Technically she won the bet, but cashier Linda Weber jumped at the chance for a close shave by Cut Master Hair Salon's Charley Webb at the Owen Sound Food Basics Thursday, Jan. 5. It's the third time she's lost her locks for a good cause, previous beanings right down to the wood helped raise funds for cancer research and the hospital's MRI suites. Ms. Weber leads by example, she was one of 11 cashiers across the chain's 140 stores in Ontario who each raised more than $2,000 through their till.

They lost a bet, and then they lost their hair.

After Owen Sound Food Basics cashiers generated more than $10,000 in customer donations to the Salvation Army Food Bank in October, the store's managers bet it couldn't be done again – and then anted up their curls.

By the end of year the tally stood at $4,462.

In excess.

Over and above, and then beyond.

The cashiers took in $14,462 in December – and when added to October's customer donations, the Owen Sound Salvation Army Food Bank has been presented with donations totalling $25,095.

So the managers stood up, and then they sat down Thursday, Jan. 5, for some major facial restylings at the hands of hairdressers Charley Webb and Hayden Bell from Cut Master Hair Salon in Heritage Place.

Hair yesterday, gone today – cashier Linda Weber and store manager Matt Kelly, left, with full-time clerks Todd Ludlam and Mitchell Dean, right, enjoy their last day of hair Wednesday, Jan. 4.

"Who would have thought?" marvelled the Salvation Army's Alice Wannan as the professional razor-wielders swooped in for the buzz.

"So much money, and it was generated by a team."

It's too late to back out when the phones appear.

The Owen Sound store was Number 3 in the chain's top ten December fund-raising totals and percentage of fundraising goals reached (an amazing 316 per cent), and Number 4 in success rate with 17 per cent, or almost one in five customers agreeing to donate. The chain distributed $100,000 in gift cards based on each store's performance, in addition to the $614,369 raised by the chain's 140 locations in December.

Store manager Matt Kelly took first chair .

Unexpectedly joining in, Owen Sound Salvation Army Lieutenant Jory Hewson prepares for follicular relief.

It's been 15 years since Lt. Hewson has seen his face, so the hairdressers get at him double quick..

Garnet Tettenborn sits very still for the big reveal.

Tim Skene waits for it all to be over.

Nick Brennan takes his turn.

Hayley Bell shows no mercy to Mike McCoy, above, and Vincent Wade, below.

It's all smiles and shine as the freshly shorn are recorded for posterity by Owen Sound Salvation Army coordinator Alice Wannan.

- by Hub Staff
David Galway