GREENVILLE — While visiting a beauty salon is nothing unusual, one local woman’s Thursday visit to Heritage House Beauty Salon will undoubtedly make a difference to a young person suffering from hair loss due to a medical condition.
Kathy Varvel of Greenville sat in stylist Stacy Yagle’s chair and had 12 inches of her hair cut, which will be donated to Locks of Love.
Founded in 1997, Locks of Love is a national organization which helps provide wigs for financially disadvantaged children 21 years and younger. The organization seeks to help these children restore some of the normalcy to their everyday lives and help provide a foundation on which they can begin to rebuild their self-esteem and self-confidence.
Not only is her hair being donated to the organization, but Thursday’s visit to the salon marks the seventh time Kathy, 33, has donated her hair, starting when she was around 8 years old.
“When I heard about kids with cancer, I wanted to help them, and I wanted them to feel better,” Kathy explained. “I hope whoever gets to use it, it makes them happy and they love it for as long as they have it.”
Janet Wenning, who was at Heritage House waiting for an appointment, said what Kathy is doing is “a great thing to do.”
“It’s really amazing,” she said. “Not everybody would do that. But she’s helping other people feel good about themselves, and I think that’s wonderful.”
Yagle, who has been a stylist at Heritage House for 20 years, said she has cut Kathy’s hair a number of times and for others in the community who donate as well.
“We all get our share of those wanting to get it cut,” she said. “It’s so good to know there are nice people willing to cut and donate their hair to help a stranger who is battling cancer. That is about as selfless as one person can be.”
John Varvel, Kathy’s father, said he and Kathy’s mother are very proud of her giving spirit.
“She completely did this on her own,” he said. “A suggestion was given to her, and she took off with it.”
To schedule an appointment with Heritage House to donate, call 937-548-4452. For more information about donating to Locks of Love, visit the organization’s website at locksoflove.org
