Saturday, March 16th, 2019
Bald heads raise funds
Numerous heads shaved during annual St. Baldrick's event
By Leslie Gartrell
Photo by Leslie Gartrell/The Daily Standard
Caleb Wendel, 12, gets his head shaved by Lifestyle Salon stylist Ashely Lennartz at the St. Baldrick's Rock the Bald fundraiser on Friday night in Fort Recovery. Wendel has donated and shaved his head for at least seven years in honor of his grandparents who died of cancer.
FORT RECOVERY - Tiny feet running along wood floors, parents laughing and soda cans popping drowned out the sounds of clippers buzzing and scissors shearing at the St. Baldrick's fundraiser Friday night.
The Rock the Bald fundraiser, in which attendees volunteer to have their heads shaved in the name of defeating childhood cancer, has been an annual event in the community for the last 12 years.
And this year's edition was the biggest one yet, head organizer Diane Roessner said.
The fundraiser brings adults and children together to raise money to donate to the St. Baldrick's Foundation, a volunteer-powered charity that funds more childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government, according to the foundation's website.
All proceeds go to the foundation, said lead treasurer Stephanie Bruns, who noted that childhood cancer research is important and meaningful to many people in the community.
Roessner has a close connection to the foundation and the cause. Her daughter, Ally, was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 3, and after 16 months of treatment was declared cancer free. Now 9, Ally has been in remission for four years.
Rich Vogel has been a participant since the start.
"Why not?" he said. "Doesn't cost me nothing and I get a free haircut!"
Vogel had been growing his hair out for the last sixths months, striking a resemblance close to Einstein. He always donates $100, and this year raised close to $200.
Vogel said when he used to bartend at Padua Pub in St. Anthony he would take all the tips he received that night and donate it to fundraiser.
Asked what keeps him coming back, he shrugged casually.
"You start something and you just don't know when to quit. This is the least I can do," he said.
By the end of the night the event had raised $8,363 by 50 participants. The highest fundraising team was the Gaerke family raising $3,966, and the highest individual fundraiser was Kyle Wendel with $630.
Those interested in donating can go to stbaldricks.org.
