Crystal Zimmerman, 8, from Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life on Wednesday. Her previous one was two years ago. Both times she has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program, which provides prosthetic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their own hair to illness. (Richard McGuire photo)

Crystal Zimmerman, 8, from Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life on Wednesday. Her previous one was two years ago. Both times she has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program, which provides prosthetic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their own hair to illness. (Richard McGuire photo)

Crystal Zimmerman, 8, of Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life Wednesday.

In a matter of minutes, her long, blonde locks were bound with elastics and snipped off by hair stylist Hailey Walker, owner of Exquisite Salon and Spa.

A young girl getting a pixie cut isn’t normally news, but Crystal’s hair is special. She’s donating it to an organization that collects hair for financially disadvantaged children in Canada who have lost their hair due to a medical condition or treatment.

This is actually the second time Crystal has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program. In April 2014, at age six, she had the first haircut of her life, donating it to the same program, which is run by A Child’s Voice Foundation.

It takes between 10 and 12 donated ponytails to make one hair prosthesis. Children needing the hair may have lost their own due to conditions such as cancer treatments, alopecia or burns.

The idea of donating her hair was entirely Crystal’s, said her mother Carli. She had seen a television show about a woman donating her hair for a cancer patient and she asked her parents if she could do it.

“I like to give things,” said Crystal, explaining her decision.

She also acknowledged that her hair, which fell well below her shoulders, was becoming hot, so it was time to get it cut.

Hair needs to be 12 inches, measured tip to tip to be accepted by the program.

Walker brushed Crystal’s hair straight and then put elastics around each lock to hold it together.

While her mother, grandmother and others watched, Crystal sat on a stool as Walker snipped off one lock at a time.

Walker went through the same process two years ago when she gave Crystal her first haircut. She didn’t charge for the cut either time.

Carli credits Crystal’s school, Good Shepherd Christian School, and Principal Angela Westcott in particular, for teaching Crystal about the importance of giving.

With that school closing, Crystal will be going to Osoyoos Elementary School in September.

For more information about Angel Hair for Kids, visit www.acvf.ca.

RICHARD McGUIRE

Osoyoos Times

Crystal Zimmerman, 8, from Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life on Wednesday. Her previous one was two years ago. Both times she has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program, which provides prosthetic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their own hair to illness. (Richard McGuire photo)

Crystal Zimmerman, 8, from Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life on Wednesday. Her previous one was two years ago. Both times she has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program, which provides prosthetic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their own hair to illness. (Richard McGuire photo)

Crystal Zimmerman, 8, from Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life on Wednesday. Her previous one was two years ago. Both times she has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program, which provides prosthetic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their own hair to illness. (Richard McGuire photo)

Crystal Zimmerman, 8, from Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life on Wednesday. Her previous one was two years ago. Both times she has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program, which provides prosthetic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their own hair to illness. (Richard McGuire photo)

Crystal Zimmerman, 8, from Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life on Wednesday. Her previous one was two years ago. Both times she has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program, which provides prosthetic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their own hair to illness. (Richard McGuire photo)

Crystal Zimmerman, 8, from Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life on Wednesday. Her previous one was two years ago. Both times she has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program, which provides prosthetic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their own hair to illness. (Richard McGuire photo)

Crystal Zimmerman, 8, from Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life on Wednesday. Her previous one was two years ago. Both times she has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program, which provides prosthetic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their own hair to illness. (Richard McGuire photo)

Crystal Zimmerman, 8, from Osoyoos, had the second haircut of her life on Wednesday. Her previous one was two years ago. Both times she has donated her hair to the Angel Hair for Kids program, which provides prosthetic hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children who have lost their own hair to illness. (Richard McGuire photo)