Meet Shara Lawrence-Weiss

Shara Lawrence-Weiss from MommyPerks.com is one of the people who has generously supported our Locks of Love campaign on the MommyPerks.com website as well as their Facebook page. While discussing our promotion with Shara I learned that she has donated hair to Locks of Love and is another inspiring story we wanted to share with you.

It was about nine years ago when Shara decided to donate her hair to Locks of Love. She was in "a rather unhappy place back then" and believes that by helping others your own unhappiness becomes less consuming. After learning about Locks of Love from a friend, Shara set out to research the organization and their donor requirements. Needing a minimum of ten inches of hair, Shara started letting her hair grow. When she finally met the ten inch requirement Shara headed to a salon that cut her hair, free of charge, and mailed it to Locks of Love.

When we asked Shara how she felt about donating her hair she responded, " first and foremost it was empowering. Knowing I was helping a child and giving the gift of hair to a little girl who would otherwise be bald…was amazing." However she did have some reservations with the ten inch requirement and would have liked other lengths to be accepted.

Once cut, it was a shock to Shara to see her hair so short. However, Shara thinks about donating her hair again. If she does, she plans to grow it even longer so when the ten inches come off she is still able to sport her "mommy ponytail."

Thank you Shara for sharing such a valuable gift with children in need.

Great Young Chef Contest

KIWI magazine is a national parenting publication focused on helping parents raise children in a healthy, green way. The goal is to introduce parents to the latest in natural and organic living.

Every year KIWI Magazine sponsors the Great Young Chef contest and right now they are searching for the next Great Young Chef.

The contest is open to all boys and girls ages 4 years to 17 years old. Each contestant must submit a video of them making their own original recipe or a photo of the finished product. Recipes must be included with the video or photo submissions. KIWI Magazine's sponsor's ingredients must be included in the original recipe. Click here for a link of sponsors.

Prizes include:

• Grand Prize: $2500.00 and a feature in KIWI Magazine

• First Prize: $1500.00 and a feature in KIWI Magazine

• Second Prize: $500.00 and a feature in KWI Magazine

• Honorable Mention" $250.00

If you have a culinary expert in your house enter between now and March 31, 2010. All video and photo submissions can be done online by clicking here.

Good Luck!!!

Meet Deborah Sloan

Our Locks of Love charity event has given us the opportunity to meet amazing people who have given a part of themselves to Locks of Love. They have given the greatest gift they could to this amazing organization, their hair. We continue to honor and say thank you to people who have made such a generous donation. This week we would like to introduce you to Deborah Sloan.

Deborah is a grandmother of ten and last August found out she was going to soon be a grandmother to eleven. Enjoying the moment of finding out about another child on the way and still feeling young at heart Deborah felt it was time for a grandma makeover. For years, she had “hippie” hair that went down to her waist and just got comfortable with her style. It was something she just had not changed in years and when thinking about doing it was nervous. What would she look like, what new style to choose and how much would it cost were all things Deborah was concerned about.

When she decided to take the plunge and cut her hair Deborah had one condition. Her cut hair was going to be donated to Locks of Love. At the end of August 2009 Deborah took the plunge, her granddaughter braided her hair and her daughter cut the long braid off. For the first time in years Deborah had chin length hair.

Deborah sites why giving to Locks of Love was so important to her.

“Giving it to Locks of Love was my one condition to my family in agreeing to cut my hair. I would only cut it if it went to Locks of Love because I know what these kids suffer through. There was a time I was losing my hair because of medications I was taking. It's a horrible feeling. But it stopped and thanks to some terrific friends who supported me my hair all came back.”

Like so many others Deborah has shared her love and given a smile to a child who otherwise might not have one.

If you would like to read more about Deborah you can visit her at her blog, Babas Farm Life, http://babasfarmlife.blogspot.com/