds to the Susan G Komen Foundation for breast cancer awareness, support and finding the cure. Here are some beautiful items that you can buy to help with this cause...scroll to the bottom of this post for a little extra incentive!

From Kays Krafts:	Breast Cancer Awareness Memory Board - $24.99 20% of the proceeds to be donated.
From Wags Creations:	Give Hope ....Coaster Set - $15.00 100% of the proceeds from this will be donated!
From Liebling Designs:	Pretty In Pink Necklace - $25.00 10% of the proceeds to be donated.
From Coasters And Cards:	Stamp Out Breast Cancer Card - PIF This is a Pay It Foward (PIF) listing for $0.21. You will pay the $0.21 to get this card, which will be donated. Same goes for any other cards in the Pay It Forward section of this shop.
From Lonesome Road Studio:	pow dominOh effect pin - $8.00 10% of the purchase price to be donated.
From Buster and Boo:	The Pink Ribbon, a scrabble tile pendant - $6.50 50% of the purchase price from this item will be donated.
From Four Dog Day:	Nancy's Rose of Inspiration Fundraising Card - $3.00 $1 from the sale of each card will be donated.
From Fervent Butterfly:	Candy Flower - Red Flower on Water Fine Art Photo Print - $10.00 35% of the proceeds from this photo, and any other photo in the Pink For October section of this shop, will be donated. Also, 10% from any other categories.
From Bead Brat Originals:	Think Pink Cotton Candy Pink and Sivertone Slider Bracelet - $28.00 30% of proceeds from the sale of any item in the Think Pink section of this shop will be donated.
From Whats That Smell:	Pink Sugar Soy Tarts - $5.00 100% of the sale price to be donated

Seeing as this is a giving thing, let's get some sales going to assist with donations! Lanae Photography has graciously donated a 4"x6" copy of the print shown below as part of a contest. All you need to do is find a store on Etsy that is donating part of the proceeds from an i tem to Breast Cancer Awareness, and post a link to either the store or the item in the comments here. The only rule is that it can't be a store already shown here!! On November 1, a winner will be chosen and this print will be yours.

One snip and it's gone!

For the last four years, I've been involved with a youth mentoring program offered through my work. Every other week, youth from a Los Angeles area high school are brought in and we work with them on a variety of issues - from school to personal life, goal setting, college etc.

My mentee for the last couple of years has been Jeanette, who is graduating in about a month, and recently accepted a position at a private liberal arts college in Pennsylvania with the hopes of studying theater and teaching.

For the last 3 years, she's been growing her hair and talking about cutting it off to donate to Locks Of Love, a non-profit organization who create hairpieces from donated hair for financially disadvantaged children who have suffered hair loss for whatever reason. I can't fully explain how happy I was when Jeanette asked me to go with her to do this - an event she had been planning for around her 18th birthday (which was April 2.) Apart from being a wonderful bonding experience for the two of us, it was also an opportunity for her to shed her high school self and move forward into "adulthood" as she heads off to college and a world of new experiences.

Of course, I took the opportunity to document this incredibly rewarding occasion and the pictures really speak for themselves!

Also, thanks to Great Clips. They're a Locks Of Love salon and if you donate the hair, they donate the haircut.

One happy Jeanette, who claims that her head feels about 3 lbs lighter!

DONATION INFORMATION

A quick update to the blog that I just posted below. While we are still fighting the fires, I am offering to donate 50% of proceeds from any sales through my Etsy store through the end of October to help the victims of these fires.

Other Etsy stores also donating include:
SoCaliGirl
Yummy Body Candy
BuyMySupplies
PaperZombie, Ink.
FlowerFaeries
Althena12
SallysCreations
Shellsnoel
OhPotato
Bringing Back Memories
SpazSpun
KnitBlitz
Gondancin
Earmark
Teha
Livia's Treasures
Dragon Lady Designs

Please see this blog for additional information. http://witch-fire.blogspot.com/
Click here to donate directly to the American Red Cross for San Diego relief efforts.

Here's How You Can Help in San Diego:

DONATE:

Food/Supplies: Please note that recent information is that they currently have enough supplies at Qualcomm.
You can donate to the Qualcomm Stadium Evacuation Center at Gate P (9449 Friars Rd., San Diego, CA 92108)

They are looking for the following items:
1. Prepared food (sandwiches, commercially prepared of pre-packaged food (not homemade); for both lunch and dinner)
2.Milk
3.Ice
4.Cots, blankets, sleeping bags and pillows
5.Air Mattresses
6.Sunscreen
7.Canopies for shade
8.Paper Towels
9.Handi Wipes
10.Toilet Paper
11.Paper Plates, cups, utensils
12.Disposable Styrofoam Coolers
13.Pet Food, Pet Carriers, Leashes
14.Cell phone chargers/batteries

Food Storage Trailer:
The City of San Diego is looking for a refrigerated trailer to store donated food on site. Anyone with such a trailer can call (619) 236-6167.

Money
The American Red Cross is also encouraging people to donate money online through their website. Click on "Donate Now", then under Donor Designations, pull up San Diego Wildfires DR 187-8. The monetary donations will provide shelter, food, counseling, and other assistance to victims of the fire.

Blood
The Blood Bank is accepting blood donations today at its Hillcrest and East County offices. Anyone at least 17 years old, who weighs at least 110 pounds and is in good health, may qualify to give blood.

Blood Bank Locations for donations are:
- 440 Upas Street in Hillcrest (619) 296-6393
- 680 Fletcher Parkway in El Cajon (619) 441-1804

There will also be "Blood Mobiles” located at Qualcomm Stadium and at the Del Mar Fairgrounds through 3:30 p.m. October 23, 2007.

VOLUNTEER:
If you want to volunteer, visit Spontaneous Volunteer Processing Center (SVPC) at 5331 Mt. Alifan Drive San Diego, CA 92111