By Lucie Roy
Morinville – Georges H. Primeau School was the kick off for the Hair Massacure, an annual fundraiser for cancer that involves participants dying their hair pink and raising money. The funds raised this year will be split between the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation, the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Northern Alberta, and Ronald McDonald Foundation of Northern Alberta. The support is provided to children with life threatening illnesses.
Co-Founder and Executive Director Tammy MacDonald and her daughters Kali and Kyrsti were at the school to make their presentation for the 2012 Campaign Jan. 9. Massacure mascot FRED, the Family Event Run Dog, was also there to meet the students assembled in the gym.
The video presentation to the students highlighted the last ten years, the increasing number of participants and money raised. “Over $4, 788,200 have been raised since 2003,” MacDonald said.
During the presentation, Tammy MacDonald spoke of her youngest daughter Kali, the inspiration for the Hair Massacure. Kali is often with her mother at school presentations, media events, pinking and shaving and has been a participant since 2006. Kali thanked everyone for their support all these years and mentioned encouraged Primeau school students to take first place in this year’s fund raising.
The Pink Campaign runs from Jan. 10 to Feb 3. Participating salons are located in Edmonton, St. Albert, Spruce Grove, Fort Saskatchewan, Sherwood Park and in Morinville at GV’s Hair and Body Studio.
Participant Incentives include a heart shaped Dilly Bar, hat, Kali Bear and a Hair Massacure tumbler.
Participant packages can be picked up at Morinville schools. This includes the registration form, permission and consent forms, pledge and balance sheet, and the booklet with an introduction to the campaign, instructions on bleaching and where to purchase the Kali Pink hair colour, participating salons, and 10 ways to make the most of your hair Massacure experience.
This year students are encouraged to bleach their hair at home before the pinking day taking place Jan.12 at the school. Tammy MacDonald will be cutting her hair this year for the cause and Kali will donate 10 inches of her long hair. Hair donations need to be a minimum of 10 inches, not braided, clean dry and untreated and will be used for making wigs. The big hair cut off event will be held Feb. 3 at the West Edmonton Mall Ice Palace.
Tammy presented a thank you plaque to the School and Vice-Principal Sleight Anstruther accepted it on behalf of the staff and students. The inscription read, “’On behalf of the MacDonald family and the Hair Massacure Team we extend our sincere gratitude for your outstanding contribution to the Hair Massacure. Together we raised $1,053,000 in 2011.”
MacDonald said she was pleased to have Primeau’s support once again. “This is the sixth year Primeau is supporting us,” she said.” “We are privileged and honoured to have your support.”
MacDonald said the 10th Annual Hair Massacure is also on Facebook, Twitter and has a blog at hairmassacureblog.com. The original website www.hairmassacure.com also provides information on the campaign.