Force of Nature

Over the past week, I’ve been called an inspiration, a powerhouse and — my personal fave — a force of nature. While that all makes me feel really, really good, this is not a one-woman-show, people. There is an army of volunteers who stand behind me and beside me without whom our event could never happen.

First of all, the barbers. They are on their feet shaving head after head after head for hours on end. They hunch over the little kids and let the very littlest stand up in the chairs. They calm the nervous shaking bodies and they comfort the crying. They laugh and they cheer and they do it with style.

So, a most enormous and heartfelt THANK YOU to Alex Quintana and his crew from Quintana’s: Theo, Mike and Jessica.

And, of course, to the fabulous Shawn Paul, aided and abetted by Bethany and Angela.

Thank you also to Rachel and Megan from Kreate and Rick, Laura, Racheal and Caroline, without whom there would be no bald heads (and what would be the point of that?).

Thank you to my tireless Treasurers and Registrars: Becky, Ann, Christie, Nancy (mom), Mark (honey), Jennifer, Julie, Julie, Kristy, Brenna, Ashlie, and Melissa. No one could check in and no one could give money if it weren’t for your hard work (and what would be the point of that?).

Thank you to everyone who worked at the Bake Sale table, especially Shari, Sheryl, Joe, Simon, and Logan, and of course, to everyone who baked for the Bake Sale, even though I have no idea who you are or what you brought. When I headed over to start emceeing, there were maybe two items on the table and when I finished four hours later, there was only one item on the table and I asked a volunteer if there had been any food at all. “Oh yes!” she assured me, and she must have been right because it brought in an additional $338. Nicely done on that!

Thank you to Simone Quartell for donating the American Girl Doll and to Nancy, Nicole, Kristi and Amelia for selling raffle tickets. We made one little girl very happy, plus raised another $478 for cancer research.

Thank you to anyone and everyone who stepped in and did jobs small — sweeping up all the hair off the floor (Nancy and Caroline) — and big — taking all the beautiful photos which you will soon get to see (Dallas and Sagi).

Thank you to the City of Cleveland Heights for so graciously hosting us year after year.

Thank you to Jason for helping me celebrate my own knight in shining armor, Mark, as he was inducted into the Knights of the Bald Table. I think your bagpiping skills served a recruiting tool for next year and the year after that as we now have lots of little boys (and girls) eagerly awaiting their own knighthoods.

Typical that he’s helping me out during his own knighting, but
I couldn’t hold the microphone, the St Baldrick’s-issued wand and the script all at the same time!

And, of course, without question, the biggest, deepest, most well-earned THANK YOU to all the men, women, boys, and girls who shaved their heads or donated their locks on behalf of sick children. The entire room was overflowing with raw and honest examples of generosity and kindness. The incredible bravery of our shavees was matched only by their pure joy at having done something so special.

This is a composite of kids from Team Fairfax centered around Becca, in whose honor they all shaved. And, yes, those are four GIRLS in the pics on top, demonstrating the truest meaning of friendship. Braedan happily reported that no one was made fun of at school today (and good thing because if they were, I would have marched my ass in there and gone house on those kids whose classes I spoke to all day Friday) and that they were congratulated by many, many, many. He feels like they’re all part of something bigger, like they’ve shared an important life experience that has brought them closer (“even,” as he noted tonight with some amazement, “the girls”). It is a powerful lesson these children have learned together. And I am so glad to have been part of it.

I have a thousand other stories to tell and about that many photos to share so check back in the next few days. But for now, I simply say Thank You.