Larchmont Hair Stylist Lops Locks for Love

by Judy Silberstein

(June 10, 2003) The ponytail is halfway down her back and the look of doubt is on her face as Joanna Kliger sits in Jerry Glaser’s chair at Larchmont Hair Stylists contemplating the step she is about to take. It’s taken almost two years to get her light brown mane to this length, but now she’s ready to cut off ten inches to donate to Locks of Love, an organization that gathers hair to make wigs for financially disadvantaged children with medical hair loss.

Reached by phone in Florida, Locks of Love Executive Director Susan Stone explains her program. “These are not traditional wigs.” The organization supplies each recipient with a custom, vacuum-fitted hairpiece that does not require use of tape or glue.

”They can swim in them. They can go to a sleepover and wake up with their hair still on. They don’t have to worry about the bully trying to yank it off at the bus stop,” she says. “They can be kids again.”

Jerry Glaser is the only hair stylist in lower Westchester who is registered with “Locks of Love” at the moment and he is getting about six calls a week from children, women, and even men interested in donating hair. The haircut and consultation is free, but to be sure patrons leave his shop looking their best, he does require they have their hair blown dry, for which he charges his regular rate.

“I don’t want them leaving here unhappy saying, ‘Look what he did to me!'” says Glaser. “ I haven’t had a dissatisfied customer, yet.”

Joanna’s mother, Jan Kliger, reassures her daughter it will be fine, “It’s not about your hair,” she points out, “It’s a mitzvah.”

It’s also a good deed for Glaser, who has been cutting hair since 1952 and has owned Larchmont Hair Stylists ("the Longest Established Salon in Larchmont" according to their telephone listing) since 1962. “When you do this, you and I both get some Brownie points in heaven – and I’m much closer to heaven than you are,” jokes the seventy-two year old hairstylist to the Mamaroneck High School graduate (class of 2001) and Michigan University junior.

“What I’m finding,” says Glaser, "is that people who come in have the right kind of moral compass.”

Typically, Locks of Love receives two to three thousand locks per week, 80 percent from children. This pace may pick up since “Sara,” one of the characters in the syndicated cartoon Zits, by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman decided to cut her hair. Readers of 1100 newspapers worldwide followed along on Sara’s journey to the hairdresser at the end of May. “This Monday was incredible,” said Stone. Instead of the usual 3 large bins of mail, there were 5.

Reproduced with special permission from King Features

Joanna doesn’t read Zits, but she has been contemplating the donation since last year after having dinner with a family friend, a fourteen-year old boy who had been growing his hair long to donate to Locks of Love. “Boy that’s some do!” Jan Kliger remembers remarking.

Now she is ready. A few snips of Glaser’s shears and the 10-inch ponytail is in hand. “It already looks good,” reassures Joanna’s mother. After a wash, rinse and blow dry, the styling is complete and her mother is even more satisfied.

Meanwhile, The donor is also pleased, “It feels so much better,” Joanna says running her fingers through the stylish, reverse cut. “It feels great!”

See the Locks of Love website for registration form and more information on making a donation of hair or money.

Larchmont Hair Stylists is at 2126 Boston Post Road and is open Monday through Saturday from 8am to 6pm (telephone 834-2967). There is a separate Men's Department and a complete range of beauty services offered.