There are people who fuss with their hair, who straighten it, dye it, curl it and more often than not don't give it a second thought as they go through life with a full head of it. Copperas Cove resident and fifth grader Savannah Rodriguez realized she took having hair for granted, and while watching television with her mother, decided to make the hair on her head count for something worthwhile.

"I was watching Television with my Mom and we saw a show about kids with cancer who lost all their hair," said Rodriguez. "The show described an organization that helped these kids by donating hair to make wigs, and I thought that was something I would like to do."

Rodriguez has donated her hair twice to the organization Locks of Love, and because of the rate at which hair normally grows, donations of hair are usually once a year. The requirements for hair donation are available on the Locks of Love website, www.locksoflove.org. but the basics are hair at least 10 inches long, and clean and washed. Rodriguez say's she plans on donating her hair every year.

"While watching the show, I thought about having all my hair and about these people not having any, and I thought it was a good idea. It really makes me happy that these people become happy once they get their hair. It makes me feel really good to do it, and I realized that I kind of take my hair for granted, and these people didn't have any."

Rodriguez's mother, Cynthia, said she was very proud of her daughter wanting to give of herself, and wishes more people felt the same.

"It really is a great cause," said the elder Rodriguez. "It doesn't cost anything, and you can do it yourself. The instructions are on the website, and if you follow these, you get a personalized thank you card."

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under the age of 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. A unique need is met for children having lost their hair due to cancer treatments or a condition known as alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure.

The Locks of Love mission statement is to provide a return to self, confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality of hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children. The children receive their hair prostheses free of charge or on a sliding scale, based on financial need.