“Shavees” and their supporters raised close to $7,500 at Parker Junior High School’s first-ever St. Baldrick’s event on April 21.
Money raised at the event will help find cures for childhood cancer. A total of 10 people – five Parker students, three school staffers and two community members – made pledges and had their heads shaved in solidarity with children who lose their hair while being treated for cancer.
Persons who had their heads shaved raised $6,000 through pledges, said Cindy Hayes, a Parker administrative assistant who coordinated the event. Hayes and her daughter Riley Farkos were among the shavees.
Homerooms at Parker, in Flossmoor, also contributed to the event, competing to see which group of students could raise the most money. The biggest donations came from DeLores Mannes’ sixth grade homeroom, Janet McKenna’s seventh grade room and Tara Peacock’s eighth grade room. The homeroom donations brought the total amount raised to $7,480.20.
Hayes called the St. Baldrick’s event “an incredible success.” She thanked St. Baldrick’s shavees and others who helped raise money and volunteered for the event. Parker staff members Andrea Chandler, Lisa Weber, Karen Roorda and Mallory Tehako helped out at the event and a number of businesses in the Homewood-Flossmoor area donated items for raffle baskets.
Hair stylists from Cutters for Men in Flossmoor and Artistix in Homewood donated their time to shave heads at the event.
Previous St. Baldrick’s events have taken place at H-F High School. However, this year no event was scheduled at H-F and Hayes began planning for the fundraiser at Parker.
Hayes said she is already thinking about a St. Baldrick’s event at Parker in 2019.
“Our goal is to build on this for next year to raise even more awareness in the community and hopefully raise even more money,” she said.
Photos by Mary Compton/H-F Chronicle