Celebrate St Patrick’s Day The Bald Way:

Hair-Shaving Event To Benefit Childhood Cancer Research

McGuire’s Ale House, 130 Mt Pleasant Road, will host a head-shaving event on Sunday, March 18, from noon to 3 pm.

Residents of Newtown are invited to Be Brave & Go Bald in solidarity with children battling cancer. Men and women, girls and boys of all ages can make a pledge to shave their head, and ask everyone they know to donate toward a goal.

Funds raised will continue to be used to support life-saving childhood cancer research through the St Baldrick’s Foundation.

Why all the shaved heads? Worldwide, more than 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer each year, and it remains the leading cause of death by disease among children in the United States.

On March 17, 2000, reinsurance executives John Bender, Tim Kenny, and Enda McDonnell turned their industry’s St Patrick’s Day party into a head-shaving event to benefit kids with cancer. Their 20 “shavee” recruits planned to raise “$17,000 on the 17th.” Instead, they raised more than $104,000.

The movement quickly grew into the world’s largest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer research, and today the St Baldrick’s Foundation funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the US government.

Since its inception, St Baldrick’s has seen more than 190,000 volunteers — including more than 19,000 women — have their heads shaved in solidarity for children with cancer at events in dozens of countries and every US state. Thanks to generous friends and family, these shavees have raised more than $120 million for life-saving research, and each is a walking billboard for the cause. In 2011, St Baldrick’s awarded more than $21 million in grants.

Already this year, according to St Baldrick’s, more than 650 events and 8,300 shavees (including 1,500 women) have registered on the foundation’s website. Thirteen people have already committed to be shavees for the Newtown event next month, which will be done in memory of Keaton Raphael.

“Fourteen years ago my 5-year-old cousin Keaton lost his life to childhood cancer. Today, he would be 19 and attending college,” said Michael Connors, organizer for the March 18 event at McGuire’s Ale House. “As a dad with two children of my own, I realize the importance of helping to find a cure for this horrible disease. I hope others will join me in my efforts!”

Can’t part with your locks? Pledge to someone who is, by making a donation online, sign up to volunteer for the event, or donate a raffle or silent auction item. This will be a family-friendly atmosphere with live bands, a silent auction, and hair-raising shenanigans. Local bands NeverReady, The Adults, Bourbon Cowboys, and No Clue have “graciously offered their time to play a band jam,” said Mr Connors.

Individuals who are interested being a shavee must register online. Visit www.StBaldricks.org, then click on Events and search for Newtown CT or McGuire’s Ale House.

In addition to McGuire’s Ale House, event sponsors include Newtown Savings Bank and Village Barber Shop.

For more information contact Mr Connors at 203-917-0038 or Michael.connors0806@yahoo.com. For more information about St Baldrick’s, call 888-899-BALD or visit StBaldricks.org.