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July 12, 2004 - Subscribe - Contact Us - Rate Card - Place an Ad Valley&State Backpage O&E Sports Archives Classifieds Faith&Beliefs Obituaries Revels July 3, 2004 Shear joy By Bill Choy Ashland Daily Tidings Two girls, two years, 10 inches and one teacher. Two Ashland girls spent two years growing their hair 10 inches to donate it to Locks of Love in honor of their teacher who was diagnosed with breast cancer. "It's almost cut, Jane," her fraternal twin sister, Amy Takeda, 9, said as Jane's hair, which fell all the way to the middle of her back, was finally clipped off. "My hair," said Jane as she looked as her long locks finally were cut. Jane and her friend and classmate Amanda Wurtzel, 9, had their long hair cut at Loose Amanda Wurtzel, 9, of Ashland, looks at her hair that was just cut for Locks of Love after growing it out for two years. Photos by Satsuki Doi | Ashland Daily Tidings Ends Hair Salon on Siskiyou Boulevard on Friday for a good cause. The girls will donate their hair to Locks of Love, a national organization that uses the hair to make wigs they give to young patients who have long-term medical hair loss. The girls said they were inspired to grow their hair for two years when Lynnette Kelly, their first through third grade teacher at Lincoln Elementary, was diagnosed with breast cancer more than two years ago and had to cut her hair. She is currently in remission. "She has her hair again, and it's not a wig," Amy said. Seeing their teacher go through cancer treatment inspired her children to want to do their part to help others, said Liz Takeda, Jane and Amy's mother. "They started to understand people lost their hair because of cancer, and they wanted to do something to help," she said. "I think it's neat that they want to help someone and understand how important hair is to people." The girls also were inspired by Lincoln student Tabalitha Oddo, two years older than them, who had her hair cut for Locks of Love two years ago. Amy plans to cut her hair in a few months, once it becomes long enough, so she can still put her hair in a ponytail. Amanda said it was fun to grow her hair long and was glad to lend a hand to help cancer patients. "I wanted to do it for the people who lost their hair," she said. "I thought it would be nice." Elisabeth Takeda said she was proud of her daughters and Amanda for growing their hair for two years to help others. "It's nice to know that at 9 years old, they know they can make someone else's lives better and can do something good with their hair," she said. "This is something they can remember for the rest of their lives." Locks of Love first started as a not-for-profit organization in 1997 and has increased the hairpieces it has made from 21 the first year to more than 1,000 in 2003. The organization has recipients in all 50 states and Canada. Each hairpiece takes six to 10 ponytails because they only use the lengths of 10 inches or longer. For more information on Locks of Love, go to locksoflove.org. DailyTidings.com Home Page Valley&State | Backpage | O&E | Sports | Archives | Weather | Classifieds Columnists | Faith&Beliefs | Obituaries | Revels | Subscribe | Contact Us Copyright 2004 Ashland Daily Tidings and Ottaway Newspapers All Rights Reserved Click Here Site Search: .:Advertisements:. RESOURCES - Mail Tribune News - ODOT Road Cams