Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G officials announce today the return of Pantene Beautiful Lengths to LPGA week in Northwest Arkansas. The annual Pantene Beautiful Lengths hair donation ceremony is planned for Monday, June 20 at the Walmart AMP. This year will mark the 10th annual event and organizers hope to help more cancer patients than ever before by aiming to collect hair from 1,000 donors in a special challenge between now and the June 20 event.

“Our goal for this 10th year in NW Arkansas is to create the largest community driven hair donation in Pantene Beautiful Lengths history,” shared Mindy Sherwood, Vice President at Procter & Gamble. “Northwest Arkansas is well known for its philanthropic and community spirit and with that in mind, we are aiming to unify salons, schools, companies and organizations, volunteers and those who have been affected by cancer behind our goal.  To do so, we invite girls, boys, women and men of all ages to join us as we make the kindest cut of all for those that suffer from cancer right here in Northwest Arkansas.”

The Pantene Beautiful Lengths program collects eight inches of untreated hair used to make real-hair wigs given free of charge to those suffering from cancer. The first hair cutting ceremony held in conjunction with the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship presented by P&G took place in 2007 and included 10 donors. Each year since, the LPGA event has held a donation ceremony and last summer over 320 donors participated at the Walmart AMP. Throughout the year, P&G also collects donations at its Fayetteville office but has never surpassed the goal set this year of 1,000 donors.

To reach this goal, organizers have planned a community initiative encouraging hair salons and schools to get involved. Local salons are invited to become partner salons of the Pantene Beautiful Lengths program by recruiting hair donors to participate during their regular haircut appointments. Donors can cut their ponytails during their visit to a participating salon and have the salon mail them to Pantene Beautiful Lengths (1303 E. Joyce Blvd., Fayetteville, AR 72703) to be part of the 1,000 donor drive. Salons that recruit at least 10 donors will be recognized through a comprehensive marketing campaign as part of the initiative.

Stylists from partner salons will also be encouraged to donate their time at the 10^th annual Pantene Beautiful Lengths event in June. In recognition of their contributions, event organizers have added an upgraded experience and complimentary ticket package for all stylists and hair donors, and plan to implement a comprehensive climate plan to maintain comfortable temperatures in the Walmart AMP.

In addition, hair cutting events will take place at participating local schools in each of the four major school districts during the week of May 9 – 13. Area schools volunteer to recruit students, teachers or family members to donate their hair during a cutting event typically held during an all-school assembly.

“Our local Pantene Beautiful Lengths event has seen tremendous success and growth over the last 10 years. We are proud that through this initiative enough hair has been collected to satisfy demand for wigs locally, meaning that a large amount of the donations stay right here in NW Arkansas,” said Jay Allen, tournament chairman. “This June we plan to welcome over 300 donors to the Walmart AMP cutting event, but our efforts will not stop there. In the months leading up to tournament week, we hope to rally the community of Northwest Arkansas to help us reach an unprecedented total of 1,000 donors by June 20.”

Through the 10th anniversary initiative, organizers hope to spread the message of the kindest cut of all to more than ever before. Individuals, businesses, salons and schools interested in getting involved can visitwww.BeautifulLengthsNWA.com to find out more, or contact Natalie Wallace at Natalie.Wallace@octagon.com. Hair donations of over eight inches of untreated hair can be sent to Pantene Beautiful Lengths at 1303 E. Joyce Blvd., Fayetteville, AR 72703.