Going Bald For A Cause In WOC; Event Benefits Child Cancer Foundation

WEST OCEAN CITY -- The latest batch of freshly shorn heads will be revealed Saturday when the men and women of the Delmarva Emerald Society go under the clippers at a West Ocean City restaurant.

At least a dozen members of the Delmarva Emerald Society, an Eastern Shore branch of the historic brotherhood of firefighters and first-responders, will have their heads shaved at the Station 7 restaurant in West Ocean City for the benefit of the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, which was founded in 2000 with the goal of bridging the funding gap for research and support of childhood cancer causes by shaving the heads of men and women with a fun event loosely based around the St. Patrick’s Day festivities.

The first-ever St. Baldrick’s event was held on March 17 at Jim Brady’s Pub in Manhattan when 17 brave souls agreed to have their heads shorn with the goal of raising $17,000. The inaugural event blew away all expectations when organizers were able to collect $104,000, which was donated to the Children’s Oncology Group.

Since then, the organization has grown by leaps and bounds with hundreds of events across the country each year around St. Patrick’s Day and thousands going under the clippers for the cause.

The Delmarva Emerald Society, representing firefighters and first-responders from all over the shore, got into the act with their first event three years ago and promptly raised around $26,000 for the cause.

Last year, the Delmarva Emerald Society raised just around $10,000 in its second annual event and the organization is hopeful of reaching that goal again this year with its event on Saturday.

Organizer James Jester said this week about a dozen society members had committed to have their heads shaved, including at least two women.

“We have about 12 people officially signed up and the sponsor donations have been coming in at a pretty good rate, but we fully expect to really pick up momentum on the day of the event,” he said. “Typically, people that just came to watch, or were just there anyway, get caught up in the spirit and join in.”

Jester said the St. Baldrick’s event is just one way the Delmarva Emerald Society supports the community.

“I’m not really sure how we got started doing it,” he said. “I was doing an Internet search for something else and this organization came up. I read about it and thought what a great and fun way for us to help.”