Binghamton University’s athletic department hosted a St. Baldrick’s Foundation Fundraising and Shavee Event on Saturday for the second consecutive year. St. Baldrick’s is a non-profit, volunteer-driven organization that raises money to fund pediatric cancer research. The event raised $22,018 in donations, exceeding last year’s total by over $8,000.

The event was organized by the Binghamton Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC), coordinating with Residential Life and Alpha Phi Omega. The group set its goal for $21,000, allotting $1,000 for each of the 21 Bearcat sports teams.

Over 90 shavees and the Binghamton community contributed to the cause, helping to exceed the established goal. Amongst the shavees were SAAC vice president Kate Price, a senior pitcher on the softball team, and fellow SAAC members Shawn Needham (men’s lacrosse, junior defense) and Tyler Deuel (wrestling, redshirt freshman heavyweight). Price participated in the event last year as well, exceeding the $1,000 mark both years.

Other student-athletes from the men’s lacrosse, wrestling, softball, swimming and diving, and men’s and women’s soccer teams supported the event by either shaving their heads or donating their hair for Locks of Love.

Binghamton athletic director Patrick Elliott and Dennis Kalina, the senior associate athletic director for external affairs, also shaved their heads. Kalina, a childhood cancer survivor, was one of the top individual fundraisers.

Other top fundraisers included Sean Wasser, who raised $3,323 and was the top individual, and team “LifeSHAVERS,” which raised $4,645.

St. Baldrick’s funds more childhood cancer research than any organization besides the U.S. government and has raised over $100 million since 2005.