Rachel Isley McKenna Klinkhamer likes her short hair. It nearly touched her waist before she had it cut. Now she can hold it in a ponytail in her hand.

She grew it long so she could donate it to Locks of Love.

A fifth grader at Frontier, McKenna likes sports and plays softball at school. In the summer, she takes scrapbooking and baking in 4-H.

She heard about Locks of Love when she was watching TV and thought it would be fun. She learned that the organization helps kids who lose their hair due to medical problems. The notfor profit group makes hairpieces for financially disadvantaged kids, and their aim is to restore children's self-esteem.

"Someone else will have my hair," she giggled. "My friend Allison Dilling did this and she said it was neat."

McKenna's hair was just past her shoulders two years ago when she started thinking about growing it out. She went to Sassy's Salon in Delphi to have owner Ann Hughes measure it for her. Hughes has owned Sassy's for the past four years and has cut the hair of more than 12 Locks of Love donors. When she cut McKenna's hair last Friday, she had a ponytail that was 13 inches long.

McKenna Klinkhamer "It was in the way, and she was really ready to get it cut," said McKenna's mother Jennifer Klinkhamer. "We came (to Sassy's) every four or five months to see if we had enough. She was determined to grow it long enough for Locks of Love."

Jennifer calculated that her daughter's hair had grown about half an inch every month.

McKenna said she likes her new cut, but she thinks she is going to grow it out again.

Eighteen-year-old Rachel Isley of Delphi also sports a new cut from Sassy's. She's had long hair since about sixth grade but started growing it longer for Locks of Love about a year ago.

Rachel saw Ann Curry from the "Today" show, who had given her own hair to Locks of Love and thought it would be a great idea.

For more information about Locks of Love, visit www.locksoflove. org.