Before some of them get their locks shorn at the St. Baldrick’s Signature Head Shaving Event on March 19, supporters let their hair down for an entertaining evening of cocktails, dining and dancing at the second annual St. Baldrick’s Gala and Silent Auction at the Oak Harbor Club House last Saturday evening. The mission of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation is to fund childhood cancer research and “Conquer Childhood Cancers.”
Arriving guests sipped from tall flutes of sparkling champagne while perusing silent auction tables set up around the perimeter of the reception area and an anteroom. Auction sheets were quickly filled with bidding at higher than valued prices as people did their part to contribute to this year’s Indian River County goal of $200,000 to benefit the nationwide organization.
“Last year we brought in almost $164,000 but we added a golf tournament in November and tonight’s gala with 200 guests,” said Frank “Cookie” Mannino, co-chair of the gala with Missy Elward.
Elward’s 10-year-old daughter Payton is one of several young ladies eliciting donations from family and friends in advance of having their heads shaved at the March event at Capt. Hiram’s.
A delicate little girl with a braid wrapped a few times around in a bun, Payton has been involved with St. Baldrick’s for the past six years and decided to get shorn this year.
“She is excited to shave her head and raise money and she is also going to donate her hair to Wigs for Kids afterwards,” said her proud mom. “Her teacher sent out the information to all her schoolmates and they are going to come out to watch and support her.”
One tableful of young teens said they first got involved when their friend Hailey Kennedy was diagnosed with leukemia at just 13 years old.
“My sister PJ wanted to shave her head for Hailey and we found out about this organization,” said Hannah Wintermeyer. “The next year she did it again and then I decided to do it the next year. Ever since then my friends and family have all been involved.”
“It makes me feel amazing to have them do this,” said Kennedy, now age 15. “It shows people that bald is beautiful. There are other kids like me who do not have the choice, but my friends chose to lose their hair and helped me feel that I am not alone.”
Silent auction items were donated by local individuals and businesses, but Mannino pointed out one item which stood out among the many others. Rose McCloy had created two beautiful quilts made from St. Baldrick’s T-shirts worn by volunteers at the Signature Head Shaving events, which began four years ago. Both quilts garnered bids well above their stated value.
During dinner Debbie Lovell talked about the loss of her teenage daughter, Chelsea, to cancer and the importance of the St. Baldrick’s events.
“Children get so little funding and support. I wanted to support them because St. Baldrick’s is really there for all the children,” said Lovell. “And if you have never been to a shaving event, it is an amazing thing to be there; so moving and empowering.”
Laura Saputo had her head shaved two years ago in support of her son and now attends to relay a positive message to parents of children with cancer.
“My son Vincent is eight years cancer free and no longer the face of cancer anymore,” she said. “I would like these families to be able to see us as a sign of hope.”
