FLETCHERS LAKE: It was a hair-raising day at Holland Road Elementary School on April 26.
The school held their inaugural Shave for the Brave in support of Young Adult Cancer Canada, an organization that supports young adults across Canada dealing with cancer. The organization holds a yearly conference and monies raised from Shave for the Brave helps young adults be able to attend the conference, set for the St. Catherines, Ont. in May.
At Holland Road School, between three young boys, two moms who cut their hair to donate for wigs, and the local reporter, Pat Healey, they raised more than $2,000. That will be more than enough to take a young adult from the waiting list to attending the conference.
The total put Holland Road sixth on the top schools from across Canada as of April 30.
The idea was first pitched by Healey to Holland Road School Principal Carol-Ann Larade as a way to show support for parents of kids who attend the school that are going through cancer treatment or are survivors.
From the point of the idea being mentioned, the students at the school got behind it and so did their community, raising the money.
Julie Michaud of Fall River, who is a cancer survivor and undergoing treatment as it returned, spoke to the kids about YACC.
Three brave students—Ryan Donovan, Harrison Chaban, and Jayden Tillman—stepped forward to get their hair shaved by Stephanie Pentland, a former hairdresser in Fall River who is now with AllState. She brought some swag from AllState for the brave shavers.
Gaynor Hart, who is currently undergoing cancer treatment, and Lauren Monette both donated their beautiful locks to the event so that YACC could use them to make wigs for cancer survivors. Their daughters presented Ms. Larade with the hair before the shave began to a standing applause from their peers and the parents in attendance.
Tim Reynolds from Elmsdale-based TR Construction stopped by with a surprise $250 bonus donation if Healey would get his beard shaved as well. He did, and that brought his total to $510 raised, surpassing his $300 goal he had set.
As Pentland went to shave a young boys hair two seats over from Healey, the kids chanted “Pat Pat Pat” as who they wanted her to do next. Hearing that, she had to oblige and so it was Healey who was next on the shavers victim list.
Pat’s hair fell off his head and he made many sad faces, even holding up his hair at one point with a sad cat face on him as his curly hair became thinned out.
“It was fun to have my hair cut off,” said Jayden, as Harrison and Ryan both nodded in agreement with smiling faces.
From all appearances, Shave for the Brave was a success with kids talking to their parents after school about what took place.
Holland Road School hopes to hold their second annual Shave for the Brave in April 2020.
