St. John Neumann Catholic School Pony Tail Drive
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Jacqueline Jabatoy, left, 13, and Emi Peterson, 12. - Photos by Tammy Cheek
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Joanna Garcia, left, preps parent Sarah Toliver. - Photos by Tammy Cheek
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Annabel Chandler, 10, prepped by Nichole Thompson of Belleza Salon. - Photos by Tammy Cheek
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From left, seventh-grader Emi Peterson with fifth-grader Ana Peterson and her mom, Sharon Peterson. - Photos by Tammy Cheek
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Sikora family-Stephanie, Grayson, 5 and Justin (dad). - Photos by Tammy Cheek
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Fourth-grader RuthAnne Toliver cuts her mother’s Sarah Toliver’s hair. Beside them is fourth-grader Eli Anderson. - Photos by Tammy Cheek
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Annabel Chandler’s hair cut by eighth-grade sister, Charlotte Chandler. - Photos by Tammy Cheek
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Lilly Edmands, a second grader, with her former teacher, Jeni Sompayrac. - Photos by Tammy Cheek
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Kati Holland cuts the hair of her first-grade daughter, Taylor. - Photos by Tammy Cheek
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Robin Anderson - Photos by Tammy Cheek
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Third-grader Ava Holland and her mom, Kati Holland. - Photos by Tammy Cheek
Fourteen people connected with St. John Neumann Catholic School — students, parents and teachers — sacrificed their own hair, giving to those who have lost their hair due to medical reasons during its annual Pony Tail Drive, held in the school gymnasium Thursday, Feb. 2.
The hair collected goes to Children with Hair Loss, which provides real hair wigs to children and young adults up to age 22 who suffer from cancer or alopecia, or are burn victims.
“We do it every year as part of Catholic Schools Week,” said SJNCC learning lab coordinator Michelle Dougherty, who headed up the Pony Tail Drive, which goes back about 11 years. “I love this because this is a gift (the students) can give that doesn’t require asking a parent for money or an item to give.
“This is a generous gift that they choose to give themselves,” she added. “I just love all their reasons (for giving). They all have their own reasons.
“They know somebody who’s had cancer, some because they know they love their hair and they know that they want to brighten somebody else’s day who doesn’t have hair or who is need of a wig or has lost their hair.”
Dougherty credited “fabulous stylists Joanna Garcia and Nicole Thompson of Belleza Salon in Turkey Creek, who volunteered their time and their services to prep the hair and, afterward, trim up the lovely haircuts they get from their family members.
“(Belleza) has been part of this for at least seven years.”
Of the 14 participants, “Two of our seventh graders have donated in the past, so this is not their first time donating their hair,” Dougherty said.
