On Saturday, March 30th at Fire Station 89, LA City firefighters and police officers shaved their heads in solidarity to support children who have lost their hair from cancer treatments. By raising money through pledges to cut their hair, shavees like LAFD firefighter Rudy Rocha help the St. Baldrick’s Foundation by funding research grants specifically designated towards finding a cure. More than $55K was raised from this year’s event ¬– bringing the total through 17 years to over $1.2 million dollars!
Like events in the past, this year’s event was “all about the kids.” Magicians from the Magic Castle mesmerized the little ones with their tricks, Frozen actresses Elsa and Anna from Your Magical Party posed for pictures with the children, LAFD S&M’s talented artist Derrick Tinsley drew amazing kids’ caricatures, and families enjoyed exploring the LAPD Historical Society’s vintage patrol cars and having their photo taken in Laura Lichter’s LAPD motorbike picture booth. LAFD Captain Cody Weireter arrived in the famous Bandwagon fire engine and families waited patiently to take pictures with the vintage apparatus. As with tradition, the crowd enjoyed a delicious free pancake and sausage breakfast from Pancake Factory North Hollywood as food for hundreds of hungry mouths was cooked on UFLAC’s “Mother of All Barbecues.” The crowd quenched their hunger and thirst further with drinks/snacks from KENK USA’s Kelly Khoury, Huntington Hospital’s Jackie Baca-Geary recruited donors for their blood drive, and LAFD firefighter Roger Sackaroff stopped by to support the Be the Match bone marrow registration effort in support of his son Jesse.
Los Angeles Police Federal Credit Union employee Kevin Le again helped organize an amazing silent auction (with donations by the LA City Employees Club, Home Depot, Sears, LAPD Air Support Division, Fire Axe Inc., So Cherry Cute, Fire Attire, and others)—contributing more than $3700 to this year’s event! Grey’s Anatomy actor Jason Winston George and LAFD Dispatcher Deby Herdich both smiled as seasoned event barbers who shaved heads like pros while Civil Air Patrol Cadet Post Advisor Shawnie Livera stepped up to have her annual head shaving! LAFD Fire Chief Ralph Terrazas shaved LAFD co-organizer Danny Wu’s dome, and new LAPD Police Chief Michel Moore looked entertained as he began buzzing LAPD co-organizer Lieutenant Greg Doyle’s hair in front of an approving crowd. Councilmember Paul Krekorian also made an appearance as his council office graciously donated all the tables and chairs, while former LAFD Cadet Stephen Celi and his talented band “Dark Desert Highway” entertained the crowd with live music in collaboration with donated DJ services from LAFD Firefighter Greg Balandran.
Thank you also to all that volunteered, pledged, participated, and brought your families out for a worthy cause. A special token of gratitude goes out to Fire Station 89 for hosting the event, ACE Party Rentals in North Hollywood for donating event supplies, and LAPD Detective Nick Sinclair for his hard work and enthusiasm as a new LAPD co-organizer.
We look forward to seeing you all next year, and remember it’s not too late to donate online at: www.stbaldricks.org/events/lafdlapd