Published on candgnews.com by Kristyne E. Demske on February 23, 2018
ST. CLAIR SHORES — Two organizations with similar names have reached an agreement that will allow them both to continue to help children living with hair loss.
Wigs for Kids Inc., a nonprofit national organization based in Ohio that provides hair replacement and support for children with hair loss, filed suit for trademark infringement against Wigs 4 Kids of Michigan in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in May 2017.
According to the complaint, Wigs for Kids was incorporated in Ohio in 1993 and helps 125-150 children each year by collecting monetary and hair donations for the purpose of making custom wigs at no cost for children suffering from hair loss. Its name and design were trademarked in 2007.
The complaint alleges that shortly after Maggie Varney, of St. Clair Shores, began Wigs 4 Kids in 2003, Wigs for Kids founder and Executive Director Jeffrey Paul contacted her and asked her to change the name of her organization to prevent confusion. Instead, the complaint alleges that Varney agreed to help only children suffering from hair loss in the state of Michigan and to allow Wigs for Kids to continue its mission helping children across the country.
