Sunday, April 3 marks the 6th Candor St. Baldrick’s Shave-a-Thon, and some people have been letting their hair grow since last year. Now, event organizers have added something new to the annual event: a 5-K Run/Walk. The five-kilometer course – just over three miles – runs through the village of Candor, offering participants an opportunity to see everything from historic homes to geese swimming above the upper dam.
The 5-K race, or ramble depending on your pace, kicks off the St. Baldrick’s event at 9:30 in the morning – although racers will need to check in at the Ambulance Garage beginning at 8:45 a.m. Registration for the run/walk is $15 – or $25 if you want an event T-shirt – and it’s a great way to support childhood cancer research without losing your hair.
Register online at www.stbaldricks.org/events/candor2016 as a “Volunteer”, putting 5K in front of your name, or by contacting Kelly Starkweather at krstarkwe@gmail.com or 972-4395. If you want a T-shirt, make sure you get registered by March 17.
The Shave-a-Thon starts after the race, and goes from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Candor Fire Station. There’s plenty of room for more “shavees”, says event organizer Starkweather.
Why shave your head? “Volunteers shave their heads because kids with cancer often lose their hair during treatment,” says Starkweather, “and shavees stand proudly bald beside them.”
But the real goal isn’t going bald. It’s curing childhood cancer, a goal that will be accomplished because the shaving event raises funds for cancer research.
Over the past years, St. Baldrick’s donors and volunteers have enabled the foundation to fund over $178 million in grants, allowing the foundation to fund more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization – except the U.S. Government.
“We also want people to know that there will be an Honor Wall,” says Starkweather. If you know of any children who have had cancer, please have their family contact Starkweather so they can be featured on the Honor Wall. Starkweather is also looking for T-shirt sponsors and raffle items for the event. Contact her at krstarkwe@gmail.com or 972-4395.
