Shaving their heads for a good cause

Ryan Tan (left) and Nick Schiller shaved their heads last year to benefit St. Baldrick’s. Photo: John Quinn

There will be plenty of heads shaved and money raised April 5 when Campus Housing hosts annual its St. Baldrick’s event in the Student Center East atrium.

Over the past three years, Campus Housing faculty, staff and residents have raised more than $20,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which funds childhood cancer research. This year, they increased their goal by $5,000.

Event organizer Gavin Quinn will go bald for the fifth year in a row — he even schedules his haircuts around the head-shaving fundraiser. Quinn often plays the bagpipes at the annual event, but this year decided to take a more modern approach by acting as DJ.

“It’s a real easy way for people to be involved in a good cause,” said Quinn, a resident assistant in campus housing.

“For people like me who could never run a marathon, shaving my head is not that big of a deal.”

Fellow resident assistant and event treasurer John Lullo will join Quinn. Influenced by his parents, who work in health care, and his girlfriend, who is pursuing a degree in nursing, Lullo decided St. Baldrick’s was a worthy reason to give up his hair.

“You’re shaving your head for a good cause,” Lullo said.

The event starts at 6 p.m. Whether you donate, volunteer, or simply go to the atrium and watch the hair shower the floor, Quinn encourages everyone to get involved.
“If we can get people together to raise money to fight kids’ cancer and shave our head and have fun, why not?” Quinn said.

moconn31@uic.edu