Professional Cheerleaders Alumni, Inc. Partners with Alhambra and Locks of Love
To celebrate it’s current show, “Hairspray,” The Alhambra Theatre & Dining will host a hair donation event for Locks of Love on Sunday, March 13 from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The community is invited to come to the Theatre and donate their hair, which will be cut and collected by local hairstylists (and re-styled!), then sent to Locks of Love where they will turn the donated hair into wigs for children fighting illness or undergoing treatment. In addition, the Alhambra will donate 5% of the day’s ticket sales from both of its performances of Hairspray to Locks of Love.
The Hair-Raiser and Fundraiser event will benefit Locks of Love, a public non-profit organization that provides vacuum fitted hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. They meet a unique need for children by using donated human hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. Others have suffered severe burns or injuries or endured radiation treatment to the brain stem or other dermatological conditions that result in permanent hair loss.
The organization, which began operation in 1998, provides the prostheses to children, ages 6-21, every 18 months for a total of up to 10 hairpieces. It is estimated that children comprise over 80 percent of the donors, making this a charity where children have an opportunity to help children. The prostheses they provide help to restore self-esteem and confidence, enabling these children to face the world and their peers.
Other local organizations are signing on to help. Professional Cheerleaders Alumni, Inc., a group of former Jacksonville Jaguars Cheerleaders, will be partnering with Locks of Love and the Alhambra for this event and members will be there to provide assistance and support those donating their hair. Two Chick-Fil-A locations, one on Hodges Boulevard and one at the St. Johns Town Center, will provide refreshments to volunteers and donors.
There is no need for advance reservations; however donors must adhere to the following guidelines: the donated hair must be at least 10 inches in length; it must be bundled in a pony tail or braid; hair must be free of bleach, though colored and/or permed hair is acceptable.
The musical “Hairspray” runs February 18 through April 4, 2011 at the Alhambra Dinner Theatre in Jacksonville. Show times are 8:00 PM for evening shows Tuesday through Sunday. Doors open at 6:00 PM and the buffet starts at 6:30 PM. Matinees on Saturday are at 1:15 PM. Doors open at 11:00 AM and the buffet starts at 11:15 AM. Sunday matinee is at 2:00. Doors open at noon and the buffet starts at 12:15 PM. Group sales are available. Tickets start at $42 for adults and $35 for children. Ticket price includes dinner, show and parking. Call the box office at 904.641.1212 or visit on line at www.alhambrajax.com.
About the new Alhambra Theatre & Dining
The Alhambra Theatre is the nation’s oldest continually operating professional dinner theatre and the only professional resident theatre between Atlanta and Miami. Opened in 1967, The Alhambra has hosted legends such as Tony Curtis, Claude Aiken, Sid Cesar and Cesar Romero, and, recently, Loretta Swit. The Alhambra was the place of Betty Grable’s final acting role. The Alhambra is also home to former Miss America, Orange Park native Leanza Cornett who started at the Alhambra when she was 15. In November 2009, the Alhambra was purchased by Theatre Partners, LLC, headed by Jacksonville entrepreneur and Alhambra patron, Craig Smith as way to give back to Jacksonville and preserve what he believes is one of its cultural jewels.
