Come to the Cleveland Zoo for "Wigs For Kids Day at the Zoo" To Benefit Kids With Hair Loss

CLEVELAND - July 20, 2017 - PRLog -- The non-profit Wigs for Kids organization will kick off its 35^th anniversary events with its 11^th "Wigs for Kids Day at the Zoo," which will take place rain or shine on Saturday, July 22, 2017, at the Cleveland MetroParks Zoo, 3900 Wildlife Way.  The main features of the event are a 5K run, a more leisurely one-mile "fun walk," and a hair cut-a-thon.  In addition, three Olmsted Performing Arts actors from the upcoming (Aug. 4-6) "Shrek" musical will sing, and volunteers from the "Super Heroes to Kids in Ohio" organization will delight children during the occasion by portraying costumed characters – and posing for photos with the youngsters upon request.

Registration will begin at 7 a.m.; opening remarks will be at 8:15; the 5K run will take off at 8:30; the one-mile walk will start at 8:50 for walking team members, and at 9 for families and individual walkers. The closing program will begin at 10.  After that, the participants will have the rest of the day to visit the Zoo and Rain Forest.

The entry fee for each walker or runner at the fund raiser is $30 ($20 for children age 10 and younger).  Spectators pay $20, and hair donors enter for free. All attendees get free light refreshments and a free pass that day for the Zoo and Rain Forest.  Stylists from local hair salons will provide a free styling and blow-dry for every hair donor.  Nationally known hair stylist and educator Brent Hardgrave will be the featured "celebrity hair expert" at the event.

Wigs for Kids, headquartered in Westlake, is a national non-profit organization that provides customized, high-quality, human hair replacement systems at no charge for children experiencing severe hair loss due to chemotherapy, radiation, alopecia, burns, accidents, or other medical circumstances.

Jeffrey Paul, who (along with his wife, Zina) co-founded Wigs for Kids, said, "We greatly appreciate the participation and support of the people who will run, walk, and donate their hair to help support our mission of enabling children to 'look themselves and live their lives.'  We also have been – and are continuing to be – blessed by volunteers who donate their time to set up, and then enthusiastically work at, the event."

He added that there will be more activities in the near future to celebrate Wigs for Kids' 35^th anniversary, including a gala event later in the year.

For more information, or to pre-register for the July 22^nd "Wigs for Kids Day at the Zoo," visit www.wigsforkids.org or call 440.333-4433.