GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – Nearly 200 people showed up to St. Brendan’s Inn Sunday to have their heads shaved.
The sound of buzzing filled a tent in the parking lot, where a dozen people lined up at a time to get get a buzz cut.
Every inch of their hair is gone now, and they don’t miss it at all.
“It’s hair. it’s going to grow back,” said Stefanie Bembenek.
“It’s the best free haircut I get all year,” said Patrick Foley.
It’s the 15th annual St. Baldrick’s head shaving event in Green Bay.
Organizer Ashley Oates tells FOX 11 participants raise money to have their head shaved at St. Brendan’s Inn.
“Just come together to raise awareness, as well as money, and hopefully one day they can come up with a cure for such a terrible disease.”
She says all of the money raised is used to fund childhood cancer research.
“My goal is fifty thousand every year and we way surpassed that before we even started. I believe we’re 124 right now and money is still coming in.”
Many who showed up, like Foley, have been personally affected by cancer or know someone who’s been diagnosed.
“I’ve had 5 surgeries, I’ve had 4 chemo treatments, I’ve had 36 radiation treatments. To think these little kids I see at the hospital are going through this and knowing what it’ doing to me.”
While people come expecting to get their head shaved, if you want to see them get their facial hair shaved, you had to pay extra.
Foley is a member of the Green Bay Yacht Club. Together they all grow out their beards just for the event.
“We let it grow starting in September. We just let it go until March.”
Foley’s beard raised an extra $300. Any hair longer than eight inches is donated to “wigs for kids,” an organization that provides makes wigs to children who’ve lost their hair because of cancer.
The St. Baldrick’s Foundation is a national event, with events held across the country in March.
