Shaveathon a HUGE hit!!!!

The school raised a bucket load. They raised nearly $5000 for canteen, nearly $700 just in gold coin donations for the camp quality puppet show (which is free, but they wanted to give a donation), they raised nearly $11,000 for cure our kids – with more donations yet to come once there was “proof” that they didn’t back out of the shave. It was such a special day and the place was buzzing. There were 4 shavers, firstly the principal, who let Seth and Taylah have a go at cutting her hair. She cut her hair into a Mohawk and strutted around like that whilst everyone else got their hair shaved – an office lady Mrs Stephenson who put so much work into the day, Mrs Edwards who is a mum and the mystery shaver was another teacher who had not been without a beard in many, many years. He shaved his head and his face. When they had finished, the principal went the rest of the way, and then she got the shaving cream and the razorblade out and went the extra mile and had her head razored.
They told me that all the local businesses have been just amazing promoting the shave at their shops and collecting money for cure our kids. There was a couple of businesses who donated ipod’s for a raffle and one business who knows one of the St George Dragons players personally (Ben Creagh for those in the know), and got Seth a signed jersey – which delighted him to no end. There were 4 hairdressers that closed their business for the afternoon, so that they could be there to shave.
Cure our Kids was represented by a lady called Katrina and she said that she has been to thousands of these events, but none that had such an enthusiastic vibe about it. We were nearly going deaf with the kids chanting “shave, shave, shave, shave” and when Seth was up shaving they were chanting out his name, and when Taylah was up shaving they were chanting out her name. Just incredible and something I don’t think anyone will ever forget. One of the parents owns a transportable coffee business and he donated all the money he made to cure our kids – so that has to be added up as well.
Seth was well represented by his family, with 2 of his great grandparents, all 4 grandparents, 2 aunties and one uncle came along to support him and the school. Taylah raised nearly $600 for the charity as well, so that was a good way that she could contribute.
I think that there will be a huge write up on it in the paper, as the journalists from the Advertiser and the Chronicle were present. Cure our Kids will be flashing it all over their facebook page as well if you want a further look. Katrina said that that amount of money will keep them going for another 6 months worth of charity work so that is quite overwhelming. And I got spoilt with a big bunch of flowers – which I am thoroughly enjoying.
I have to tell you that for all our human faults, there are so many beautiful people out there that are just so inherently good. My faith in mankind has been utterly restored once again after seeing the outpouring of kindness and goodwill. One child came up to us after the shave (nervous as all get-out) to tell us that he was very sorry about our son.
The puppet show was great too. It gave us all a belly laugh and it was really the first time that the kids have seen Seth for many months and they all kept waving at him and calling his name – he got very shy, but I think it broke the ice for him. The principal told us that the kids were so interested in cancer and had so many questions and they have really been showing a lot of interest in the whole thing and it shone through on Friday, just how encouraging they are. Seth’s class has a special chair set aside for Seth and the students bring in a bear from home and they put their bear in Seth’s chair – so sweet. The school is so supportive and caring, I just can’t say enough about the school or the Picton community. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else, or bring my children up anywhere else. You just can't get better than the support we have been shown by so many. What a horrible disease cancer is, but it brings out so much good in people and that, I can say, is a blessing.