Becki Goodman is preparing to give up 25 inches of hair to help other people.
The first 10 inches will go to Locks of Love, which will use it to make wigs for cancer patients and others who have medically induced hair loss.
How much is cut from the next 15 inches of hair is up to the public.
Goodman, a learning resource teacher on Team 8-3 at Emporia Middle School, will be one of at least eight students and staff who will donate to Locks of Love during a mass hair-cutting on March 13 at the school. The project has been organized by Sunnin Keosybounheuang, health and wellness teacher at EMS.
Goodman thought about participating last year.
“Then I decided at the last minute I just wasn’t ready to part with it,” said Goodman.
This year, she’s ready to do Locks of Love and more.
“Then I decided, well, if we go shorter, we might just raise some money,” she said.
Goodman, who has let her hair grow long for almost 5 years, has pledged to cut an additional inch of hair for every $50 that is raised toward the second stage of cuttings. The money will be donated to the Salvation Army’s emergency fund to help with the anticipated needs resulting from the recent downsizing at Tyson Fresh Meats.
“I want that girl to be bald,” Keosybounheuang said, laughing.
Keosybounheuang has been promoting the second cuttings for the Salvation Army fund, as well as the Locks of Love, and has found that both students and staff have taken an unusual interest in getting Goodman’s hair shorn short.
Teacher Diana Wilhite, whom Goodman calls “a Photoshop whiz,” has altered a photograph to show her with variety of potential hairstyles, depending upon the number of inches lost. The new looks, posted on a bulletin board at EMS, range from an Afro to a modern highlighted-and-spiked coif, and other styles in-between.
Donations toward cutting the additional inches may be taken to the middle school or mailed to the school at 2300 Graphic Arts Road, Emporia KS 66801.
madpoet (anonymous) says...
What a good example this teacher is setting for the students! BRAVO Becki! I hope her charitable spirit rubs off on the kids. At a time when people are stressed out about how they can make ends meet, wonderful people like this come forward with creative ways to fill a need. Thank you Gazette for printing positive stories like this and the puppy rescue to show that people still care for others.
March 5, 2008 at 2:53 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )