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Locks of Love
When I heard the story about a little girl from West Orange, New Jersey, I
couldn't help wanting to shout it from the roof tops. Ginamarie Arrabito is a
ten year old fourth grader at Redwood Elementary School.
During her summer vacation she heard about an organization that helps
children less fortunate than herself called Locks of Love. Locks of Love is a
public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially
disadvantaged children under age 18 suffering from long-term medical hair loss
from any diagnosis. By using donated ponytails they create the highest quality
hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children. Most of the children
helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition. The
prostheses they provide help to restore children's self-esteem and their
confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers.
Not only did Ginamarie grow her hair long enough to donate the required ten
inches but she set out to inspire other children to do the same. Ginamarie asked
her Master from the Taekwondo studio where she trains if she could create
posters telling other children about this self-less act of kindness and hang it
in his school. Not only did he agree but he asked her to make five
so that he can place one in every school he runs with a captive audience of
hundreds of children. Where ever Ginamarie goes it seems someone questions her
about her missing locks and she proceeds to tell them her story one person at a
time. She has even persuaded her mom's manicurist to donate her hair. I
can't even say that this was the first time this child gave of herself to help
others.
Ginamarie is very active in her school raising as much money as she can for the
American Heart Association. This past March Ginamarie donated her birthday money
for the cause when most children her age would be asking to go the toy store.
When the Tsunami devastated Sri Lanka, Ginamarie again took to action walking
door to door in her community to raise money for the Red Cross in addition to
empting out her own Piggy Bank for the cause. Every couple of months Ginamarie
gathers up toys and clothes and donates them as well. Ginamarie has rekindled my
faith in people and has truly inspired me to make a difference. I hope this
story has done the same for you.
Article submitted by Dawn Arrabito.
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