About 100 students went “bald for bucks” on Monday night to show support for childhood cancer research by shaving their heads — raising more than $10,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, doubling the expectations of the event’s organizers.
St. Baldrick’s — named in honor of St. Patrick and the foundation’s modus operandi for fundraising — is a volunteer-driven international charity that provides grants for infants, children and teens. The foundation donated more than $22 million to cancer research causes in the 2010-11 fiscal year.
The Student Athlete Advisory Committees (SAAC), Residential Life and Alpha Phi Omega, a service fraternity, hosted the event, which featured a DJ, a raffle booth and eight shaving stations manned by state-certified barbers and stylists.
Hundreds gathered in the West Gym lobby, including the roughly 100 “shavees” and their many supporters.
Sharif Khalil, a resident assistant in Susquehanna Community’s Brandywine Hall, said the project was a collaborative effort.
“It was funny how the event actually came about,” said Khalil, a graduate student pursuing a master’s in accounting. “I was organizing [a St. Baldrick’s event], and I learned from my coach that the athletic department was doing the same thing.”
Khalil said ResLife and the SAAC pooled their efforts, and along with APO, made “a huge push” to publicize the event together.
According to SAAC adviser Linda Reynolds, this is the first time her group spearheaded such an event.
”The student-athletes were familiar with St. Baldrick’s and got everyone excited about bringing it to our campus,” Reynolds said. “It is a day of activity that is more hands-on versus just raising money.”
Vestal residents Macy King, a 12-year-old with cancer, and her father, Scott King, spoke about the hardships Macy has endured and how appreciative they were of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
When asked how she felt about all the money raised, Macy responded, “Three letters: W-O-W.”
Khalil told Pipe Dream the event raised more than twice as much money as organizers expected.
“We set a high goal at $5,000 … but we exceeded it,” Khalil said. “We kind of got addicted to the website, watching donations come in every day.”
Kaitlin Price, who Khalil described as the “heart of the event,” was a lead organizer, a barber and also a “shavee.” She said she wanted to shave her head to support an important cause and to prove those wrong who bet she wouldn’t cut off her 14 inches of blond locks.
“No one believed I would do it, which I used as a way to get money,” said Price, a senior majoring in English.
Price was the top fundraiser with nearly $1,500, and accredited her contributions to friends, family and strangers from the local community. She also said that more girls volunteered to shave their heads than people expected.
Hannah Karp, one of the female “shavees” and a sophomore majoring in biology, said she heard about the event from a residential adviser in Mountainview College.
“I wanted to shave my head once in my life, so this is the perfect opportunity to try something new and raise money for a good cause,” Karp said.
The shorn locks of at least four “shavees” were also donated to Locks of Love, according to the athletic department’s website.
Reynolds said many faculty members and students agreed that shaving their heads sends a more powerful message than just a regular fundraiser.
Emily Sammartano, a sophomore majoring in philosophy, politics and law, said shaving heads demonstrates both a physical and mental commitment to the cause.
“Making such a drastic transformation to your appearance is sure to grab people’s attention and help raise awareness,” she said.
Ahmad Safieh, another “shavee” and a junior majoring in economics, commented on why he wanted to be a part of the event.
“My friends told me about St. Baldrick’s, and after researching, I saw it as such an amazing cause,” Safieh said.