"Right living is a way to right thinking."

-- Abraham Joshua Heschel

HEARD ON THE TOWN

KAYOKO DAN, who succeeded Robert Bernhardt as the eighth leader of the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera, recently changed her appearance -- for a good reason. The first woman and youngest person to earn the position of CSO music director had a major hair transformation, said Katie Wilson, CSO director of marketing and development.

Dan donated her lengthy locks to Locks of Love.

"It's my fourth time -- the third time for Locks of Love, one time for Pantene Beautiful Lengths," Dan said.

Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis, according to locksoflove.org.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths (pantene.com) is a partnership between Pantene and the American Cancer Society where thousands of free, real-hair wigs have been donated to women living with cancer.

"It's a great opportunity to help out the cause that I strongly support, with something I'm capable of doing -- growing my hair," she said. "My hair grows very fast, so I let my hair grow out for two years then donate biennially.

"While I am able to donate (I don't have gray hair yet), I will continue to do this," she said. "I also love to knit, which I do in the winter, but I don't have enough friends to knit for, so I knit 'chemo' caps for headhuggers.com as well. I usually knit five to six caps annually."

EAR TO THE GROUND

THE MEMORIAL HEALTH Care System Foundation will hold its seventh annual "Pink!" gala Jan. 21 at the Chattanooga Convention Center. The event benefits the MaryEllen Locher Breast Center.

This year's theme, "A Party, A Passion, A Purpose," focuses on raising funds for the expansion of surgical and infusion services for breast cancer patients at the center, Memorial spokesman Brian Lazenby said in a news release.

Cocktails start at 6:30 p.m. followed by a four-course dinner. Entertainment will be provided by Party Nation. There will be an online auction prior to the event and live and silent auctions during the gala. Tickets are $200 for cocktails, dinner and entertainment. Patron tickets, $350, include all of the above as well as an exclusive pre-party invitation, valet parking, premium seating and table-side bar service the evening of the event.

NewsChannel 9 vice president and general manager Mike Costa and wife Suzy will chair the event, Lazenby said.

For more information, visit memorial.org/pink or call 495-7465.