The day was drizzly, but voices were cheering and hands were clapping as hairdresser Stéphanie Phaneuf shaved 15 heads, one after the other. It was the Shaved Head Challenge for Leucan under a tent at the Castonguay Park in Cookshire-Eaton on July 8. The goal was to raise $2000, but that aim proved to be modest. In all, the event raised $2790 to help offer services and support research for children with cancer.
First under the razor was Louis Laroche, followed by six other members of the Cookshire-Eaton Agglomeration’s firefighters. The price on the head of Sylvie Lapointe, District 6 municipal councillor for Cookshire-Eaton, was $1000, and she too was shaved. Other volunteers included Jayden McBurney, age 7, Isaiah Mosher, age 10, Evan Lloyd, age 11, and Devin Coleman, age 13.
The challenge took place following the annual softball tournament for youth. Some 200 persons, young and old, enjoyed the ball games, music, an inflatable play area, rides, games, balloons, hot dogs and more. Between games, First Responders and Fire Fighters gave a demonstration of an emergency rescue, using a wounded dummy whose plastic intestines were spilling out, and whose leg was hemorrhaging. « He’s a lucky guy », said Yvon Laroche, captain of the fire station in Sawyerville.
This was the first Shaved Head Challenge organized by the Firefighters, Cookshire-Eaton, IGA Cookshire and La Relève du Haut-Saint-François.
« It was a great result », said the Leucan project leader, Sara-Maude Parr-Boucher. « Thanks to all ! We hope to do this again next year, with even more participants. »