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More than $30,000 raised through Balding For Dollars

Hair shaving event benefits BC Children's Hospital

Kai Lim's dad couldn't participate in Balding For Dollars this year because he had to work so Kai, 5, bravely took his dad's seat in the barber's chair.

Kai's mom, Sonya Hwang, said her son has seen the event every year since he was a baby because his dad was one of the regulars who has his head shaved each year to support kids with cancer.

When asked why he had his head shaved Kai looked down to the ground and said: "I just wanted to."

The slightly shy young supporter of the BC Children's hospital raised more than $650 from friends and family who pledged his bold move to baldness.

"It means a lot to us to help sick kids," said Hwang while looking at her son's new image with a proud smile.

Other young participants like Tannin De Vries, 4, and Sam Baker, 7, raised money for the event on Saturday, March 24.

The kids and the adults involved in the fundraising event brought in a total of $30,291.

"We were totally blown away," said event organizer Dave Clark.

The original goal was to raise $15,000 and Clark said that about 25 people showed up to have their hair shaved. The amount of the pledges they brought in exceeded expectations.

"You never quite know what is going to walk through the door," Clark said.

The fundraiser was helped this year by the addition of a silent auction that was run by The Adventure Group and the Crystal Lodge. The silent auction raised "a few thousand dollars," said Clark.

Craig Warren, the first person to undergo the hair transformation at the GLC, said he raised $70 going into the event and planned to raise more. His ample curly locks were cut and saved for use in the creation of wigs.

Sheila Lepine and her son Jacob were the next two hair donors. Lepine said between her and her son they raised more than $1,600.

The giving continued through the après festivities at the base of Whistler Mountain while the Hairfarmers played music and the crowd at the GLC cheered as each newly bald head was revealed.

Clark noted that this was the tenth Balding For Dollars event in Whistler. It was also the tenth time Amanda Stock donated her hair harvesting skills to the event. She and her partner Naomi Boyd from the Blackcomb Barber Shoppe saved the long locks for use in the creation of wigs for cancer patients undergoing treatments that result in hair loss.