SEBASTIAN — Members of the Sebastian City Council and Police Department will undergo the razor to raise money to support the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which raises money for pediatric cancer research – but the stakes are higher this year than last.
“I will consider doing it,” said Sebastian City Councilwoman Andrea Coy, who participated last year. “But I won’t do it so cheap!”
Coy said she’d only have her head shaved bald if she could raise $2,500 – if she didn’t meet that goal, then no dice.
Last year, the price she put on her own head was $500, which was handily met by those in the community who wanted to see her go bald.
Anticipating that she might meet her fund-raising goal, Coy said she’d be prepared this time around.
“I’ll bring a warm hat this time,” she said, explaining that she hadn’t planned for her head to be cold after getting it shaved.
“I never realized how important hair was to keeping warm,” she said.
For the second time, St. Baldrick’s Foundation will hold a shave-a-thon in Indian River County with the hope of shaving 300 heads and raising $200,000.
Last year, the all-volunteer organization shaved 150 heads and raised $106,000. According to organizer Frank “Cookie” Mannino, 98 percent of the organization’s funds go straight to childhood cancer research.
Missy Elward made her case to the Sebastian City Council last week for why they needed to again support St. Baldrick’s shave-a-thon, which will be held March 1 for most the day at Capt. Hiram’s in Sebastian.
“Everyone’s hair has grown back beautifully,” Elward said, referencing Coy, Mayor Bob McPartlan and Councilman Jim Hill, who all participated last year.
Members of the Sebastian Police Department, too, signed up to have their heads shaved. And the male officers have been paying into the donation pool to be allowed to grow beards in advance of the event.
A silent auction will also be held at Capt. Hiram’s in advance of the main event – on Feb. 22.
“Your hair looks great today,” Elward said to Councilman Jerome Adams in attempt to butter him up for signing on. “We need heads to shave or we don’t have an event.”
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation, founded in California, strives to raise funds for childhood cancer research because a child is diagnosed with cancer every three minutes worldwide.
Of those children, one in five in the U.S. will not survive, according to the organization’s website. Four percent of federal cancer research funding goes to pediatric cancer research.
“Your hair will grow back,” Elward said, addressing the entire Council as well as those in the audience. “You have that choice. This is what we can do to make sure the kids have that option of getting their hair to grow back.”
Mayor McPartlan said he would go bald again. Hill said he’d think about it – and has since agreed to participate.
“Maybe my legs,” quipped Councilman Richard Gillmor, to which Elward explained children don’t lose the hair on their legs when undergoing cancer treatments – just the hair on their heads.
“Do you know how much your eyes will pop if you shaved your head?” Elward asked.
Elward and co-organizer Frank “Cookie” Mannino plan to make their pitch to the Vero Beach City Council and possibly the Fellsmere City Council in advance of the event. They have already gone before the Indian River County Board of Commissioners and signed up a few commissioners as well as administrative staff members.
Other teams include Capt. Hiram’s, Sebastian Gym, Piper, Sebastian River Medical Center, and the Indian River Firefighters Benevolent Association, to name a few.
Anyone interested in participating in the shave-a-thon or otherwise donating to the cause can find more information at www.StBaldricks.org/events/indianriver2014.