DAVID SEPULVEDA PHOTOS
It was a close shave for some firefighters, police and civilians who dared “brave the shave,” losing their locks to a phalanx of hair stylists as part of the annual St. Baldrick’s childhood cancer research fundraiser held at Pitkin Plaza’s Trinity Bar — formerly O’Tooles — the site of previous St. Baldrick’s events.
For the past decade, New Haven County Firefighters Emerald Society has joined the fight against cancer, sponsoring the fund-raising event in answer to a daunting statistic: Worldwide, a child is diagnosed with cancer every three minutes.
With all sections of the spacious bar packed with shavees and supporters, Volunteer Event Organizer (VEO) Jason Cusack said that competing charity events and cold weather may have depressed attendance. Friday evening’s event raised $43,000. Cusack was hopeful that the goal of $50,000 would be reached with additional post-event donations.
Cusack, who is former president of the New Haven County Firefighters Emerald Society and a firefighter with the North Haven Professional Firefighters, noted that the charity has very low operational administrative costs and one of the highest direct benefit ratios, at 82 percent.
Participating hair stylists were from Jobella Hair Salon of Branford. Owner Maura Petrosino said she has been participating in the charity for ten years, with Jobella volunteers shaving over 100 people per event on average. Pretrosino (left) shaved Emmet O’Conner, a psychology teacher at Watertown High School who attended with a team of teacher fundraisers.
David Holyst of New Haven (pictured), who said it was the first time cutting his hair for a fundraiser, noted that he had previously sported a Mohawk as a “social experiment.” While his hair was cut in stages to preserve his banded, donated locks, he bypassed the Mohawk to join others with a marvelous baldino.
Lauren Hansen of Jobella, pictured shaving Lieutenant Maggie Bender of the Meriden Fire Department, said she was particularly moved by a woman with cancer whose two children watched as her head was shaved. “My own mom went through breast cancer, so it was even more personal,” she said.
Kristin Skelly, a Guilford Middle School teacher who is battling stage 3 breast cancer and recovering from a bilateral mastectomy and reconstructive surgery, said she had her hair cut in advance of upcoming chemotherapy treatments. Skelly was the event’s single highest fundraiser, raising more than $6,000 in less than two weeks through Facebook. On her fundraising page, Skelly wrote that she was overwhelmed with gratefulness for the love and support shown. She noted the gesture of a sixth-grade homeroom student as she was departing for medical leave: “She simply handed me two pictures of herself, bald, from when she was fighting childhood cancer herself back in grade 1. Those pictures sit in my basket beside me daily and continue to provide inspiration as I battle breast cancer.”
John Greco, a manager for The Trinity Bar and Restaurant, said the bar was excited about carrying on the tradition for “such an absolute great cause.” He explained that the fundraiser was also the first night of the bar’s opening under new management. An official grand opening with special samples and happy happy hour is scheduled for Friday, Feb. 27 at the Orange Street establishment.
As of this reporting, the fundraising event had reached 85.3 percent of its $50,000 goal. Top individual fundraisers are Kristin Skelly ($6,700.00), Robert McSherry ($4,220.00), and Chuck Mingrone ($3,655.00). The top three fundraising teams are East Haven Fire ($11, 417.00), Bethany Fire Department ($6,523.00), and New Haven County Firefighters Emerald Society ($4,764.00).
For more information or to contribute to the St. Baldrick’s fundraiser, visit its website.