Sayles Hall was filled with tables, hairbrushes, people and the continuous sound of hair dryers Wednesday as students came by the dozens to get their hair cut for the fifth annual Wigs for Kids fundraiser.
The organization weaves hair replacement systems for children who lost hair because of medical treatment or illness and cannot afford a hairpiece. Wigs for Kids wants to "make the lives of kids who experienced hair loss more enjoyable, or better," event co-coordinator Caroline Landau '09 said.
Nineteen ponytails were cut at the event, which lasted from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., totaling 228 inches of hair that will be donated. Hairdressers gave more than 112 additional haircuts, and the event raised a total of $1,576 through cash donations.
Donated hair had to be in a ponytail at least 12 inches long, but students could also come in for a trim. All haircuts were free, but a donation was suggested.
Sixty aspiring hairdressers from a Paul Mitchell school in Cranston, which has been affiliated with the event since it started five years ago, donated their hair-cutting skills and time throughout the day.
The event was smaller this year, said Landau, because coordinators booked fewer people to get their hair cut during each time slot.
In previous years, the event raised money for the Locks of Love organization, but this year the coordinators switched to Wigs for Kids, Landau said.
Brown/RISD Hillel and Health Services both helped fund the event, and the Progam in Liberal Medical Education Undergraduate Senate, Office of Campus Life and the Alpha Chi Omega sorority helped in obtaining parking spaces for the hairdressers, passing out table slips, providing food for the event and making goodie bags for the hairdressers.
