Although she really wanted to make this special donation quietly and privately, 16-year-old Hermon High School sophomore Niki Lake has accepted the rationale of her parents and others that making her donation public would help and perhaps inspire other young people to do the same.

Niki Lake’s friends and schoolmates should take one last, good look at her beautiful, long black hair today because at 4:30 p.m. Friday, May 15, at Country Side Hair Smythe on Blackstream Road in Hermon, that hair will be cut for Locks of Love.

Her father, Jim Lake, said that Niki “really wants to spread the awareness” about making a contribution to Locks of Love “because maybe others will be cutting their hair for summer once school gets out, and they might think of making a contribution, too.”

According to its Web site, Locks of Love is a nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States who are under 18 and suffer from long-term medical hair loss.

Melanie Lake said her daughter had read about such a program and called staff at the Bangor Ronald McDonald House for information. They referred her to Locks of Love.

Hairstylist Nancy Guthrie is prepared for Niki Lake’s date with the scissors.

Guthrie has made this special cut before, she said of the requirement that the hair that be at least 12 inches long and put in a pony tail before it is cut.

And Guthrie said she wouldn’t mind a bit if some of Niki’s friends want to come along and watch as this “lengthy” contribution is made.

From what the family has learned, Niki Lake’s contribution may, in fact, be enough for two hairpieces.

Once the cut is made, the hair will be packaged and mailed to Locks of Love, 2925 10th Ave. No., Suite 102, Lake Worth, FL 33461.

If you have questions about the organization, visit info@locksoflove.org; questions about donation length, hair@locksoflove.org; finding a hair salon, salons@locksoflove.org; obtaining a hairpiece for a child, apply@lockoflove.org; or to initiate a fund raiser for this organization, volunteer@locksoflove.org.

You can also call Locks of Love at (561) 963-1677 or toll-free at (888) 896-1588.

Friday is going to be a very big day for Niki Lake.

She hasn’t had her hair cut in five or six years, so not only will she have a completely new appearance once this cut is made, she’ll be making it possible for others to have a completely new appearance as well.

Incoming Machias Rotary Club president Ian Emery invites you to participate in the Second Annual 5K Spring into Summer, Walk and Run for Fun Road Race beginning at 9 a.m. Saturday, May 18, near Varney’s Insurance Agency and Kilton Used Cars on the corner of Main and East Main streets in Machias.

The course proceeds up a hill to the Hadley Lake Road and returns to the starting point.

The entry fee is $10 per person, and the first 50 entrants receive a commemorative T-shirt.

Proceeds benefit Machias Rotary Club charities and scholarships that range from donating thousands of dollars to health and educational institution building campaigns to supporting local Scout troops and purchasing a Little League baseball field.

For more information about the event or the club, call Emery at 259-7775.

For more information about Rotary International in Maine, call incoming assistant district governor “Lefty” McIntyre at 497-2069.

On behalf of the Veazie Congregational Church, Barbara Wilson invites you to visit its plant sale from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at the church, 1404 State St., Veazie.

At this sale, you will be able to purchase perennials and houseplants ranging in price from $1.50 to $5.

The annual Spring Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at the Center Drive School is the major fund-raiser for that Parent Teacher Group.

This year, all proceeds from the fair will be used to enhance the arts offerings for all Center Drive School pupils.

PTG president Angela Rosengren and vice president Sue Pate know the whole family will enjoy this special day, because the PTG has so many different things for you to do.

You can view a LifeFlight helicopter, an Orrington Volunteer Fire Department truck, a state of Maine police cruiser and an ambulance, or watch a Search & Rescue dog in action at 1 p.m. at the school.

In addition to children’s games and great food, you can shop for flowers, foods, gift baskets, cookware, collectibles and more.

Displays will offer you information about programs offered by the Curran Homestead, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, and the U.S. Coast Guard, among others.

Youngsters can meet McGruff the Crime Dog and the Garelick Farms cow, or ride a horse from the Curran Homestead.

Between the bounce house, dunk tank, chances on family raffle packages and bidding in a silent auction, all the activities will keep you busy from beginning to end, and best of all, you’ll be helping improve the Center Drive School arts program.

A slide show, “Wild Water North,” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 18, at the Willimantic Town Hall.

Free refreshments will be provided and no admission will be charged, but donations will be graciously accepted to benefit the Willimantic Civic Association.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.