By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
There was laughter and tears, ice cream and sprinkles, but, most of all, there were scissors and long ponytails.
For the second year in a row, Altercare of Bucyrus held “The Cut for Charity & More,” an event that donates hair to the Children of Leukemia and raises money for the Alzheimer’s Association. Altercare employees Mary Brown and Lisa Hughes volunteered to have their long hair cut for the cause Thursday afternoon.
“There’s a lot of people out there, you know, who have leukemia who need the hair,” Brown said. “It’s also for Alzheimer’s. I’ve had family members who’ve had Alzheimer’s and I just love working with Alzheimer’s residents. I’m just that type of a person that likes to help others because others have helped me in many different ways.”
Brown was not anxious to lose inches from her locks, but it was a different story for Lisa Hughes, who teared up some as she was handed seven inches of a sheared-off ponytail.
“It’s a good cause,” said Hughes, who donated hair for the second year in a row.
“I’ll have you know this takes a lot of guts,” said Spirit Coordinator Tessa Clark. “We are passionate about Alzheimer’s and Children of Leukemia. This has been so much fun every year. The people volunteer – I don’t have to ask them. They come to me and say ‘I want to do my hair this year.’”
Clark also serves as Altercare’s Alzheimer’s coordinator and runs the Alzheimer’s unit.
“This has been partly a love of what I do combined with charity,” she said.
Altercare had crafts and ice cream booths and sold shirts and Alzheimer’s knickknacks. Proceeds from the day will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. As a special event, residents voted on which administration person would have a sundae made on their head. Administrator Josh Snyder was the lucky winner and had his head covered in vanilla ice cream, strawberry and chocolate syrup, and sprinkles.
Clark already has one volunteer lined up for next year who plans on donating 14 inches of hair. Brown also offered to do it again.