Concordia Seminary, St. Louis [1] raised $11,626 at the St. Baldrick’s Foundation [2] head-shaving fundraiser held Thursday in Koburg Hall, surpassing its goal of $11,000.
Thirty-two “shavees” — which included President Dr. Dale A. Meyer and his grandson, students, faculty, staff and additional supporters from the St. Louis community — volunteered to “rock the bald” by having their heads and beards shaved for the event.
St. Baldrick’s head-shaving events give “shavees” a way to a way to stand in solidarity with children who are fighting cancer and to raise support for the foundation’s mission to find a cure for childhood cancers.
Stylists from Great Clips in the Hampton Village Shopping Center shaved heads on-site.
“This year, our event included five women who had their heads shaved,” said Director of Ministerial Recruitment and Admissions Rev. Bill Wrede, the event’s site coordinator. “One seminarian had his hair carefully braided and cut so it can be used to make wigs for children who have cancer in Israel. Having a shaving event on our campus is a wonderful opportunity for our community to support the work of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.”
A highlight of the Seminary’s event was a visit from Conrad and Eileen Haubrich, the parents of the Seminary’s St. Baldrick’s Honored Child in 2016 and 2017, Brett Haubrich. Brett, 14, died Jan. 10 from a “monster brain tumor” that was diagnosed in 2014.
“His heart was pure and he just wanted a chance to grow up,” according to his obituary. “TEAM BRETT raised over $10,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation in the hopes that other children would not have to endure as much as he did. He fought for 3 1/2 years this monster brain tumor. It took his right side leg and arm/hand function and speech. But it never took his faith, love and kindness.”
Since partnering with St. Baldrick’s in 2012, Concordia Seminary has raised more than $69,000 for the foundation thanks to the volunteers who forego their hair in support of this worthwhile cause. To learn more about this event, visit https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/mypage/7823/2018 [3] or Wrede at 314-505-7221 or [email protected] [4].
About Concordia Seminary
Concordia Seminary, St. Louis provides Gospel-centered graduate-level theological education for pastors, missionaries, deaconesses, scholars and other leaders in the name of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS) [5]. To learn more, visit www.csl.edu [6].