Box of hair donations for charity found in trash

GASTONIA, N.C. -- Donations of human hair, used by a charity to make wigs for children who lose their hair due to illness, had to be fished out of the trash after being accidentally thrown away.

Multiple media outlets reported that someone found a box of hair donations in a trash bin behind a Great Clips hair salon in Gastonia, North Carolina, earlier this week. The donations came from customers who got their hair cut for charity.

Wigs for Kids Executive Director Jeffery Paul said he found out about the incident Wednesday.

CBS affiliate WBTV reports that some customers didn't know their donation ended up in the trash until WBTV told them.

Nanette McDaniel was one of the donors who thought her hair donation was going to a good cause.

"Why would they just throw it in the dumpster? Because I donated it out of the kindness of my heart," McDaniel said to WBTV. "I personally know people with cancer and I know people who have battled and lost with cancer."

Great Clips spokesman Paul Omodt says someone cleaning the shop accidentally threw away the box.

The store manager told WBTV that 100 hair donations were in the box that was tossed in the dumpster. All but five donations were saved.

"That's five people that won't be able to have wigs now," McDaniel said.

Great Clips said it would donate $5,000 to the Wigs for Kids charity.