Volunteers lose their locks for a good cause
Published: April 2, 2006
Samantha Olson winced as the clippers took their first bite of her long, blond hair. The wince gave way to a forced smile as the buzzing cutters traced her head and chewed through the 19-year-old’s shoulder-length locks.
In a matter of minutes, Olson was covered with only stubble — all in the name of a good cause.
Olson was the first victim — er, volunteer — in St. Baldrick’s, an event in which participants solicit donations in exchange for the promise of shaving their heads. St. Brendan’s Inn on Green Bay’s South Washington Street provided the venue Saturday … and a few drinks for those who needed to muster some extra courage to go through with the deal.
Twenty more followed Olson’s lead — including two of Olson’s sisters — all proving bald can be beautiful, especially when it comes with more than $12,000 in donations for childhood cancer research. A final count on the donations and pledges is expected today.
Eight-year-old Jake Walters of Two Rivers was the guest of honor. After a diagnosis of cancer in November, he didn’t have a choice in losing his hair.
Taking the stage to get the event started Saturday, Jake aptly announced, “Gentlemen, start your clippers.”
As each volunteer took a turn in the chair, the crowd of about 100 offered playful encouragement, occasionally offering to raise the stakes to shave off a beard — or single eyebrow.
Gary Baris, 58, of Green Bay raised $275 and shaved his head. Possibly in part because Baris is naturally follicly challenged, the crowd demanded more and offered an additional $75 for him to shave his goatee.
The goatee goes, the moustache stays, he said.
Lexie Olson, Samantha’s sister, bound her hair into a dozen little ponytails before getting her head shaved. Each one was snipped off and bagged as a donation for Locks of Love, a program that uses human hair to make wigs for cancer patients. Samantha Olson wanted to donate her hair, but it wasn’t long enough to qualify.
By the end of the day, the Olsons and their sister, Lacie Henning, 18, all were bald. Together, they raised about $900 for the cancer battle.
“My mom did this last year and raised quite a bit of money,” Samantha Olson said, adding that the sisters were quick to rise to the occasion. “We said we would do it next year.
“It was just something really cool.”
Olson said that as she saw the mound of hair grow at her feet, a moment of initial remorse gave way to a sense of accomplishment, knowing that she has helped a good cause.
“It’s growing back right now,” she said. “It’s just hair. I don’t have anyone to impress.”
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