Over 100 People Shave Their Heads for St. Baldrick's

On a sunny afternoon yesterday (Saturday, March 12) 115 people gathered at Amalfi's restaurant to make a “bald statement” for childhood cancer – they had their heads shaved.

Sixty-seven children and 48 adults - including four girls and three women - had their heads shaved in one of six chairs set up at the restaurant in the 100 block of Lawrenceville-Pennington Road as part of the fundraiser for St. Baldrick’s Foundation – an organization dedicated to “funding the most promising research to find cures for childhood cancers and give survivors long and healthy lives.”

As of this morning, $102,906 had been raised – over $35,000 more than the original goal of $65,000.

Each shave took about three minutes, plus extra time for pictures. Thirteen volunteer barbers did the shaving.

The local St. Baldrick’s event was founded four years ago by Drs. Melissa and Mike McCue of Colonial Valley Chiropractic. Support has skyrocketed since that first year, during which a total of 24 people had their heads shaved. They raised $20,000 that year.

Interest was so great this year that organizers had to limit the list of “shavees,” and not accept walk-ins, in order to guarantee everyone’s head would get shaved within the eight hours allotted for the event.

Everyone’s story was unique. Aiden Robbins, a 6-year-old kindergartner at Makefield Elementary School in Yardley, Pa., collected $8,000 in honor of his friend Lauren Maziarz who died from cancer in October 2010 when she was just 5 years old.

While Aiden fell short of his original $1 million goal, and was nervous when the time came for his hair to be cut, he said he is “glad I did it!”

Jeff Berry, kindergarten teacher at Lawrenceville Elementary School, helped organize Team LES, which included 20 students and kindergarten assistant teacher Jacqueline Cleak.

Berry said he was “honored to be a part of it. When you are a teacher the kids look up to you. It shows the power you have and you want to channel that the right way.”

Team LES raised over $32,000 for St. Baldrick’s.

The largest crowds turned out when the women and girls had their heads shaved. Cleak, a cancer survivor, said “it is a very important cause. It is hard enough for an adult to go through this (when they have cancer).”

She said wants to raise enough money for a cure to be found. “I’m glad to do it,” she said.

Peggy Reed had two roles for the day. She was both a “shavee” and a barber. For her it was also personal. When she was just 4 years old she lost her 12-year-old brother to cancer.

“In the 1950s they didn’t have any interventions,” she noted.

She spent some time this week looking over old pictures and remembering her brother. She raised $458.75, including $72.75 from her grandchildren, who raided their cash can to support their grandmother.

It was a family event for many. Vicki Wengler, an 11-year-old fifth-grader at Lawrence Intermediate School, had her head shaved for the second year in a row. She was joined this year by her dad, John Wengler (who had his head shaved during the 2009 event).

John admitted his daughter was a bit nervous last year, but “afterwards she was beaming from the excitement and was so proud of herself.” She was not one bit nervous this year as she smiled through the entire event.

Her dad said she has about 20 hats that she plans to be modeling in the upcoming weeks. Together they raised $1,800. Vicki inspired Elizabeth Burke, 13, and Victoria Burke, 17, to also donate their hair.

Elizabeth and Victoria first donated their beautiful tresses to Locks of Love before having the rest of their hair tearfully shorn off in front of a large crowd. Prior to the shaving, both sisters’ hair went half-way down their backs.

Two years ago, Elizabeth, was treated for a blood disorder at the Cancer Institute of New Jersey in New Brunswick. While she did not have cancer, she saw many sick children and wanted to do something. But there weren’t many volunteer opportunities for someone so young. So when her mother, Michelle Burke, told her about St. Baldrick’s she said “Sign me up” without hesitation.

Afterward yesterday, she proudly sported a button that read “Ask Me Why I’m Bald.”

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