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Heavenly Mountain Resort hosting St. Baldrick’s Shave for Kids cancer charity

Sebastian Foltz
sfoltz@tahoedailytribune.com
The St. Baldrick's Foundation Brave the Shave for Kids with Cancer will take place at Heavenly Mountain Resort Saturday, March. 5.
Courtesy / City of South Lake Tahoe |

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE — Expect to see a lot of bald heads around the South Shore next week. Heavenly Mountain Resort will host South Lake Tahoe’s annual St. Baldrick’s Foundation Brave the Shave for Kids with Cancer charity fundraiser on Saturday, March 5, at the California Lodge. Put on in association with Northern Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation, 100 percent of proceeds benefit childhood cancer research.

“It’s a heartwarming event,” Nevada cancer foundation director Debbie Strickland said. “Even if you’re not shaving, it’s really fun. We kind of do it like a rock show.”

In its fifth year on the South Shore and 11th in Reno, the two events have combined to raise $1.8 million, Strickland explained, adding that to-date they have shaved close to 2,900 heads.



The South Lake Tahoe event alone annually raises between $50,000 and $60,000 with roughly 150 participants. Nationwide, St. Baldrick’s raised close to $37 million in 2015.

Speaking to local success, South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue captain Jim Drennan said, “It really spread through word of mouth.”



Drennan, who helped bring the event to the South Shore, credited his fellow department members as well as Heavenly staff for the high level of participation.

“It was pretty shocking what the overwhelming response was,” Drennan explained of the event’s first year. “Heavenly (ski patrol) was tremendous.”

For Drennan, like many of the participants, it’s a charity that hits close to home.

His daughter, Caitlyn, was born in 2010 with stage 4 neuroblastoma — cancer in the spine. With Caitlyn now cancer-free at age 5, Drennan said she “is doing great,” although suffering from some physical and cognitive repercussions from the disease.

He and his 7-year-old son Cameron plan to take part in the event again this year.

Drennan acknowledged the support from the Nevada Children’s Cancer Foundation during his daughter’s treatment.

“They were there,” he said. “They didn’t even bat an eye. They were phenomenal.”

Strickland said the annual fundraiser includes a lot of families who have dealt with cancer, like Drennan.

“These are the venues to come together and celebrate,” she said. “It’s a fun evening for a great cause.”

Participants are asked to raise at least $50 per person. Donations can be made in person or online through a link at http://www.nvchildrenscancer.org or http://www.stbasldricks.org. Saturday’s event will take place from 5-8 p.m. at the California Lodge base area at Heavenly.


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