Office of Sponsored Programs holds children's fundraiser

By Marc Spier
University News Service
March 7, 2007

Four staff from Texas State University-San Marcos will be shaving their heads as a fundraiser for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the world’s biggest volunteer-driven fundraising program for childhood cancer. The group hopes to solicit over $2,000 for children’s cancer research.

The trimming will commence Friday, March 9 at 2 p.m. in the JCK administration building on campus in professional development conference room 460. Food and drinks will be provided and the event is open to the public. The haircuts serve as a symbolic gesture to children diagnosed with cancer that will lose their hair from chemotherapy treatment.

“It’s a way to have some fun in the office while doing something good,” said assistant director for the Office of Sponsored Programs and event organizer Julie Brown.

Participants include Scott Erwin, director of the Office of Sponsored Programs, Valerie Anderson, professional development assistant in the Office of Professional Development and Jason Toews and Leigh Schuller, both from the Cashier’s Office.

Since its inception in 1999, St. Baldrick’s events have taken place in 10 countries and 42 states, raising over $20 million and shaving more than 26,000 heads. The organization has raised over $3 million dollars so far this year. Worldwide, over 160,000 children are diagnosed with cancer annually, pressing the need for continued research.

Anyone interested in participating in the event or providing donations should contact Julie Brown at (512) 245-7828 or via e-mail at jb58@txstate.edu. More information on St. Baldrick’s can be found at www.stbaldricks.org.