Chelsea, Zoe and Josselyn Hill have always had very long hair.

Until Sunday, that is.

That’s the day the three sisters decided to all get 12 inches cut off their hair so someone else could enjoy it.

The three daughters of Virginia and Robert Hill of Hayward donated their tresses to Locks of Love, a not-for-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children under the age of 18 with medical hair loss. These custom-fitted hair prosthetics are provided free of charge or on a sliding scale to children whose families meet the Locks of Love Board of Directors’ guidelines.

&uot;They all decided on their own they were going to do it,&uot; Virginia said. &uot;When they first asked if they could do it, I cried. My kids have always had long hair.&uot;

They chose Ann Schumann of A. Schumann and Hair Associates to give them the haircut because she once had very long hair herself. She’s had other clients donate their hair to charity, but never three sisters at one time, she said.

The girls were excited about getting their new hairstyles.

&uot;I thought it over real hard,&uot; Zoe said. &uot;The last three nights I haven’t been able to sleep.&uot;

Although Chelsea, who went first, expected to cry because she was excited, she didn’t.

Josselyn, admittedly the most nervous, did cry.

&uot;It’s an identity thing,&uot; their mother said.

But all three were ultimately pleased with the results.

&uot;I love it,&uot; Zoe said.

Locks of Love, which began in 1997, has helped more than 1,000 children since its first year of operation. Thousands of bundles of donated hair have arrived from around the country as a result of national publicity.

Most donors mail a note and a photo with their bundle of hair. Children comprise more than 80 percent of the donors, making this a charity where children have the opportunity to help other children.

Locks of Love provides its recipients with a custom, vacuum-fitted hairpiece made entirely from donated human hair. the vacuum fit is designed for children who have experienced a total loss of scalp hair.

For more information on Locks of Love and its guidelines for hair donation, check out its Web site at www.locksoflove.org.