Saturday, in a basement at 1318 W. Wells St., a crowd that looked like a scene from “Animal House” gathered and cheered on Anna Feeley, junior in the College of Arts & Sciences.
As part of an event held by Marquette’s Evans Scholars, Feeley was shaving her head for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, a volunteer-driven charity that funds research to find cures for childhood cancers and help survivors. Feely said she had raised more than $350 for the foundation online.
She said children with cancer do not have a choice about whether or not they have hair;
she does.
“For me this was a choice,” Feeley said.
Before shaving her head, Feeley cut off 15 inches of hair and donated it to Locks of Love, a non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children suffering from long-term hair loss.
“I’m hoping to learn a lot about what beauty means,” Feeley said. She was the only female out of the about-60 participants.
Feeley said she hopes that through her participation, more students become involved with St. Baldricks.
The head-shaving event is in its third year at Marquette. The Evans Scholars are golf caddies who receive full housing and tuition scholarships based on academic achievement and financial need.
Devlin Gray, junior in the College of Business Administration, will take over the position of lead event organizer next year.
Gray said he has been the face of the event for the last three years. Beginning March 1 of each year, Gray dresses up as a leprechaun until the event.
“I get a lot of looks and stares, but that’s the whole point of why I dress up,” Gray said.
Gray was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia at 11 months. When he was four-and-a-half years old, he relapsed and was diagnosed with a Leukemic brain tumor. His younger brother was his bone-marrow transplant donor and Gray is now in remission.
Gray said he wants the event to become a “staple in the (Marquette) way of life.”
Next year will be Gray’s senior year at Marquette, and he wants to expand the event as much as he can, he said.
Danielle Scaccia, senior in the College of Education and lead organizer for the event this year, said over the last three years Marquette has raised almost $27,000. She brought the event to Marquette in 2010.
Scaccia said the fundraising goal for the 2012 event was $8,000, but they surpassed their goal and raised more than $12,000. The event raises money through a combination of monetary donations, button sales and T-shirt sales.
“It is so awesome to see such brave men and women raise money for a great cause, but to also give not only money, but part of themselves to helping children,” Scaccia said.
Chris Mojek, freshman in the College of Engineering and Evans Scholar, also shaved his head at the event.
Mojek said he thought shaving his head would be a fun way to raise money and awareness.
“By participating, I am hoping to make it a campus-wide event,” he said.
