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Grain Valley, MO —
Why people give can be a bit of a mystery.
Megan Bittel, a high school senior at Grain Valley, couldn’t even put her thoughts into words – well, not quickly, anyway.
“I don’t have anyone in my family who has cancer,” Bittel said Friday after a long pause. “But it’s a pretty common thing and it hurts a lot of people.”
Especially children, she said.
After being voted by her senior class as having the Biggest Heart, Bittel began researching how she could make the ultimate difference. She spoke to her math teacher and he told her about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, an organization that raises money to combat cancer in children.
“I decided to do it,” Bittel said.
Since Jan. 7, Bittel and friends have held five bake sales, selling their wares to students at school during lunch period. A little more than $1,000 was raised, and on Friday Bittel and the entire high school student body, local firefighters and staff put the cherry on the cake.
“We’re hoping to get over $3,000,” she said before the Brave-a-Shave event on Friday.
By charging a $1 admission to everyone who entered the gymnasium, Bittel said she’s confident they’ll make the goal. Even before the program started, they had collected $2,600.
Prior to the beginning of the show, nine teachers had agreed to take pies in the face; seven students and teachers agreed to shave their heads, and seven Grain Valley firefighters agreed, too.
When it started, the pies flew quickly, dousing teachers with a creamy combination of Cool Whip and icing.
Across the gymnasium floor, razors started buzzing and hair started falling.
Two of the children who agreed to have their heads shaved, Jon Carter and Barak Joslin, did so to help with the effort. It didn’t take long: six careful swipes and the boys’ heads were as smooth as they day they were born.
The event lasted more than an hour. It’s unknown how much money was raised, and Bittel said that all funds will be sent to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
“I think it was a success,” she said. “Kids really responded to it. Maybe they’ll support anything if it gets them out of class.”
For more information, visit www.stbaldricks.org.
Why people give can be a bit of a mystery.
Megan Bittel, a high school senior at Grain Valley, couldn’t even put her thoughts into words – well, not quickly, anyway.
“I don’t have anyone in my family who has cancer,” Bittel said Friday after a long pause. “But it’s a pretty common thing and it hurts a lot of people.”
Especially children, she said.
After being voted by her senior class as having the Biggest Heart, Bittel began researching how she could make the ultimate difference. She spoke to her math teacher and he told her about the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, an organization that raises money to combat cancer in children.
“I decided to do it,” Bittel said.
Since Jan. 7, Bittel and friends have held five bake sales, selling their wares to students at school during lunch period. A little more than $1,000 was raised, and on Friday Bittel and the entire high school student body, local firefighters and staff put the cherry on the cake.
“We’re hoping to get over $3,000,” she said before the Brave-a-Shave event on Friday.
By charging a $1 admission to everyone who entered the gymnasium, Bittel said she’s confident they’ll make the goal. Even before the program started, they had collected $2,600.
Prior to the beginning of the show, nine teachers had agreed to take pies in the face; seven students and teachers agreed to shave their heads, and seven Grain Valley firefighters agreed, too.
When it started, the pies flew quickly, dousing teachers with a creamy combination of Cool Whip and icing.
Across the gymnasium floor, razors started buzzing and hair started falling.
Two of the children who agreed to have their heads shaved, Jon Carter and Barak Joslin, did so to help with the effort. It didn’t take long: six careful swipes and the boys’ heads were as smooth as they day they were born.
The event lasted more than an hour. It’s unknown how much money was raised, and Bittel said that all funds will be sent to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation.
“I think it was a success,” she said. “Kids really responded to it. Maybe they’ll support anything if it gets them out of class.”
For more information, visit www.stbaldricks.org.
