Guarded Area: St. Baldrick's and my bald head

It's been a long 5 months of anticipation. I decided, on a whim to raise money for St. Baldrick's by shaving my head. I set the date for St. Patrick's Day, compromising my parents 35 year anniversary. I facebooked. I tweeted. I bombarded. And I had no idea the support that was going to come my way.

Thanksgiving happened, and I had learned that a friend of mine from my Up With People days had a daughter who was fighting cancer. I had already signed up for a fundraiser for Gilda's Club, a charity I have supported for the past few years with shows and jumping off a building. I was set to jump off the building again, but my mind kept drifting to this little girl, with her Iron Man masks and huge smile. I wanted to do something different. Something to help kids like her.

So, I signed up for St. Baldrick's at midnight after a long day. It was an impulse decision, so I immediately put it out there so I couldn't second guess myself.

It was a slow start. I didn't want to be too pushy. Then I realized I should be pushy. And my $1,000 goal became $2,000. Then $2,500. Then $3,000. Then $4,000. And people kept donating. And supporting. And messaging me. About their own experiences with family in treatment. With loss of loved ones. And each story made me more determined.

The day finally came. I was good. Fine. Until about noon. Then my stomach dropped. I felt the way I felt before jumping out of a plane. Nerves kicked in. I couldn't breathe.

My co-workers, my mother, and my grandmother talked me down. Grandma flew down from Columbus to cut off my pony tail. Then we decided to raffle off opportunities to slice one of 6 tails, thus making more money for the charity and involving everyone in the event. Grandma got to cut the last one. My brother's best friend from high school, Brian, who I've known since I was 14 was the first to be picked. Then my friend Steve. Then Jason Burgoon, a friend and the husband of Jessica, my sister's best friend, who got to chop off the next tail. Finally, I picked my sister's boyfriend, Nick, who a)is awesome and b)I have a jokey love/hate relationship with (I nicknamed him Doodle after our first meeting). Grandma cut the last one, gave me a kiss, and then Jen Cross-Van Portfleet (Jess's sister) of Aspen Falls Aveda Salon and Spa did the rest.

As I'm typing, we have raised $5,025 towards childhood cancer research. THAT IS FREAKING AWESOME AND I HAVE YOU TO THANK! All of my friends and family have been so wonderful and supportive of not only my fundraising efforts, but of my bald head and me in general. It's been an incredibly humbling experience, and I am so glad that you all were on this journey with me.

Thank you to a long list of donors, supporters, cheerleaders, and friends. You guys are the bees!