Cool Kids : Giving to others what she wanted for her birthday

Gayle Hammersley turned 10 years old on Dec. 2. Her birthday wishes included getting her ears pierced, a haircut and donating her locks to Locks of Love.

“I was absolutely astounded and proud of her for giving a gift like that on her birthday,” said her father Paul Hammersley.

Last week Hammersley walked into Details Salon on East Sprague Avenue with long dark hair flowing to the middle of her back. When she left the salon, her hair was 11 inches shorter. “This cut is called an A-Line,” Gayle said with a flip of her hair. “It feels pretty good to do something for someone else.”

Her hair will be sent to the organization where it will be fashioned into hair pieces for financially disadvantaged children suffering from medical hair loss. She had heard of Locks of Love from her mother and, some girls she knows had done it, and Hammersley had plenty to go around. “Enough for probably two wigs,” said her mother Grace Hammersley.

Hammersley is a fourth-grader at St. Mary’s Catholic School. She enjoys skiing, camping and reading. She is in the Girl Scouts, plays softball and recently began collecting marbles. She is considering a profession as a third-grade teacher because she likes teaching others, especially kids.

Her advice to children her age is, “Stay in school, eat your veggies (her favorite is broccoli) and help others.” She plans on growing her hair long again so she can supply more hair to others.

When asked what she has learned from her parents she said, “Mom has taught me to cook, and she helps me with my multiplication tables; and Dad taught me how to burp, and he’s taught me a lot of old jokes, like ‘Why didn’t the chicken fly down from the roof? Because he was chicken.’ “