Maybe it was the weather, maybe it was the company or perhaps it was men in kilts that drew the larger than normal crowd this past Sunday to the 's 3rd annual St. Baldrick event.
Owner Jim Pavese knew better, it is the cause he said.
"It is an amazing turnout and by far our biggest year yet," said Pavese. "Pediatric cancer touches everyone."
That may have been the reason for some like Michael Rozza to turnout for the event. Known to many as Gooky, he coaches for the Kings Park Soccer Club. A few years back he coached Lauren Lenardi, a Kings Park High School student and soccer player who was diagnosed in December with a rare form of cancer. Many have been held throughout Kings Park and the surrounding town to help support the family.
"She is a good kid," he said. "Good family."
A Kings Park fire fighter was willing to have his mustache shaved off in honor of his wife who is a cancer survivor. Pavese played host to a bidding war encouraging the crowd to give more as one of the barbers shaved his face clean.
"I am honored to do this. It is a privledge," siad Liz Deluca, owner of the Kings Park Barber Shop. Deluca and her staff donate their services each year for the event.
St. Baldricks got its name from a combination of Bald and St. Patrick’s and take place generally around St. Patrick's Day. The events aim to raise money to fund cancer research for childhood cancers. According to the foundation's website more than $95 million has been raised and those funds have been distributed to over 230 institutions of the Children’s Oncology Group .
Paevese said that at 3 p.m. they had already surpassed their goal of $50,000 and still had another four more hours until the event would be through.
"The town is amazing for doing this. It gets better and better every year," said Pavese.
