Friday, April 22, 2005

Tresses bring dream to another

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By MEGAN THOMAS
Express Staff Writer

Paige Stevenson, left, proudly holds the trophy she earned after growing her hair for three years in order to donate her ponytail to Locks of Love. Vanessa Isaac, at right, presented the trophy. Photo by David N. Seelig

With a quick clip, 10-year-old Paige Stevenson offered her waist-length hair to a deserving child.

"I thought it would be nice for someone to have hair," Paige said.

The fourth-grade Hemingway Elementary student decided three years ago to grow her hair for someone else.

"She is a very empathetic little girl. She has always been that little girl who wants to help anybody who needs help," said her mother, Kim Stevenson.

Paige grew her strawberry-blond hair streaked with natural highlights for the Locks of Love nonprofit organization.

According to their Web site, Locks of Love provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children 18 years and younger suffering from long-term medical hair loss. The Web site displays photographs of bald children transformed with the help of a hairpiece created from donations by people like Paige.

Paige's donation also contributes to the organization's desire for strawberry-blond hair. The color is considered scarce and in high demand.

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"(The organization) can't get that kind of color. It's so rare," said Vanessa Isaac, a stylist at The Third Floor salon in Hailey.

Paige grew her hair for three years in order to provide the necessary 10-inch ponytail to the organization. As the hair grew down to her waist, the elementary student took extra care to ensure her hair remained healthy. She used specialty conditioners, moisture treatments and avoided blow dryers so her hair would be its healthiest for another child.

With all of the extra work behind her, Paige smiled upon seeing her locks sheared away.

"Its nice to have it out of my face," she said.

At the end of the haircut, Paige received a trophy from Isaac. She proudly grinned with her ponytail in hand.