BLYTHEWOOD – More than a quarter-century after donating his signature ponytail to a worthy cause, Fred Jahnke has done it again.
In September 1998, Voice publisher Barbara Ball featured an article on Jahnke after he donated his 10-inch ponytail to Locks of Love, the nationwide nonprofit organization that provides hairpieces for children who have lost their hair due to medical conditions or treatments.
At the time, Jahnke was still working and says he spent more than a year enduring jokes and comments from coworkers as he patiently grew his hair. Back then, it had only a touch of gray.
Fast forward to 2025. Now retired, and with completely white hair, Jahnke decided it was time for another donation.
Growing his hair long for a second time brought a new audience of commentators. Instead of coworkers, it was fellow golfers who teased him about teeing off from the “ladies’ tee box.” But for more than a year, Jahnke stayed the course until his ponytail once again reached the required length for donation.
And this time, he had a very special helper.
Jahnke’s granddaughter, Annalisa Athanas, is a stylist at Couture Salon in Elgin. In a fitting family moment, Athanas, who wasn’t even born when her grandfather made his first donation in 1998, had the honor of cutting the ponytails for his second gift.
Two generous donations, separated by 27 years, have made a lasting difference, and that’s a legacy worth celebrating.