By Michelle Caceres
Cory Simmons’ long healthy tresses make him hard to miss in a crowd.
Not for much longer.
A hairstylist will cut his hair on October 12 at the River’s Edge Bar, located on the Alafia River east of Hwy. 41 at 6226 Ohio Ave. in Gibsonton.
From 2–6 p.m., Simmons will be playing his acoustic guitar and in between sets two and three at approximately 4 p.m. he will say goodbye to more than 17 inches of hair, which will be sent to Locks of Love. This is Simmons’ third donation.
“With this event I want to create awareness for Locks of Love,” he said.
Locks of Love is a public nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term hair loss. Donated hair must be at least 10 inches long and free of bleach and must be dry and in a secure ponytail or braid before being mailed to its headquarters.
Simmons said his mother was the motivating force behind his donations. Before beginning chemotherapy (after being diagnosed with cancer) she knew her hair was going to fall out and wanted to make a difference. She cut it off, donating it to an organization similar to Locks of Love. His mother passed away in 1986.
Simmons made his first hair donation in 2000, then again in 2008. This donation is in memory of his brother, Lowell Simmons, who died of cancer in 2011.
Simmons hopes others with long hair will take up the challenge and join him in taming their mane. Currently he is being joined by Jamie Johnson but said more are welcome to participate. For those whose hair doesn’t make the cut, he will be accepting monetary donations for the charity.
Restaurant owners Robert and Lisa Cremeans, Randy and Ron Cremeans and Dawn Drake couldn’t be happier to be hosting the event.
“We’re just trying to do what we can to help out our community and help people,” said Robert.
River’s Edge Bar serves up cold beer and cocktails as well as a variety of satisfying grub, from one-half pound burger and French fries to fried shrimp.
For more information about River’s Edge Bar, visit www.riversedgebar.com or to sign up to be a hair donor, call 671-9196.
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