Brave volunteers shaved their heads on Tuesday in Grinnell Hall for childhood cancer research.

$2,400 of the $3,000 goal has been raised toward the St. Baldrick’s Foundation since the event was coordinated by the SIU Residence Hall Association in January.

Tyler Noragon, a graduate student in educational administration and higher education from Columbia City, Ind., was the event coordinator for the “Brave the Shave” fundraiser.

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“Every three minutes a child is diagnosed with cancer,” said Noragon, who volunteered to have is head shaved. “The main goal was to raise awareness to gain support from the university.”

Before the event started, $2,300 was raised, $700 short of the goal. Cookies and bracelets were sold at 50 cents each, and other donations were accepted on site. The total donations received at the event came to an even $100.

Jonathon Vazquez, a freshman from Franklin Park studying therapeutic recreation, chose to shave his head for the cause. 

“You will never know what a cancer patient is going through mentally, but we can at least make them feel better about their heads,” Vazquez said.

Fourteen people volunteered to have their heads shaved — some pre-registered and other chose to get their hair cut for the cause last minute. Besides Noragon and Vazquez, 11 undergraduate students, a faculty member and community member, Rebecca Clarida, donated their locks.

Inspirational letters were written and decorated at a table by spectators of the event. The letters will be sent to the St. Baldrick’s foundation in Monrovia, Calif., where they will be distributed across the country to children fighting cancer. 

“St. Baldrick’s volunteer event organizers, shavees, barbers, sponsors, donors, staff, board members and other volunteers generate 100 percent of revenues,” according to the St. Baldrick’s website.

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The man behind the clippers was barber Mike George from the Murdale Barber Shop.

“Not everybody has the courage to shave their heads bald,” George said. “It’s a nice way to show support and raise money for the kids.”

The event had about 30 volunteers from Delta Phi Epsilon, Omega Delta and the Saluki works program.

For information about donating, visit the “Brave the Shave” page on the St. Baldrick’s foundation website.

Evan Jones can be reached at [email protected]