‘WOODLAND SHAVES’ IS RAISING MONEY FOR KIDS WITH CANCER
Community members were in luck if they were either in search of a haircut or just wanted to help out and raise awareness — and some money — for a great cause.
On Saturday evening, in partnership with the St. Baldrick Foundation, community members registered and then patiently waited outside Father Paddy’s Pub on Main Street for their turn to shave their heads. In some cases, volunteers shaved their beards as well, raising money for children with cancer.
According to the foundations’ website, St. Baldrick’s is a volunteer-powered charity that funds more in childhood cancer research grants than any organization except the U.S. government.
“I have not done this before, but I’m learning a little bit every day,” said Sgt. Ted Ruiz, whose head-shaving headlined the event. “Next year, we plan to be bigger and better and improve on what we are doing right now.”
The foundation has put on similar events like Saturday’s “Woodland Shaves” in the past, usually around St. Patrick’s Day and indoors.
“As a member of the City Council and the Woodland community, I recognize how important it is to stand with our police officers and firefighters as they give of their time to St. Baldrick’s,” said Councilman Rich Lansburgh, who was in attendance. “I registered to have my head shaved at the invitation of Sgt. Ted Ruiz has been so instrumental in maintaining the momentum of Woodland Shaves. It was a wonderful event that raised a pretty good sum for St. Baldrick’s. Losing a bit of my hair is such a small sacrifice when compared to what the kids have to endure when they have been diagnosed with such a terrible disease.”
Ruiz was able to grow his hair to luscious curly levels as a part of a joke between fellow police officers at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic nearly a year ago.
Due to the lack of open barbershops, Ruiz joked that he would not cut his hair for a while.
Ruiz, who has been in the Woodland Police Department for the past 16 years, began his connection with the foundation over the summer when he first met six-year-old Pastor P., the event’s honoree.
After pulling over his grandfather for a traffic infraction, Ruiz met and connected with Pastor.
“I realized that I might be able to turn this into a cause and a way to bring awareness to childhood cancer,” Ruiz said. “He was in the middle of treatment, and he was really the impetus behind this whole thing that really got me involved in it. I thought our department will give me the free reign to run with this, and we have a big social media presence so we can share it and get more people involved and bring the community together.”
The event raised $27,372 as of Monday morning. According to the St. Baldricks website, Pastor’s cancer is now in remission.
“I wish to thank Father
Paddy’s for hosting the site, to the many volunteers who helped out, and to all those who donated to the cause,” Lansburgh said. “It was great to see so many Woodlanders enjoying the head shaving and joining in the fun of the event for such a great and serious cause as St. Baldrick’s. As we improve our COVID numbers I hope that we can gather in greater numbers for such worthy causes while at the same time maintaining a level of safety.”