Community Corner

Lots of Love for Locks of Love

With the help of a local hairdresser, a Loganville woman and her daughter-in-law donate about 20 inches of hair between them to a charity.

When Ruby Mitchell accompanied her daughter-in-law, Tiffany Mitchell, to Friday, it was just for moral support. Tiffany was planning to have a large chunk of her hair cut to send to Locks of Love, a charity that provides hairpieces for financially disadvantaged children suffering from cancer. But before it was over, Ruby Mitchell had donated the same amount of hair herself and both Loganville ladies went home with new hairdos. 

“This was not what I expected to do today at all,” Ruby Mitchell said.

Owner of the salon, Rochelle Stark, spoke her into joining her daughter-in-law, offering to cut and style the hair of both the ladies for no charge, Stark's donation to the charity.

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“I’ve done it a lot over the years, probably about 500 or 600 inches a year,” Stark said, adding that like Ruby and Tiffany Mitchell, she did it to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged children suffering from cancer. Patients usually lose their hair as a result of the treatment for cancer and hairpieces, especially from natural hair, can be very expensive. Locks of Love provides hairpieces free of charge to children whose families are not in a position to buy them.

Tiffany Mitchell had taken her mother-in-law along with her to the salon for support. Her husband, Brandon, was not happy about his wife cutting off her long blonde locks.

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“He’s at home pouting,” she said. “But it was getting too long anyway – it needed to be cut.”

This was the second time Tiffany Mitchell had cut her hair to donate to Locks of Love, but for Ruby Mitchell it was a first. After speaking her into cutting her hair, Rochelle went ahead and threw in some highlights to make it more worth her while to make the donation.

“It really isn’t a good idea to have your hair long once you’re over 50,” Stark said. “When you cut it short it immediately makes you look younger.”

Rochelle’s Hair Salon is located in Sharon Center next to the Texaco gas station on Highway 20.

“I’ve been here for about four years,” Stark said, adding people don’t expect to find a hair salon at a gas station. “It's worked well for me though. I’ve had to drop my prices since the economy tanked, but that has helped me - and the people who get their hair cut here. Most of my business is by word of mouth. I grew up in Loganville, went to school here, so I know a lot of the people.”

Ruby Mitchell left the salon happy with her decision to make the donation to Locks of Love. She said she was looking forward to surprising folks at her regular Bingo night at the when she walks in with her new hair style.


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