Andie Crowell has generously donated 16 inches of hair during the 2017 Widespread Panic run at Red Rocks Amphitheater. She has been a long-term donor for 9 years, and usually donates on a 3-year cycle. Her Mom has been the only person to ever cut her hair her entire life, and this time was no different.

Andie was at the concert on Friday, when I took a picture of her super-long hair braided down her back. She said she was going to do her cut the next day.

Andie pledged to donate her hair when I announced our effort last year, and this year was the right year in her 3-year cycle. While we have looked for ways to do the hair cuts during concerts at Red Rocks, the safety issue of bringing shears into a show creates too much liability. She got her hair cut on Saturday afternoon, and brought the locks to the venue for the photograph on Sunday.

Her hair is super thick, shiny, and healthy, and will go a long way to helping those in need. It often takes 4-6 donations from average people to make a new wig, but I’m thinking this donation may be enough all on it’s own. If only there was a way to feel hair through the Internet!

Andie will be donating to Locks of Love, and this is her 3rd donation in the past 9 years. She is blessed with hair that grows quickly to allow for repeated rapid donations. I am so glad that her cycle aligned with our efforts this year, and even more glad she was able to do it coinciding with Widespread Panic’s sold-out weekend.

 Andie’s hair is so long, she was able to pull her hair back into a single ponytail for her cut instead of using the 4-6 ponytail method that helps others with shorter hair not lose so much to the “evening out” cut that becomes necessary if you don’t want to look like Keanu Reeves with his early longer-in-front hairstyle.

During the Widespread Panic show on Sunday, I came up to Andie during the show and gave her a big hug of appreciation for doing this exactly as I had envisioned – by bringing her hair to Red Rocks. While we’ve modified this a bit to make it as easy as possible for everyone to donate their hair, this meant so much to me to follow through the way I originally planned.

While I’m still in need of my donation cut myself, I’m finding that having my hair get super-long is working as a way to break the ice with strangers who ask about my hair. While I enjoy the compliments, the real purpose behind having my hair this long during the heat of summer is just for a chance to pitch this charity.

I know not everyone has hair that grows this fast or long, so while we certainly want to celebrate those who can donate, EVERYONE knows SOMEONE who is able to donate this year, or take the time to grow theirs out to donate in the next year. My hope is that by encouraging those who can donate to PLEDGE their donation now, they are more likely to follow through once they’ve made the pledge.

I personally gave out over 100 hair ties to potential donors, or friends of donors this weekend. I really enjoyed meeting people that will donate or will encourage others. And, I hope everyone will help spread the word about how you can donate even if you have gray, colored, or treated hair. If you can grow 8″ of hair, you CAN donate!

If you would like to pledge, or encourage someone else who can, I’d like to send you one of the hair ties from The Elastic Band Company who has generously donated the hair ties for the launch of our program. Please support them with your business!

All you need to do is make the pledge at http://www.locksontherocks.org/pledge, and send me your address for some promotional stickers to give to your friends and family, and a hair tie to send in your donation! Make sure to include your address!

Huge thanks, once again, to Andie Crowell for making her donation this past weekend!