A close shave for a charitable cause
A pair of Timaru men preparing the region for a close shave have been overwhelmed with the response to the annual fundraiser.
Mark Bower and Ash Ronald are this year’s South Canterbury Child Cancer Foundation Shave Your Lid For A Brave Kid fundraisers, and have been encouraging as many people as possible to get behind the event which will be held at the Speight’s Ale House on October 29.
Participants raise money to have their hair shaved off at a ‘‘funrazor’’ evening.
As of Monday, the pair had managed to get 40 people on board to take part. This also included Bower and Ronald who were raising funds to keep their locks. Bower said the pair had been ‘‘overwhelmed’’ with the response they had received from individuals, as well as businesses which had donated prizes for the event.
‘‘It’s going really well in the lead up to the event,’’ he said. ‘‘At this stage 40 heads are on the line for the event. The response has been fantastic and people are really supportive and generous.’’
The men had come on board this year to generate interest in the event and raise awareness, and had been around the streets of Timaru ‘‘roping in’’ anyone who was interested in taking part. ‘‘Of the 40 people who are taking part so far, about half a dozen have approached us.’’
One participant was an 8-yearold boy who was raising money to keep his rat’s tail on his head, Bower said. The amount each person raised was up to them, with some people already exceeding their fundraising targets.
‘‘There’s still a few to reach their target line and people can choose when they sign up to have their hair shaved, or to save their hair.’’
Bower said the fundraising head shave was the only Shave Your Lid event left in the South Island and the South Canterbury Child Cancer Foundation committee was proud of this fact. The event will begin at 2pm.