Last Saturday, the Sabercats’ Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA)  organized a ponytail drive at Fossil Ridge High School. Chloe Harp, a senior, was in charge of the project and she is  disappointed. The plan was to get as many ponytails as possible and donate them to Pantene Beautiful Lengths, a hair company which makes wigs for women touched by cancer. Any girl had to give at least 8 inches of straight not dyed hair. The hair was then divided into ponytails, approximately one for each wig.

Harp had been working on that project for a long time, it mattered a lot to her. Many obstacles have come through her way while she was working on it. The event was supposed to last two days but the organization could not be in the small gym for that amount of time. They also had to find sponsors and many of them gave up before the 20th of February.  She was expecting between 20 and 25 people and around 100 ponytails. Only 3 people, including herself came. They got only 12 ponytails. Harp gave up 17 inches of her long blond hair and does not regret it at all, “it’s for a great cause. Those people cannot grow their hair again but I can” she said. Harp does not understand why nobody came. Moreover, if somebody could not give hair, they could still sponsor a giver by giving money for every inch they cut. That money would have been used to make the wigs. She and her group advertised the event on the Coloradoan, on the radio, and at school. They now have to find another way to introduce their project so it seems like the 2016 ponytail drive was a success. 

Chloe Harp was also supposed to go to state to present her project but after the disaster, nobody is going. The student was planning on cutting her hair in front of a jury and maybe win a scholarship to reward her hard work. Now none of that is going to happen.

But why wouldn’t people give their hair? Especially since it was for a good cause.

Connor Casale, a senior with long brown hair did not give hers, “I like my long hair, it took me a long time to grow it and I don’t want to cut it” she states. She knows it was for a good cause and she might think about it someday, but it wasn’t enough to make her give up her locks.

Sophie Elliott, a 10th grader, also didn’t donate inches from her long dark hair. She enjoys having long hair and she stated “I feel like I wouldn’t look good with short hair, I just don’t want to give it up”.

In another hand, junior Grace Philop donated 8 inches to Pantene a few months ago, she said “I was tired of my long hair, I wanted a change and I have donated my hair a few times so I’m used to it.” She does not regret it at all and is glad that is could help women who need it.

Harp tried to understand those reasons but according to her it’s an act of generosity, it will help people who need it more than anybody and hair grows again. The fact that they only had the small gym for a few hours and that the hair had to be natural and long enough was also one of the aspects that might have contributed to the failure. 

Miss Iverson, the teacher in charge of FCCLA said “I understand why many girls did not want to give up on their hair, they care a lot about that”.

Giving up on long hair is important for some people, especially if it took them a long time to grow. However, donating is also a major aid to sick women who are never going to be able to grow their hair again. If you feel like giving up a few inches even though the event is over, contact [email protected] you might be able to help them or go to Pantene’s website.