For $10 you can buy a haircut and contribute to AIDS Athens today.

Clips for a Cause is offering students the opportunity to get their hair cut by stylists in Athens to raise money for the first annual student-led AIDS Walk/Run Athens between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. in Tate room 145.

Shundra Jackson, a senior from Riverdale in charge of public relations for the walk, said the event is unique because proceeds go directly to AIDS Athens. The organization serves Athens and 10 surrounding counties and is the only AIDS facility serving the areas.

“A lot of stylists knew about AIDS Athens and were really supportive,” Lauren Vigil, co-director of the walk and a senior from Atlanta, said.

There are nine salons participating in Clips for a Cause, with five to 10 stylists working each hour.

“There’s no limit on the type of cut customers want,” Vigil said.

Stylists will also have tip jars, and any tips left for stylists also will go to the cause.

DRee and Co., one of the participating salons, will also have two masseuses giving donation-based massages in Tate Plaza.

The AIDS Walk/Run, hosted March 1, aims to raise enough from the walk and Clips for a Cause to fund a new staff member for the facility.

Kerry Tracey, a board member for AIDS Walk/Run Athens and intern for AIDS Athens said she hopes the donations can pay for a full-time prevention specialist. She said her internship is in prevention and outreach, but the programs could be expanded with someone working full time.

“It would be wonderful if we could do 120 cuts or something,” she said.

Money also will be used for prevention materials, such as informational brochures and condoms.

“The biggest service we offer to the community is testing,” Tracey said. “We’re the only free testing site.”

Georgia has the eighth highest number of HIV cases in the nation, according to the AIDS Athens Web site.

Tracey said many cases of HIV go unreported. There are a reported 800 people living with HIV in north Georgia, Tracey said. “But it’s probably three times that.”